Rick Fox home with Vanessa for playoffs. Good-bye 4 peat

[Clarkmeister]

Whatever slim chances the Lakers had for a 4th consecutive title (and I think they had almost no shot prior to this) just went out the door with Fox being gone for the remainder of the playoffs. Even the Zen-master can't save them this time.

I still think Sacramento is far and away the best team, but Dallas is playing pretty well. I'm thinking that's the NBA title game, down there in the West Conference Semi's.

[IrishHand]

Fox isn't the player he was 5 years ago...he's a valuable spare part, but no more so than any of a half-dozen other guys on the Laker roster. Long as the other half-dozen are committed to defense and the offensive scheme (aka get the ball to Shaq or Kobe and run around), they'll be fine.

This is how I look at it - do the Lakers win each of the last 3 titiles without Fox? I think so. This year's team is functionally no different from last year's team - at least not at this point. Certainly, the first 1/2 of the year was an embarassment, but in the new year, they've been the same Lakers we've seen for the past 3 years. Of course, being tied 2-2 with the Wolves isn't the most promising state of affairs, but I have faith. Guess we'll have to wait and see... /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

[andyfox]

The Lakers will be better without Fox. Shaw and Rush will contribute more towards winning than Fox did. If Kobe starts to shoot well, Minnesota is finished.

I agree that Sacramento is the best team, but they were the best team last year too. If Vlade wasn't so stupid, they would win going away.

Don't count the zen-master out just yet.