FRIDAY REWIND: Bye, bye Lakers

BY RANDY HILL<br>
FOXSports.com<br>
May. 15, 2003 8:40 p.m. <br>
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It took a little work, but I’ve managed to scrape together some good news for basketball fans in Los Angeles:<br>
The Laker Girls have cap room.<br>
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The Laker Guys aren’t as blessed. But they do possess about $4.5 million in spending loot that should be referred to as the mad-level exception.<br>
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OK, so I’m presuming a bit of upcoming madness in L.A. following Thursday’s season-ending, parade-preempting loss to the San Antonio Spurs.<br>
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San Antonio’s 110-82 annihilation of the three-time defending champs checks in as the marquee event for this episode of The Friday Rewind.<br>
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In going from four-peat to fore-peat, the anesthetized Lakers finally were unable to overcome their sprawling collection of supporting castaways.<br>
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And they were unable to perform a championship-caliber, fourth-quarter blitzkrieg that has marked Phil Jackson’s run as their coach.<br>
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With “Prime” Tim Duncan (37 points and 16 rebounds) in charge for the Spurs, this qualified as the most alarming kiss of death seen at Staples Center since Al Gore mauled Tipper’s lips during the last convention.<br>
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Lakers stars Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant were unable to overpower a seemingly unbeatable foe from Texas and roster limitations created by their own robust salaries.<br>
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After financially rewarding L.A.’s two superstars for their skills and several veteran playmates for loyalty, the Lakers were unable to add any young guns.<br>
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Former personnel ace Jerry West, whose savvy acquisition of Bryant and recruitment of O’Neal produced three consecutive titles, was subsequently handcuffed by drafting low.<br>
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But, like all of his peers, he still missed Rashard Lewis in 1998 (taking Sam Jacobson), Andrei Kirilenko in 1999 (Devean George) and unheralded Michael Redd (Mark “Bojangles” Madsen) in 2000.<br>
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(Obviously, hindsight is easy and can be used against any GM.)<br>
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Going into Thursday’s Game 6, Lakers fans didn’t think any of this could matter. With three parades in the bank, why should they? <br>
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Instead of greeting the opening tip with fevered expectation, Laker fans again failed to make more noise than their clothing.<br>
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Tension that should have been thicker than Dyan Cannon’s lips sounded like minor concern.<br>
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The Lakers had considered breaking out those Sunday white uniforms for this special occasion, but feared that their fans would curse themselves for missing brunch.<br>
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So the champs were home-schooled by the Spurs to a degree that was even too severe for any desperation reloading by Kobe, The Eightrix.<br>
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Let’s credit the mighty Spurs, who did lead the league in victories this season.<br>
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For keen basketball insight that must have been greatly assisted by those sunglasses, let’s go to Jack Nicholson.<br>
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“Best teams win seven-game series,” Jack told ABC’s Jim Gray.<br>
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That’s some truth we can all handle.<br>
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More NBA<br>
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When former rebounding ace Dennis Rodman tied the knot this week, it had nothing to do with home movies.<br>
On Tuesday, Rodman celebrated his 42nd birthday by marrying girlfriend Michelle Moyer. Moyer and the couple's two children are expected to continue living in a separate residence, where their sleep patterns will not be interrupted during police visits.<br>
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Rodman has threatened to throw a no-holds-barred reception at his beach-front home, but little has been reported about the actual wedding.<br>
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We do know the bride wore an off-the-shoulder Vera Wang wedding gown complemented by a diamond tiara.<br>
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But I’m not sure what Michelle was wearing.<br>
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Less than a week after bitterly complaining about the officiating in his team’s defeats at San Antonio, L.A. Lakers coach Phil Jackson was recovering from an angioplasty procedure.<br>
This seems to contradict recent medical revelations that whine is good for the heart.<br>
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LeBron James, the top suspect entering this summer’s NBA Draft, has selected Aaron Goodwin to serve as his agent. Goodwin emerged victorious from a list of high-profile candidates who each had a 10-percent chance to land James.<!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://foxsports.lycos.com/content/view?contentId=1331298" target="top">Link</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br>
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