Ballers

[LA Guy]

I watched my Lakers take apart Minnesota last night, but it was Kobe's postgame style that really blew Kevin Garnett's out of the air. Kobe has a penchant for ghetto suits (you know, Stacy Adams style numbers with too many buttons and wierd lapels) but maybe in deference to the impeccable style of the injured Rick Fox, he came out to talk to the press in what looked to be a very well made dark navy three-button with a white shirt and matching tie yesterday. On the other hand, Garnett was wearing a Cosby sweater with an open collared white shirt. Poor guy looked like a Frankenstein out of some bad 70's blaxploitation movie. Maybe it was the sartorial equivalent of pathetic fallacy or something.

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

Enjoy Kobe's suits while you can. Â Timmy D. and the Spurs will be closing the Lakers two-man show in the next round. Â Â

 

[Thracozaag]

Jordan still trumps them all in the clothing department; he's listed in Lattanzi's shoe catalogue. And whoever comes out of the East (I'm a 6ers fan) will get pounded in the Finals. Any thoughts on the best dressed NBA coach? My vote is for Larry Brown, but I'm biased from the Philadelphia/KU connections.

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

Any thoughts on the best dressed NBA coach?  My vote is for Larry Brown, but I'm biased from the Philadelphia/KU connections.

What about Pat Riley?  His look is a bit Gordon Gekko-ish, but I think he pulls it off quite nicely.  It doesn't hurt that he has the perfect build for a double-breasted suit, in contrast to, say, Chuck Daly.

 

[Stu]

Best dressed: Isiah Thomas of the Pacers

Worst: George Karl of the Bucks

 

[davei]

Being from Toronto, I noticed Antonio Davis was pretty well dressed (it helped that he was injured a lot this year, so he sat on the sidelines in a nice suit quite a bit.) Can't say the same for Lenny Wilkens, he seemed to wear the combination I absolutely cannot stand: turtleneck (or t-shirt) under an otherwise nice suit. Or a shirt without a tie. Jeez.

In past years Jordan has been well dressed, this year I saw him in slouchy velour-ish stuff more than once. He still has pretty good taste though, the Air Jordan XVIII was very classy (driving shoe inspired sole, one piece suede upper, stitching on the sole) and his Two3 clothing line is actually wearable (IMHO), especially compared to the signature lines of other NBAers (how many variations on a logo'd sweatsuit can there be?.)

 

[LA Guy]

Enjoy Kobe's suits while you can. Timmy D. and the Spurs will be closing the Lakers two-man show in the next round.

You're kidding, right? No disrespect meant, but Duncan has a history of playing poorly against the Lakers come crunch time, and none of the Spurs have the playoff experience, confidence and abilities to make clutch plays, of any of the veteran Lakers. Tony Parker is a terrific point guard, and no one wins without a decent point guard, but he has a lot to work on, mentally as well as physically. Bruce Bowen and Malik Rose would be strong in that series, but I doubt that excepting Tim Duncan, any of these players have what it takes against the Laker defense, and they will have no answer to the Laker triangle offense, especially given the improvements in the Laker bench late in the season.

Rick's absence will hurt L.A., but as the last game showed, any one of the Laker's, Mark Madsen included, in capable of stepping up when the time comes. All the Laker's starters scored over ten points in their last game, which tells you something.

My prediction - Lakers in five. I think that we'll be seeing Shaq in his stupid hats for sometime yet.

 

[Bradford]

Best dressed NBA Coach -
 My vote goes to Frank Johnson of the Phoenix Suns - but if you're going to check him out, do it quick because as flat as the Suns were in last nights first half, they won't be around much longer.
 
 Johnson was wearing a great tan 3-button suit last night, blue shirt and a sharp tie. I actually noticed that a couple of the buttons on his suit sleeves appeared to be undone, showing his sartorial abilities.

 Of course, it's not hard to look fashionable in contrast to Greg Popovich, who sometimes looks like a car salesman.

 Frank Johnson definitely has some style though.

 Bradford

 

[Steve B.]

I'm also a big Laker fan, having lived in LA for 10 years during the Magic years. Losing Fox will hurt, but should just create drama. IMO the only team that has a chance is Sacramento, and don't even get me started on the whining, flopping, and heart issues that will keep them from the Finals again.

I vote for Isaiah Thomas as well.

 

[Thracozaag]

As lousy a coach that Isaiah Thomas is, I have to agree; he always looks VERY sharp. I'll have to check out Frank Johnson more closely. Anyone remember Don Nelson coaching the Bucks and those infamous fish ties? And as much as I HATE to say it, I think it'll be Lakers/Sac for the Western finals, which will, ostensibly, be the NBA finals.

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

Where's the love for the Spurs?  Do I need to remind everyone that they SWEPT the Lakers in the regular season?  Granted, the postseason is a different level of intensity and pressure, but the regular season does have some predictive value.  (Witness the Spurs's series with the Suns, a team they had trouble with during the regular season.)  While the Lakers have two of the three best players in the NBA (I would put T-Mac in that category as well), the rest of the team could not start for over half the teams in the league.  And unlike previous years, there doesn't appear to be a reliable third wheel to take the pressure off Shaq and Kobe.

Spurs in six.

(With regard to coaches, there appears to be a consensus that former point guards are the best dressed.  Not surprising, considering that they are generally 6'0" to 6'2" -- the perfect height for wearing clothes well.)

 

[Stu]

Thracozaag: I'm not sure I agree with you on Thomas being a lousy coach.

He's got a lot of meatheads on that team. They just play stupid, waiting for the shot clock to run down and then Brad Miller launches an 18 footer. Plus Reggie Miller finally looks like a victim of Father Time.

They are still the youngest team in the NBA, so maybe they just aren't ready yet. I am completely biased, though, being a huge fan of Indiana University, Isiah is one of my all-time favorites as I dearly remember the '81 NCAA tournament when he led my school to the title.

As a point guard he was one of the meanest, toughest SOBs you could ever see.

 

[Thracozaag]

I have nothing but admiration for his as a player. As a coach, however, his skills leave much to be desired. They are clearly the most talented team in the East.

 

[Steve B.]

C:

Where's the love for the Spurs?

In San Antonio, the only place it belongs.

Care to place a gentlemanly wager on the Series? Perhaps LAG might want in on the action...

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

Spurs in six.

Call me Nostradamus.

This is what happens when you surround the two best players in the NBA with a bunch of guys you found playing pick-up ball at the local Y on Sunday afternoon.