I would have liked to see the Lakers play better.

Lakers are lame because of their off court dramas and egos. But i'm for competition. It's such a waste to see a good team play so horrible. But its interesting how the lakers lineup self destructed and unraveled this year.

It started with the lakers drafting "marquis" players, Malone and Payton, at the sacrifice of good support players getting rid of the likes of Mark madsen, Brian shaw, samaki walker. They also lost ron harper, and isaiah the year before. Consolidating All star players made the lakers look invinceble but it's a double edged sword.

Then it happened,

Payton sucked. Played worse than tyronne lue.

Malone got hurt.

Horace Grant didnt play.

Almost immediately without the two marquis players and with a bench full of rookies and low-calibre support players, the Lakers squad resembled the squad prior to the championship years, before they started winning championships. People forget, that it wasn't just shaq and kobe.

Did I really expect them to win without malone, payton and horace? I didn't.

Bottom line - I don't think Shaq-Kobe-Phil should be that disturbed by this performance. With a healthy malone next year, trade payton for some good support players and the lakers will be back in the finals again. But without Jerry west, I don't think the drama will keep the team together.