Why did Magic Johnson call Russell Westbrook the Worst PG In Finals History back in 2012??

Side beard · Post #21 » by **Side beard** » Fri Aug 11, 2017 10:47 am

Because Russ was pretty bad point guard back in 2012.

rebirthoftheM · Post #22 » by **rebirthoftheM** » Fri Aug 11, 2017 2:28 pm

OdomFan wrote:man some of yall act like these guys are suppose to be perfect just because they were great players. Being wrong about one thing suddenly makes them wrong about everything.

True, but all of us laker fans know that Magic's commentary over the years has been basic as hell. His flip-flopping at times was unbearable. I recognize in his mind, he understands far more than he gives off, but he does say a lot of stuff that make people scratch their heads.

-G- · Post #23 » by **-G-** » Fri Aug 11, 2017 3:23 pm

OdomFan wrote:man some of yall act like these guys are suppose to be perfect just because they were great players. Being wrong about one thing suddenly makes them wrong about everything.

I don't expect him to be perfect, my problem is the only reason he has the current job is because he was a great player (and got in with Jeannie). How is he qualified to be the President of Basketball Operations?

Slim Charlez · Post #24 » by **Slim Charlez** » Fri Aug 11, 2017 3:26 pm

He was terrible in a couple of games to be fair to Magic

NZB2323 · Post #25 » by **NZB2323** » Fri Aug 11, 2017 3:50 pm

It's funny that Magic criticizes Russel for taking too many shots and being inefficient but he has nothing but praise for Kobe Bryant.

2012 Russel Westbrook in the Finals: .500 TS% , 27 points per game, 6 assists per game, 6.4 rebounds per game, 2.2 turnovers per game.

2004 Kobe Bryant in the Finals: .456 TS%, 22.6 Points per game, 4.4 assists per game, 2.8 rebounds per game, 3.6 turnovers per game.

SerialChiller · Post #26 » by **SerialChiller** » Fri Aug 11, 2017 3:54 pm

Because he's not smart when it comes to these things. He said so many cringe worthy things it's insane.

Jiminy Glick · Post #27 » by **Jiminy Glick** » Fri Aug 11, 2017 4:01 pm

It was because he lacked the ability to get others involved. He was very aggressive in terms of trying to score. I remember those OKC days, it was drama trying to figure out how to get Westbrook, Harden, Durant, and Ibaka all involved.

Patches Perry · Post #28 » by **Patches Perry** » Fri Aug 11, 2017 4:03 pm

NZB2323 wrote:It's funny that Magic criticizes Russel for taking too many shots and being inefficient but he has nothing but praise for Kobe Bryant.

2012 Russel Westbrook in the Finals: .500 TS% , 27 points per game, 6 assists per game, 6.4 rebounds per game, 2.2 turnovers per game.

2004 Kobe Bryant in the Finals: .456 TS%, 22.6 Points per game, 4.4 assists per game, 2.8 rebounds per game, 3.6 turnovers per game.

Damn. This thread just went from maybe 3-4 pages to 18 pages with this one comment. Firing shots at Kobe is damn near blasphemous around these parts - percentages and facts be damned.

Great point by the way.

MPM · Post #29 » by **MPM** » Fri Aug 11, 2017 4:03 pm

Prez wrote:Magic says a lot of stupid stuff.

Read on Twitter

To be fair, Magic may have been talking about MCW's future potential for driving drunk and spousal abuse, rather than his point guard prowess.

Woodsanity · Post #30 » by **Woodsanity** » Fri Aug 11, 2017 4:05 pm

Magic is very prone to overreactions and usually doesn't do his homework lol.

Patches Perry · Post #31 » by **Patches Perry** » Fri Aug 11, 2017 4:07 pm

Another former player with an opinion that gets overvalued because he played. Former players aren't exempt from terrible views and their views aren't inherently more accurate because they used to play. We all watch the same game.

That said - THE DUNK CONTEST IS BACK!

Jedi32 · Post #32 » by **Jedi32** » Fri Aug 11, 2017 4:17 pm

NZB2323 wrote:It's funny that Magic criticizes Russel for taking too many shots and being inefficient but he has nothing but praise for Kobe Bryant.

2012 Russel Westbrook in the Finals: .500 TS% , 27 points per game, 6 assists per game, 6.4 rebounds per game, 2.2 turnovers per game.

2004 Kobe Bryant in the Finals: .456 TS%, 22.6 Points per game, 4.4 assists per game, 2.8 rebounds per game, 3.6 turnovers per game.

Lol the only way this makes sense is if magic praised kobe for his 2004 finals. I don't remember him doing that.

Devils Advocate · Post #33 » by **Devils Advocate** » Fri Aug 11, 2017 4:38 pm

Woodsanity wrote:Magic is very prone to overreactions and usually doesn't do his homework lol.

Funny you said he doesn't do his homework lol. My firend was in a staff meeting with Magic and Rob Pelinka pre-draft and he said Magic told them he just started taking notes while he was watching March Madness. He kept stressing how much work he is doing now that he is the head of operations or what ever his title is, but all he was doing was looking up stats on current players and watching march madness.

He also said all Pelinka did was talk about how the Lakers are a global brand and told them about things Kobe told him on the phone the last couple times they talked, but nothing about GM'ing. For those that don't know Pelinka only has his job because Magic and Jeannie Buss offered it to Kobe and he said he didn't want to do it. He told them to hire Pelinka.

FYI for the Laker fans, I hear a lot about what is going on with the team internally (that sometimes differs greatly from whats officially reported) so I can post more about it when i get updates if you guys are interested.

d00lttle · Post #34 » by **d00lttle** » Fri Aug 11, 2017 4:53 pm

If you add the caveat "that is also the best (or 1b) player on his team", then maybe you could make that argument at the time?

Clay Davis · Post #35 » by **Clay Davis** » Fri Aug 11, 2017 4:55 pm

Devils Advocate wrote:
Woodsanity wrote:Magic is very prone to overreactions and usually doesn't do his homework lol.

Funny you said he doesn't do his homework lol. My firend was in a staff meeting with Magic and Rob Pelinka pre-draft and he said Magic told them he just started taking notes while he was watching March Madness. He kept stressing how much work he is doing now that he is the head of operations or what ever his title is, but all he was doing was looking up stats on current players and watching march madness.

He also said all Pelinka did was talk about how the Lakers are a global brand and told them about things Kobe told him on the phone the last couple times they talked, but nothing about GM'ing. For those that don't know Pelinka only has his job because Magic and Jeannie Buss offered it to Kobe and he said he didn't want to do it. He told them to hire Pelinka.

FYI for the Laker fans, I hear a lot about what is going on with the team internally (that sometimes differs greatly from whats officially reported) so I can post more about it when i get updates if you guys are interested.

You're going to risk giving away your friend and souring his name for some And 1s?

Sent from my SGH-I337M using RealGM mobile app

Woodsanity · Post #36 » by **Woodsanity** » Fri Aug 11, 2017 5:05 pm

Devils Advocate wrote:
Woodsanity wrote:Magic is very prone to overreactions and usually doesn't do his homework lol.

Funny you said he doesn't do his homework lol. My firend was in a staff meeting with Magic and Rob Pelinka pre-draft and he said Magic told them he just started taking notes while he was watching March Madness. He kept stressing how much work he is doing now that he is the head of operations or what ever his title is, but all he was doing was looking up stats on current players and watching march madness.

He also said all Pelinka did was talk about how the Lakers are a global brand and told them about things Kobe told him on the phone the last couple times they talked, but nothing about GM'ing. For those that don't know Pelinka only has his job because Magic and Jeannie Buss offered it to Kobe and he said he didn't want to do it. He told them to hire Pelinka.

FYI for the Laker fans, I hear a lot about what is going on with the team internally (that sometimes differs greatly from whats officially reported) so I can post more about it when i get updates if you guys are interested.

Well now that he has such an important role he should be doing some research. I know before as an "analyst" he definitely didn't.
Being a super amazing nba player does not mean that your opinion is right, loads of great nba players don't make good gms or coaches for a reason.

Egg Nog · Post #37 » by **Egg Nog** » Fri Aug 11, 2017 5:05 pm

Let's not pretend like Westbrook didn't hero-ball them out of that series.

The guy was a thrill to watch but his overconfidence was detrimental to the team in a big way.

That being said, Magic was obviously exaggerating to make a point.

Devils Advocate · Post #38 » by **Devils Advocate** » Fri Aug 11, 2017 5:06 pm

Clay Davis wrote:
Devils Advocate wrote:
Woodsanity wrote:Magic is very prone to overreactions and usually doesn't do his homework lol.

Funny you said he doesn't do his homework lol. My firend was in a staff meeting with Magic and Rob Pelinka pre-draft and he said Magic told them he just started taking notes while he was watching March Madness. He kept stressing how much work he is doing now that he is the head of operations or what ever his title is, but all he was doing was looking up stats on current players and watching march madness.

He also said all Pelinka did was talk about how the Lakers are a global brand and told them about things Kobe told him on the phone the last couple times they talked, but nothing about GM'ing. For those that don't know Pelinka only has his job because Magic and Jeannie Buss offered it to Kobe and he said he didn't want to do it. He told them to hire Pelinka.

FYI for the Laker fans, I hear a lot about what is going on with the team internally (that sometimes differs greatly from whats officially reported) so I can post more about it when i get updates if you guys are interested.

You're going to risk giving away your friend and souring his name for some And 1s?

Sent from my SGH-I337M using RealGM mobile app

No, that stuff was from a room with the entire staff. Then there is stuff that is told to him from a high level exec that I would never post about. I have given tid bits before about the organization but never anything major. I also don't care about and 1's and barely post on here despite reading every day. But if someone had inside info on my Clippers I'd like to hear it, so I posed the question to Laker fans. Also thank you for the concern for my friend

1993Playoffs · Post #39 » by **1993Playoffs** » Fri Aug 11, 2017 5:16 pm

Im gonna have to re-watch the series...I know had a amazing game in the closeout game tho

Impuniti · Post #40 » by **Impuniti** » Fri Aug 11, 2017 5:27 pm

MoneyTalks41890 wrote:
fileman3 wrote:
MoneyTalks41890 wrote:
Well, he's grown quite a bit in 5 years. Which is why he got the MVP last year.

He literally plays the exact same now

This is why I generally avoid the general board. That's a tragically ignorant statement.

Not really ignorant statements. Bad shooting % and dumb decisions go as far as his last playoff series where the Rockets beat OKC 4-1. We don't have to even go to 2016. This is the same guy that is not a good 3 point shooter that shot 1 in the only win only to follow up with a record 18 3PA in the next game that they lose because reasons.

This was last year.