Comments on: James Worthy: A Look Back http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2009/12/04/james-worthy-a-look-back/ A Lakers Blog. Thoughts, reflections, and the odd rant on the Los Angeles Lakers and the NBA (even the Clippers). Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:18:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: luubi http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2009/12/04/james-worthy-a-look-back/comment-page-1/#comment-638451 luubi Sat, 05 Dec 2009 06:31:22 +0000 http://www.forumblueandgold.com/?p=2190#comment-638451 that's so wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!! kobe time! that’s so wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!

kobe time!

]]> By: luubi http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2009/12/04/james-worthy-a-look-back/comment-page-1/#comment-638281 luubi Sat, 05 Dec 2009 03:05:56 +0000 http://www.forumblueandgold.com/?p=2190#comment-638281 I loved the way Worthy dunked. no hotdogging, no showboating, no wasted energy. he jumped just high enough and glided toward the basketball. only Clyde the Glide had a prettier dunk, I thought. what an embarrassment of riches the showtime Lakers had. I think even then, Kareem was already past his prime. Imagine a younger Kareem with Magic and Worthy? Yikes! I loved the way Worthy dunked. no hotdogging, no showboating, no wasted energy. he jumped just high enough and glided toward the basketball. only Clyde the Glide had a prettier dunk, I thought.

what an embarrassment of riches the showtime Lakers had. I think even then, Kareem was already past his prime. Imagine a younger Kareem with Magic and Worthy? Yikes!

]]> By: Mimsy http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2009/12/04/james-worthy-a-look-back/comment-page-1/#comment-638267 Mimsy Fri, 04 Dec 2009 23:52:28 +0000 http://www.forumblueandgold.com/?p=2190#comment-638267 That just makes me feel bad for the opponents. The <i>short guy</i> in the line up is 6'7"! That just makes me feel bad for the opponents. The short guy in the line up is 6’7″!

]]> By: jodial http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2009/12/04/james-worthy-a-look-back/comment-page-1/#comment-638263 jodial Fri, 04 Dec 2009 23:19:37 +0000 http://www.forumblueandgold.com/?p=2190#comment-638263 It's great to see that scouting report citing the overwhelming size of the Lakers. To me, that's a real link to the Showtime era. Everyone remembers the fast breaking, but people often forget the size. The '87-'88 team's crunch time lineup looked like this: Kareem, 7'2" Mychal Thompson, 6'11" Worthy, 6'9" Magic, 6'9" Coop, 6'7" What a matchup nightmare for opponents. It’s great to see that scouting report citing the overwhelming size of the Lakers. To me, that’s a real link to the Showtime era. Everyone remembers the fast breaking, but people often forget the size. The ’87-’88 team’s crunch time lineup looked like this:

Kareem, 7’2″
Mychal Thompson, 6’11″
Worthy, 6’9″
Magic, 6’9″
Coop, 6’7″

What a matchup nightmare for opponents.

]]> By: kehn http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2009/12/04/james-worthy-a-look-back/comment-page-1/#comment-638262 kehn Fri, 04 Dec 2009 23:18:46 +0000 http://www.forumblueandgold.com/?p=2190#comment-638262 Yea, Worthy was pretty much my favorite Laker growing up. It's almost paradoxical that you can be a top 50 NBA player but still be underrecognized. Here's an interesting Dennis Rodman quote on James Worthy: "Why James Worthy? I’m one of the best defensive players of all time, and I couldn’t guard his ass. “If you defended me three or four different ways,” said Worthy in the NBA at 50, “ … then I had three or four different moves.” No shit. He would be coming off a screen, and I’d be trying to figure out whether he was going over the top or underneath. Next thing I knew, he was at the rim. Now if we’d played those guys more, I might have figured out how to guard his ass. But there was nothing but frustration with James Worthy. Clever, quick, a great player – he’s one of the few guys who flat pissed me off. I want him on my team just so I don’t have to guard him." http://hoopshype.com/articles/dead_rodman.htm Yea, Worthy was pretty much my favorite Laker growing up. It’s almost paradoxical that you can be a top 50 NBA player but still be underrecognized.

Here’s an interesting Dennis Rodman quote on James Worthy:

“Why James Worthy? I’m one of the best defensive players of all time, and I couldn’t guard his ass.

“If you defended me three or four different ways,” said Worthy in the NBA at 50, “ … then I had three or four different moves.”

No shit. He would be coming off a screen, and I’d be trying to figure out whether he was going over the top or underneath. Next thing I knew, he was at the rim. Now if we’d played those guys more, I might have figured out how to guard his ass. But there was nothing but frustration with James Worthy. Clever, quick, a great player – he’s one of the few guys who flat pissed me off. I want him on my team just so I don’t have to guard him.”

http://hoopshype.com/articles/dead_rodman.htm

]]> By: R http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2009/12/04/james-worthy-a-look-back/comment-page-1/#comment-638261 R Fri, 04 Dec 2009 23:18:40 +0000 http://www.forumblueandgold.com/?p=2190#comment-638261 Loved watching Worthy take the Celtics apart in the championship elimination game, '87 I think it was. Late in the game (game decided) he fouled out to a huge ovation! Loved watching Worthy take the Celtics apart in the championship elimination game, ’87 I think it was.

Late in the game (game decided) he fouled out to a huge ovation!

]]> By: Kurt http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2009/12/04/james-worthy-a-look-back/comment-page-1/#comment-638251 Kurt Fri, 04 Dec 2009 22:46:49 +0000 http://www.forumblueandgold.com/?p=2190#comment-638251 About Dean Smith not getting the most out of his talented players, maybe that's true. But he got the players, and that's the key. At the college level, it is all about recruiting. The coaching cliche is "it's not about the Xs and Os, it's about the Jimmys and Joes." I think at the NBA level coaching matters a little more, because there is some talent everywhere, but it goes without saying that if Phil Jackson was coaching the Nets they would still suck. Or, look at Doc Rivers, who went from horrible coach to winning a title once KG and Ray Allen came on board. About Dean Smith not getting the most out of his talented players, maybe that’s true. But he got the players, and that’s the key. At the college level, it is all about recruiting. The coaching cliche is “it’s not about the Xs and Os, it’s about the Jimmys and Joes.” I think at the NBA level coaching matters a little more, because there is some talent everywhere, but it goes without saying that if Phil Jackson was coaching the Nets they would still suck. Or, look at Doc Rivers, who went from horrible coach to winning a title once KG and Ray Allen came on board.

]]> By: Sean P. http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2009/12/04/james-worthy-a-look-back/comment-page-1/#comment-638245 Sean P. Fri, 04 Dec 2009 22:07:36 +0000 http://www.forumblueandgold.com/?p=2190#comment-638245 13. UNC made the Sweet 16 that year; in fact, they made it to the Sweet 16 or further 13 straight years from 1980-81 through 1993-94. 18. Dean Smith was no Wooden, sure, but nobody argues that he was. People just argue that he was one of the greats, which he indisputably was. From his wiki: 879 wins (2nd all-time) 77.6 win % (9th all-time) 27 consecutive 20-win seasons 30 total 20-win seasons (1st all-time for DI) 2 national championships 11 final fours 17 ACC championships Developed 26 all-americans Not to mention that he left a huge influence on coaching, with mentees including Roy Williams, Doug Moe, George Karl, Larry Brown, Eddie Fogler, & Billy Cunningham (among others). 13.

UNC made the Sweet 16 that year; in fact, they made it to the Sweet 16 or further 13 straight years from 1980-81 through 1993-94.

18.

Dean Smith was no Wooden, sure, but nobody argues that he was. People just argue that he was one of the greats, which he indisputably was.

From his wiki:

879 wins (2nd all-time)
77.6 win % (9th all-time)
27 consecutive 20-win seasons
30 total 20-win seasons (1st all-time for DI)
2 national championships
11 final fours
17 ACC championships
Developed 26 all-americans

Not to mention that he left a huge influence on coaching, with mentees including Roy Williams, Doug Moe, George Karl, Larry Brown, Eddie Fogler, & Billy Cunningham (among others).

]]> By: Kurt http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2009/12/04/james-worthy-a-look-back/comment-page-1/#comment-638243 Kurt Fri, 04 Dec 2009 21:45:06 +0000 http://www.forumblueandgold.com/?p=2190#comment-638243 Heat preview up: http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2009/12/04/preview-chat-the-miami-heat-4/ Heat preview up:

http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2009/12/04/preview-chat-the-miami-heat-4/

]]> By: Sean P. http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2009/12/04/james-worthy-a-look-back/comment-page-1/#comment-638241 Sean P. Fri, 04 Dec 2009 21:38:32 +0000 http://www.forumblueandgold.com/?p=2190#comment-638241 6. Actually Daugherty was still in high school in '81-82. Perkins played the 5 and Worthy the 4 on that team (Matt Doherty was the 3 and Jimmy Black the 1). And despite making that memorable shot against G-town, 'Mike' Jordan (as he was known at that time) was really more of a role player for that team (13.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.8 apg). Still one of the great teams of all time from one of the most loaded Final Fours of all time: UNC, Ewing's Georgetown, Olajuwon's Houston, & the 'Doctors of Dunk' at Louisville. 6.

Actually Daugherty was still in high school in ’81-82. Perkins played the 5 and Worthy the 4 on that team (Matt Doherty was the 3 and Jimmy Black the 1). And despite making that memorable shot against G-town, ‘Mike’ Jordan (as he was known at that time) was really more of a role player for that team (13.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.8 apg).

Still one of the great teams of all time from one of the most loaded Final Fours of all time: UNC, Ewing’s Georgetown, Olajuwon’s Houston, & the ‘Doctors of Dunk’ at Louisville.

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