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L.A. hype Even before Finals begin, there's dynasty talk
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The NBA Finals haven't even started, and already there's talk of a Los Angeles Lakers dynasty. That's understandable considering what the Lakers have accomplished lately, although the Philadelphia 76ers swear they've come this far to win, not just provide Los Angeles with fodder for the Finals. Lakers head coach Phil Jackson knows all about dynasties, having been involved the Chicago Bulls winning six championships in an eight-year span of the 1990s under his direction. "Well, first of all, we have two great players, obviously players that are maybe not first-team all-NBA, but they are top players," Jackson said Tuesday, tongue obviously in cheek because Kobe Bryant was a second-team selection. The 22-year-old Bryant and 29-year-old Shaquille O'Neal are not only two of the league's best players, but they also figure to continue to be for several more years. And the supporting cast has been terrific in the playoffs, helping the Lakers become only the second team in NBA history to enter the Finals without having lost a playoff game. "They are on a 19-game winning streak," 76ers coach Larry Brown said with admiration. "Everybody expected the team who came out of the West would be exhausted and bruised." It's the 76ers who have reason to be exhausted and bruised, having required the maximum seven games in their past two series to reach the finals, which begin Wednesday night at Staples Center. The Lakers, meanwhile, figure to be at least a little rusty, as they haven't played since May 27, when they completed a sweep of San Antonio in the Western Conference finals. That would appear to be their only concern. "We've had 10 days to try and get better," is how Rick Fox put it. "We're anxious to get this thing started," Horace Grant said. "Practicing against each other, you want to see a few new faces." Robert Horry was a little more blunt, saying: "I think everybody's a little tired of looking at each other, playing against each other. We want some new blood." O'Neal, who tweaked his left ankle in Game 3 of the conference finals, said repeatedly last week the layoff was a blessing. On Tuesday he pronounced himself fit and the Lakers ready. "If we do what we've been doing, I don't see any problems," he said simply. Brown has been known as one of the NBA's best coaches for years, but this will be his first appearance in the Finals. "It's taken me 18 years to get here," he said. "To see the growth of these guys, it's been fun. The nicest thing about this experience is I'm looking in the locker room, and I have 15 guys that really did exactly what I asked them to do every single night." As for the 76ers' underdog status, Brown said: "You know, if I told my team we were big underdogs, I would be slighting my team, and I don't want those guys to even buy into that." While the Lakers are prohibitive favorites, it's the 76ers who received the NBA's major individual awards this season. Brown was coach of the year; Allen Iverson was the MVP; Aaron McKie was sixth man of the year; and Dikembe Mutombo was defensive player of the year. "In our eyes, the team that wins all the awards is the team to beat," Horry said with a straight face. The 7-foot-2 Mutombo said he looks forward to his matchup with O'Neal, who said much the same thing. "It's a personal challenge to me," Mutombo said. "I'm not going to make the call if I'm going to play him one-on-one or if we double-team him." O'Neal said either way his fine with him. "I'm sure they will come up a little scrappy," he said. "You know, we've faced all types of defenses at all times. If they double and triple, I'll just do what I've been doing, getting my teammates involved." Derek Fisher figures to open the Finals guarding the explosive Iverson, who scored 44 points in Philadelphia's 108-91 victory over Milwaukee in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals. Iverson is averaging 32.1 points in the playoffs. "Obviously he's the focal point," Fisher said. "We've probably spent 80 percent of our time trying to figure out how to slow him down." The 1989 Lakers were the only other team to enter the Finals with a perfect playoff record. They were swept by Detroit after starters Magic Johnson and Byron Scott injured their left hamstrings. A few Lakers have talked openly about securing a spot in the record books by completing an unprecedented sweep of the playoffs. O'Neal isn't one of them. "It doesn't matter to me," he said. "Five times three, eight times two minus one -- as long as we get to 15." The Lakers won their past eight games of the regular season and have been victorious in their first 11 of the playoffs. "All I know is there are two great teams playing each other," Mutombo said. "There were 29 teams starting the regular season, there are two left. "I tell you right now, I'm feeling good, as good as I've felt in my life."
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