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From: tonti@ptsfc.UUCP (Guy Tonti)
Newsgroups: net.sport.hoops
Subject: Re: Celtics: 15 going on 16?
Message-ID: <528@ptsfc.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 24-Feb-86 12:47:36 EST
Article-I.D.: ptsfc.528
Posted: Mon Feb 24 12:47:36 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 26-Feb-86 07:39:48 EST
References: <1215@decwrl.DEC.COM> <1423@panda.UUCP> <2138@teddy.UUCP>
Organization: Pacific * Bell, San Francisco
Lines: 39
Summary: lakers miss macadoo

> Being in Boston it's hard to follow the Lakers and impossible to know what's
> going on with the rest of the Western teams.  My impression is that Magic is
> hurting and the rest of the team is getting bored.  Can anyone closer to LA
> give me a summary of what's been happening.
> 
> 						bill masek

Various ramblings include the following:

Bill, you're feelings are pretty close to the situation.  Magic is not
really 100%, and is not playing "happy."  What I mean is that the whole
team does not seem to being having fun like in previous years.  

In part, I feel it is attributed to the Lakers losing Big Mac.  
His calm attitude and off-the-bench quick points really gave the Lakers 
a boost, usually at the end of both the 1st and 3rd quarters, and if 
needed down the stretch.  He was the link that lessened the sagging on 
Kareem, kept the guards in a little closer freeing up Byron Scott, and 
he could occasionally hit the boards on offense (something Worthy seems 
to disdain).  

Also, Mack filled the role of the "older leader."  Kareem also seemed
distant from the rest of team (the father-type), while Mac seemed to 
be the more accessible type for the younger players.  Maybe Lucas will 
take up some of this slack eventually, but he hasn't yet.  From a 
psychological viewpoint, Lucas is a fairly hyper-type of player,
and the Lakers need calming (Magic does not like to be shown up).

Anyway, they'll probably gel around playoff time, and get semi-lucky
again with other team misfortunes (the only time the have not played
a team with an injured star/player in the West finals in the last few
years was when they lost to the Moses Rockets, when admittedly they
were hurt).  Also, playing in the patsy Pacific Division, they finish 
the season against comparitively weaker teams, which can do nothing 
but build up the old momentum.

signed
An admitted Phoenix Suns fan
(I'm seeing a doctor for my condition)