Lakers without Malone and Payton

[VCFAN]

How do you think the Lakers would have done this year in terms of there record and there playoff achievements if Lakers would have never acquired Payton, and Malone.

IMO they would have been essentially the same team last year. Even though they were basically a champioship like this in previous years I dont think they would have made it as far in the playoffs. Shaq and Kobe wouykd not have played as well due to their arguing, Kobe's surgery in the summer, and his trial.

I think there record would be about 48 and 34.
It depends on who they play in the playoffs but just in general they probably would not get past the second round giving they are between a 3 and 6 seed with that record.

[Matthew]

I agree. They would have made some small improvements to their roster (B. Russel and Horace) But the rapers wouldnt have had this big of a splash this early. Last year tho, Shaq was injured, so they may have had a better record (like you said around the 3rd seed). But the fact is they do have these guys, and I think they actually play better without kobe and that shows how much talent this team does have. But they are not unbeatable.. I think Minnesota and Sacramento have legitimate chances to beat them on any given night..

[GloveGuy]

Without Malone, they wouldn't have had an answer for Tim Duncan. Without Payton, they wouldn't be the uptempo team that they currently are now.

[Andrew]

I expect the Lakers to win 60+ games this year. However, without Malone and Payton, I wouldn't expect them to win any more than about 55 games. They would still be contenders and probably wouldn't be any lower than the fifth seed (as they were last year), but they wouldn't be nearly as good.

[Fresh8]

With-out Payton...Kobe would still not play off-the-ball as much...which I think he prefers...and Payton can actually handle the ball well!

With-out Malone...Shaq would still be constantly doubled AND the Lakers wouldn't have ANY answer to other Western Conference Power Forwards!

With-out the two of them: Lakers wouldn't be kicking ass right now

[Jackal]

and Payton can actually handle the ball well!

You say it as if you doubted his capabilities of handling the ball.

[#12]

They would still have Madsen and Horry

[Filip]

Horry is in San Antonio dude

[Wall St. Peon]

They would still have Madsen and Horry

Horry is in San Antonio dude

And Madsen is playing quite well in Minnesota. But the important thing is that he was saying that Horry and Madsen would probably have been resigned if Payton and Malone hadn't come along...."would still have" shows this. Not that Horry, and especially Madsen, are the answer to the Tim Duncan's and Chris Webber's in the west, but whatever. *shrug*