Glimpse into the Warriors-Lakers Crystal Ball

After last night’s tough loss, I decided to get in my DeLorean and go for a spin down 5th Ave. Amazingly I ended up back in the future at a Warriors-Lakers game in April 2012. I transcribed the conversation I had with my fellow season ticket holder and most loyal Warrior fan on the planet – Dr. Strosberg.

Enjoy

April 2012 – Oakland Arena – 2nd Quarter – Lakers going for their 77th which would break the single season win mark set by the Bulls in 1997-98.

Dr. Strosberg (DS): “Glad to see you got away from that crazy screaming kid of yours for the night”

RT (RT): “Hey, that’s my little bundle of joy you are talking about!”

DS: “Those are your words”

RT: “Touché”

DS: “Anyways, do remember that crazy back to back series we had with the Lakers in March 2008?”

RT: “Do I remember!? Of course I remember the last time we came within 15 points of the Lakers. What kind of question is that!?”

DS: “You know me, I like to focus on the positive. I just felt like we had so much potential back then. I mean Baron, Monta and Captain Jack were the best scoring trio in the league and every team in the league knew they were in for a battle when they played us”

RT: “I have to admit I miss those days myself. I wish I hadn’t spent all that time bitching about how the most complacent basketball player in the history of the league (Odom) who has never played hard twice in one week--let alone on back to back nights--grabbed 21 rebounds and 22 rebounds on consecutive nights.”

DS: “Our inside game had been non-existent for 8 years and those games just highlighted the weakness. However, if it wasn’t for that terrible call at the end, we would have had a chance to win.”

RT: “While I can’t argue that it wasn’t a horrible call, it didn’t really matter in the bigger picture. We blew plenty of chances to put them away and we couldn’t rebound the basketball.”

DS: “I remember thinking we might be in trouble when they get Gasol or Bynum back”

RT: “Trouble is an understatement. We have lost by an average of 32 points in the last 6 games at Staples and 22 here at Oracle. At least Mullin was savvy enough to convince that free-spending Cohan to use the trade exception to get some help for our big three”

DS & RT: Laughing uncontrollably

RT: “In all seriousness, I thought failing to make the playoffs for 13 years was bad but I think this situation might be worse. We finish 8th or 9th every year so we can either get slaughtered by the Lakers in the first round - three sweeps in four years is getting a little old – or draft a big man hoping we can find the next Andrew Bynum.”

DS: “It sure would have been nice if we would have taken the first Andrew Bynum. However, I am not going to be negative going to the playoffs is still fun.”

RT: “True but I cannot help but think the best we ever had it against the Lakers in the last 5 years was a two game stretch in March when they had two of their top 4 players hurt.”

DS: “Regardless of what happened, that was the best Warriors team of our lifetime. They played hard, they were well coached and their unpredictable style made every game worth watching”

RT: “Again, I wish I wouldn’t have been so negative - especially knowing that Baron would break down the next season. I guess I just wanted to see that team go for the championship. With a presence down low, we still could have given any team a run for their money in the playoffs. Maybe I should have started drinking the Chris Cohan koolaid that year.”

DS: “What’s the Chris Cohan Koolaid?”

RT: “You know – the stuff that fooled Warriors fans into thinking that the Derek Fisher call was the reason we lost and going to the playoffs is good enough and that paying a premium for season tickets while the team fails to increase the payroll is fine.”

DS: “Ahhh that koolaid. Looks like it is starting to wear off given the fact that we are the only Warriors fans in the building tonight and this is the first sell out since the last Lakers games.”

RT: (Sarcastically) “Yeah, that Mark Cuban is crazy for spending all that money on his team. His franchise has tripled in value. He doesn’t know anything about sports business.”

DS: “No matter what I will keep coming. Anyways, enough about basketball, what do you think about the US Open this year?

RT: “All I know is that Tiger will be ready to play. He is not happy about failing to win his 5th straight green jacket.”

DS: “I always wondered what size the jacket was that the winner got to wear after winning the tournament? Is it just automatically sized for Tiger?”

RT: “It is so it was a little small on me. However, I got the jacket tailored on Monday that week so it fits perfectly now.”

DS: “Well, good luck at the Open”

RT: “Thanks”

Just in case you were wondering, the Warriors lost by only 10 that night. I started chanting MVP when Monta went to the line. Of course, I got booed by the Lakers fans so I sat down. I felt like an A’s fan from 2008 during a Red Sox game.