Top Laker Gut Punches Of All Time?

Waldini:

It's the summer time so I thought I kill time during the slow season and do my own lil top 5 vignette throughout the season. First off....

TOP 5 WORST MOMENTS AS A LAKERS FAN

1. Magic's early retirement - I literally was almost in tears when I first heard this. He was one of my role models I looked up to at that point in my life. Watching him announce the retirement, followed by his infidelity stories was painful. It "woke" me up though about people being human.

2. Van Exel getting traded - He was my FAVORITE Laker post showtime era. From his days at UC to his rookie year to his All star year, I loved Nick the Quick. I tried to emulate his swagger and moves when I played, I even went bonkers when I found his jersey in Seattle on the low, low while I was interning. It was heartbreaking when the Lakers took the advice of Diesel and traded him away in his prime for Tyronne Lue and a meaningless 2nd rd pick.

3. Eddie Jones getting traded - My 2nd favorite Laker post showtime era. Again Shaq-fu suggested prior to the season sending Eddie off, saying he wasnt clutch in the postseason. EJ did not dispell those myths either and then during the '99 season, he was off. I was on the road when I saw he and Big Easy were headed to Charlotte for Glen Rice and his old lady aka Mouth Almighty. S*** I still get hyped when I see those dunks on Shawn Bradley

4. Mitch Kupchak becoming GM - Even when the Lakers were winning, I was scared of this b/c Kupchak really had not down anything magical as a member of the Lakers org. My fears were realized when he couldn't resolve or repair the Shaq/Kobe feud like Jerry could. I feel he's more of a puppet than manager, essentially doing the bidding of the Busses and Kobe. His draft record and free agent signings have left a lot to be desired. For a lifer like myself, it's hard to watch him bumble and stumble year after year after year....

5. '98 squad getting swept by Utah - I will never forget Game 1. It was baccalaureate that day and I rushed home to see how the boys were doing. They were down 20 something at halftime :-(. They never shook off that shocked and proceeded to get swept. To this day, that year pains me the most b/c from 1-10, I didnt think anyone else in the league had better players. Dayum Phil for coming 2 yrs later

Gangsta D:

The '98 squad was the best team of the last 20 years to not make the Finals. I have no stats to back that up. Call me a homer if you want, but that team was LETHAL.

I can't disagree with any of those moments. Although, I may replace Eddie getting hurt with Byron and Magic tearing their hamstrings in '89. There's no dobut the Lakers wouldv'e three peat. They lead games 2-4 in the fourth qtr with Orlando Woolridge and tony Campbell leading the way! Then to watch the Pistons celebrate on the Forum floor? That was brutal.

Waldini:

Yea that was one of my honorable mention picks along with the '86 meltdown against Houston and the '91 passing of the torch to Chicago

Da Realist:

first of all...
there is NO WAY IN HELL, nick van exel is your favorite laker post showtime. and even more preposterous, there is NO DAMN WAY eddie jones is your second. you just made my day. hard to laugh this hard on monday mornings...

secondly...

just curious... what is your favorite laker team? not necessarily the best team, but your favorite. and why? it doesn't even have to be a team that won the title. my favorite bulls team was 93 (not the best) because they showed so much resiliency by overcoming a 2-0 deficit to beat the knicks and then to beat the very good suns team when they didn't have home-court advantage. game 5 against the knicks is one of my top 3 bulls games.

Waldini:

First of all yes, no lie, no joke, Van Exel was my favorite hands down. When the Lakers got him in '93 in the 2nd rd, I went these people are crazy, this guy can play. And he definitely did that his rookie year, even though the team sucked. Then they got Eddie the next year and they made the playoffs. Yea look at all the Lakers that have passed through since '93. Who would you expect me to pick?

As for favorite Laker team, the '98 squad. Shaq, Horry, Fox, Jones, Van Exel, Bryant, Fisher, J Barry, Campbell, Rooks was there rotation. It was beyond sick. Won 60 games, destroyed their first two opponents in the playoffs, including my personal favorite of Seattle, signaling the downturn of that franchise (and also rubbing it in Edwardo's face). I hated watching them lose b/c I did so much trash talking on their behalf and thanks to Del harris they just pissed it all away in the conf finals

Gangsta D:

Yep, the '98 squad was my favorite as well. It's more based on it looking like the Lakers were returning to prominence. You could almost smell it. I felt that team was destined to play the Bulls in the Finals and get the torch passed back to them. Alas it wasn't to be...