"Right now, what you see is not real life,''

Undertaker

Shaq said Friday, referring to the Lakers' 2-4 start entering Friday night's game against Washington. "Real life will happen in one or two weeks.

"It's going to be funny when real life comes back around. I see people now taking shots, this and that. What's good about this world we play in is that it's eight long months. You can't win it or lose it in the first month. I've been one to pace myself and wake up when it's time to wake up.''


lol I love that comment

uwftke26

What will be funny is when Shaq comes back, if they don't just start crushing people how long it will be until they start panicing.

NoDoubt64

you cant say the lakers suck this year because so far theyve been playing without two starters and if that happened to another team theyd do just as badly.

KOBEcollector

the akers didn't panic when they were down by 17 in the 4th qrt to the blazers in the 7th game of the western con. finals ..i don't see them panicking during the regular season..in my opinion they are good enough to be an 8th seed and still win it all.

uwftke26

I think the Lakers will be fine, but it's interesting to see how many Laker fans just assume that Shaq will come back and they will go back to dominating. What if Shaq comes back, and they lose the first two? Shaq starts pressing, wanting to show he's back, Kobe's pressing because he thinks Shaq needs help, and the role players still aren't doing jack. What will the excuse be then?

I think the lakers will win the title this year, but it's wrong to assume they can play like crap all they want and it will have no effect.

Undertaker

ryan: this is ONLY the first month of the season.. even if they lose their first 2 games when Shaq returns (won't happen.. but 'if') there ain't nothing to worry about, now if Shaq were out 3 months or more, THEN there would be a reason to worry, but not now

uwftke26

Undertaker, it's not their record that I worry about, it's players developing bad habits and losing confidence in one another. Kobe is already regressing just a bit, he still looks like he doesn't know how to lead a team, and it seems to wear on him. Shaq could be playing at less than 100% all year, and the role players are clearly s atep down from past years.

I'm just saying the Lakers walk a razor-thin margin of error last year (Horry's last second shot against Sacramento, the HORRIBLE officiating in game 6, the overtime game 7). If the team regresses, they may not have enough this year.

Undertaker

let's not forget that Shaq was playing at only 60% last year in the play-offs.. and Kobe had that food poisoning.. don't worry 'bout the Lakers, they'll prove theirselves once again