Anyone else still amazed that the 05-06 and 06-07 Lakers ever made the playoffs???

• 2quik4u

  

  I just got done looking at these rosters and it just's makes me laugh that these guys made the playoffs.
  
  2005-06 Lakers Roster
  
  No. Player Pos Ht Wt Birth Date Exp College
  
  54 Kwame Brown F 6-11 270 March 10, 1982 4
  8 Kobe Bryant G 6-6 200 August 23, 1978 9
  17 Andrew Bynum C 7-0 285 October 27, 1987 R
  43 Brian Cook F 6-9 234 December 4, 1980 2 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  3 Devean George G-F 6-8 220 August 29, 1977 6 Augsburg College
  11 Devin Green G 6-7 210 October 25, 1982 R Hampton University
  24 Jim Jackson G 6-6 220 October 14, 1970 13 Ohio State University
  2 Aaron McKie G 6-5 209 October 2, 1972 11 Temple University
  14 Stanislav Medvedenko F 6-10 250 April 4, 1979 5
  31 Chris Mihm C 7-0 265 July 16, 1979 5 University of Texas at Austin
  7 Lamar Odom F 6-10 220 November 6, 1979 6 University of Rhode Island
  1 Smush Parker G 6-4 190 June 1, 1981 2 Fordham University
  9 Laron Profit G-F 6-5 204 August 5, 1977 3 University of Maryland
  21 Ronny Turiaf F 6-10 249 January 13, 1983 R Gonzaga University
  18 Sasha Vujacic G 6-7 193 March 8, 1984 1
  23 Von Wafer G 6-5 210 July 21, 1985 R Florida State University
  4 Luke Walton F 6-8 235 March 28, 1980 2 University of Arizona
  
  
  2006-07 Lakers Roster
  
  No. Player Pos Ht Wt Birth Date Exp College
  
  54 Kwame Brown F 6-11 270 March 10, 1982 5
  24 Kobe Bryant G 6-6 200 August 23, 1978 10
  17 Andrew Bynum C 7-0 285 October 27, 1987 1
  43 Brian Cook F 6-9 234 December 4, 1980 3 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  6 Maurice Evans G 6-5 220 November 8, 1978 3 University of Texas at Austin
  5 Jordan Farmar G 6-2 180 November 30, 1986 R University of California, Los Angeles
  2 Aaron McKie G 6-5 209 October 2, 1972 12 Temple University
  7 Lamar Odom F 6-10 220 November 6, 1979 7 University of Rhode Island
  1 Smush Parker G 6-4 190 June 1, 1981 3 Fordham University
  10 Vladimir Radmanovic F 6-10 227 November 19, 1980 5
  21 Ronny Turiaf F 6-10 249 January 13, 1983 1 Gonzaga University
  18 Sasha Vujacic G 6-7 193 March 8, 1984 2
  4 Luke Walton F 6-8 235 March 28, 1980 3 University of Arizona
  3 Shammond Williams G 6-1 201 April 5, 1975 6 University of North Carolina
  
  
  The starting lineup for both years was:
  
  PG- Smush Parker
  SG- Kobe Bryant
  SF- Luke Walton
  PF- Lamar Odom
  C- Kwame Brown
  
  How the hell did these rosters make the playoffs in the western conference? Luke Walton was the THIRD best player. Smush Parker couldn't even stay on the Clippers or Heats rosters and he started for the Lakers lol. From the 05-06 season 17 players that were on the roster that year. ONLY 8 are still NBA with only 5 of them getting any playing time nowadays.
• hoops23

  

  Not really. The West wasn't as deep then, and obviously Kobe and Odom were good players.
  
  Vlad and Ronny were very serviceable during their tenure, and Luke actually played decent.
  
  I believe they also missed the playoffs too, though. Was it the 04-05 season?
• 2quik4u

  

  LTrain23 wrote: Not really. The West wasn't as deep then, and obviously Kobe and Odom were good players.
  
  Vlad and Ronny were very serviceable during their tenure, and Luke actually played decent.
  
  I believe they also missed the playoffs too, though. Was it the 04-05 season?

  during 06-07 Vlad and ronny averaged a combined 12 pts and 6 rebs I wouldn't call that exactly serviceable
• hoops23

  

  Serviceable doesn't mean you go out there and average 15 points.
  
  It means that when you are on the court, you do your job that is asked of you.
  
  I would definitely say Ronny did that. I can't really speak on Vlads behalf, because I don't quite remember, and really, don't care to.
  
  Good day.
• Lenin

  Considering Smush Parker is one of the best PGs of his generation, I'd say the Lakers underachieved.
• Trueblue23

  

  Lakers starting 5 in 04-05
  
  PG- Chucky Atkins
  SG- Kobe Bryant
  SF- Caron Butler
  PF- Lamar Odom
  C- Chris Mihm
• Nate

  I forgot Caron Butler played for the Lakers.
• SQ_Crazies

  

  Not any more impressive than the roster that LeBron led to the Finals back then.
• JakeGiant

  SQ_Crazies wrote: Not any more impressive than the roster that LeBron led to the Finals back then.

  
  The East was a joke in 07.
  
  At any rate, Mihm and Parker(I believe) were part of the really bad Cavs teams before the Dancing Queen came onto the scene.
• 2quik4u

  

  JakeGiant wrote:

  SQ_Crazies wrote: Not any more impressive than the roster that LeBron led to the Finals back then.

  
  The East was a joke in 07.
  
  At any rate, Mihm and Parker(I believe) were part of the really bad Cavs teams before the Dancing Queen came onto the scene.

  This is true and it was obviously shown by the Cav's getting swept in the finals
• SQ_Crazies

  

  Only you guys would call making the Finals a joke. I don't disagree that the East wasn't that great that year--but making the Finals is still no easy task, ESPECIALLY with a roster like they had. LeBron put on one of the best shows EVER to take out a Detroit dynasty that did knock the Lakers off. You guys know better than to call any trip to the Finals a joke--you aren't THAT stupid.
• krazie45

  

  I wouldn't call the Cavs 07 finals trip a joke at all. Was the East strong? not really, but the Cavs weren't exactly playing cupcakes either. They faced a Wizards team that had some injuries (what else is new) but still had Jamison who played out of his mind. They then beat a Nets team that had Kidd-Carter-Jefferson, and then of course the Pistons team that was obviously still very talented and one of the elite teams in the league. By the time they faced the Spurs they (especially LeBron) were pretty well exhausted. Any time you make the finals it's impressive because you're still winning 3 seven game series' to get there.
• JakeGiant

  Pistons were #1 seed with 53 wins, and Cavs #2 with 50. Then, Cavs beat 42-40 Washington(who they own in the Playoffs), and the same Kidd-Jeffeson-Carter team that finished 41-41. Pistons had to play Chicago in Round 2, who was a 49 win team. Maybe it's harsh saying it was a joke, but really, the path was a perfect storm for the Cavs despite how one wants to crack at the Cavs roster. Notice how the Cavs haven't been to the finals since, i.e. with the best record last year?
  
  Couldn't.have.been.scripted.better.in.2007.
• krazie45

  

  JakeGiant wrote: Pistons were #1 seed with 53 wins, and Cavs #2 with 50. Then, Cavs beat 42-40 Washington(who they own in the Playoffs), and the same Kidd-Jeffeson-Carter team that finished 41-41. Pistons had to play Chicago in Round 2, who was a 49 win team. Maybe it's harsh saying it was a joke, but really, the path was a perfect storm for the Cavs despite how one wants to crack at the Cavs roster. Notice how the Cavs haven't been to the finals since, i.e. with the best record last year?
  
  Couldn't.have.been.scripted.better.in.2007.

  Cavs ran into the matchup problem with the Magic last year, and Boston ended up being the champs 2 years ago and that even went to seven games. Any time you have the #2 seed you have a good chance to make the finals.
• Sage

  

  Lenin already won this thread long ago. So mad that Kobe isn't on like Ring 8 right now.
• burt07

  krazie45 wrote: I wouldn't call the Cavs 07 finals trip a joke at all. Was the East strong? not really, but the Cavs weren't exactly playing cupcakes either. They faced a Wizards team that had some injuries (what else is new) but still had Jamison who played out of his mind. They then beat a Nets team that had Kidd-Carter-Jefferson, and then of course the Pistons team that was obviously still very talented and one of the elite teams in the league. By the time they faced the Spurs they (especially LeBron) were pretty well exhausted. Any time you make the finals it's impressive because you're still winning 3 seven game series' to get there.

  I'm sorry this is wrong, the first two rounds WERE a cakewalk for the Cavs. The Wizards were probably one of the worst teams to ever make the playoffs. The Nets were decent but definitely nothing special. Outside of their "Big 3" (which is a huge stretch as Kidd was definitely starting a decline, Vince still non-clutch Vince, and Jefferson being serviceable at best) the Nets had NOTHING. Mikki Moore was their next threat. They were a .500 team and yes the Cavs took care of them like they should. Now yes, the Pistons were legit and that was a tremendous series win, but up until that point it wasn't anything special.
  
  As for the Lakers during those seasons, primarily it was the league being down. A mixture of veterans that weren't quite superstars and young guys not quite at the supreme level yet. With that, a team like Kobe's was able to get by based on his talent alone, very similar to the Cavs with LeBron.
• SQ_Crazies

  

  So rings are all that matters, but making the Finals is a joke...
  
  Talk about a joke, what a bunch of fucking retards.