Older Laker Fans: Did The Wins In 85 and 87 Erase the Sting of 1984?

Quake Griffin · Post #1 » by **Quake Griffin** » Sun Jun 7, 2020 4:33 pm

Or is there still a little bitterness regarding the 84 loss?

Curious.
Not trolling anybody. I've been asking different historical questions around the forum since Covid.

Landsberger · Post #2 » by **Landsberger** » Sun Jun 7, 2020 5:18 pm

For me..... no. 84 was the year we were supposed to get that monkey off our back. I remember the last 4 minutes and overtime of Game 2 to this day. We were a better team than they were in 85 and 87 and it was great to finally beat them but we had them in 84 and let them off the hook. Kareem was haunted by Boston in his Bucks days as well. So 85 was a big win for him as well personally.

Dmkorc23 · Post #3 » by **Dmkorc23** » Sat Jun 27, 2020 9:48 am

When you had a new gf, did it erased the sting of getting dumped by your previous one? Sure it helped you to move forward, but looking back, it will always sting a little. The rivalry was very intense and 1984 was supposed to be our year.

Beethoven · Post #4 » by **Beethoven** » Sun Jul 5, 2020 4:19 pm

It stings every year that we don't win the championship.

Post #5 » by **Kilroy** » Tue Jul 7, 2020 5:44 pm

I mean it eased the sting, but didn't replace it...

Nothing replaces that... Just like I still can't get my head around Shaq/Kobe losing to Detroit... Never looked at Shaq the same after that series...

One thing I will say though, is those 80s teams had such great rivalries, that losing to some of those teams, especially Bird, wasn't as bad as Shaq getting outplayed against Detroit... It was a challenge when you faced Dr J and the Sixers, a challenge when you faced Detroit, a challenge when we faced Utah or Houston... Especially the East coast teams, because not only were you facing the guys in the other jerseys, you were also facing the media... Hated nationally televised games so much my dad and I used to watch the TV with the sound off... If we were lucky, we'd bring up Chick on the radio.

That was what was so great about that era... It wasn't about Personal stats or money as much as it was about the game and playing it with all they had... For themselves as well as their team and their City.
It just hurt more back then when your team lost because it felt more like one City beating another City. But losing to Bird and those Celtics was losing to an equal... It happens. Even if it sucks.

Trips71 · Post #6 » by **Trips71** » Wed Jul 8, 2020 4:12 am

Kilroy wrote:I mean it eased the sting, but didn't replace it...

Nothing replaces that... Just like I still can't get my head around Shaq/Kobe losing to Detroit... Never looked at Shaq the same after that series...

One thing I will say though, is those 80s teams had such great rivalries, that losing to some of those teams, especially Bird, wasn't as bad as Shaq getting outplayed against Detroit... It was a challenge when you faced Dr J and the Sixers, a challenge when you faced Detroit, a challenge when we faced Utah or Houston... Especially the East coast teams, because not only were you facing the guys in the other jerseys, you were also facing the media... Hated nationally televised games so much my dad and I used to watch the TV with the sound off... If we were lucky, we'd bring up Chick on the radio.

That was what was so great about that era... It wasn't about Personal stats or money as much as it was about the game and playing it with all they had... For themselves as well as their team and their City.
It just hurt more back then when your team lost because it felt more like one City beating another City. But losing to Bird and those Celtics was losing to an equal... It happens. Even if it sucks.

Funny that you mention losing to Detroit in 2004, because that is the one that always bothers me. I do remember losing in '84 too, but I feel like that misery didn't last as long since we won the following year. The Detroit loss was followed by an awful season.

Interestingly, from the Detroit series loss, I was more upset at Kobe than Shaq. I always felt that Kobe tried to take over too much in that series, and wanted to establish himself over Shaq. Shaq was such a mismatch on Wallace (as good as Wallace was) and should have been given the ball constantly. Kobe didn't shoot well if I remember correctly, and Oneil's % was through the roof. Regardless, that loss sucked.

Post #7 » by **Kilroy** » Wed Jul 8, 2020 5:24 pm

Trips71 wrote:
Kilroy wrote:I mean it eased the sting, but didn't replace it...

Nothing replaces that... Just like I still can't get my head around Shaq/Kobe losing to Detroit... Never looked at Shaq the same after that series...

One thing I will say though, is those 80s teams had such great rivalries, that losing to some of those teams, especially Bird, wasn't as bad as Shaq getting outplayed against Detroit... It was a challenge when you faced Dr J and the Sixers, a challenge when you faced Detroit, a challenge when we faced Utah or Houston... Especially the East coast teams, because not only were you facing the guys in the other jerseys, you were also facing the media... Hated nationally televised games so much my dad and I used to watch the TV with the sound off... If we were lucky, we'd bring up Chick on the radio.

That was what was so great about that era... It wasn't about Personal stats or money as much as it was about the game and playing it with all they had... For themselves as well as their team and their City.
It just hurt more back then when your team lost because it felt more like one City beating another City. But losing to Bird and those Celtics was losing to an equal... It happens. Even if it sucks.

Funny that you mention losing to Detroit in 2004, because that is the one that always bothers me. I do remember losing in '84 too, but I feel like that misery didn't last as long since we won the following year. The Detroit loss was followed by an awful season.

Interestingly, from the Detroit series loss, I was more upset at Kobe than Shaq. I always felt that Kobe tried to take over too much in that series, and wanted to establish himself over Shaq. Shaq was such a mismatch on Wallace (as good as Wallace was) and should have been given the ball constantly. Kobe didn't shoot well if I remember correctly, and Oneil's % was through the roof. Regardless, that loss sucked.

I thought Shaq was pouting that series... His whole demeanor was bad, and as a result, Wallace completely out-played him.
That's why I thought Kobe was trying to take over... Because Shaq was bitching out a bit.

Don't know if Shaq already knew he was done in LA during that series, or if he was sending a message that Kobe couldn't win without him, but I think that was at least, the nail in the coffin at least for Dr Buss on the Shaq era. And Shaq was never the same player again after that.