|
Feb 27, 2003 The Los Angles Lakers have been on a triple NBA championship run that has been quite impressive. And they may just keep going. The pretenders to the throne, the Mavericks and Kings, will find out late this spring if they have what it takes to take the crown away from the real kings. There is, however, one spoiler in the playoff teams that may have something to say - a spoiler who has been waiting in the shadows for a chance to get back at the Lakers. That team is the Portland Trailblazers. When Shaq and Kobe first teamed up for the initial championship run it almost didn't happen, thanks to the Blazers. In fact Portland had the Lakers down and almost knocked out.. With a few minutes left in the game, Portland had a 15 point lead. It was the final game of the series, and if Portland had been able to put up another basket, they, not the Lakers, would have been the new champs. Portland wasn't able to put that basket in, and they have become the poster children for choking. A coach and some of the players have come and gone since then, but enough of the core remains that Portland could be the team that finally brings the Lakers streak to an end. Portland remains the ultimate wildcard in the upcoming playoff series - they could bow out early, or they could get hot and run the table. About the author: Dwayne Hines currently has 12 books selling in major bookstores and writes for major magazines such as Physical and FitnessRX. Email Dwayne Hines: dhines@3dinet.com ------------ Comment on this column in the forum. ------------ |
|
|||||
|
|
|||||||
|
