It’s Wonderful That Something So Meaningless Means So Very Much

Congratulations to Jerry Buss on his penetrating and sportsmanlike summation of the Lakers’ victory: “The more courageous team won.”

Less perceptive observers might have foolishly assumed that the Lakers won because they have eight healthy players to rotate against five semi-healthy players, or because they possess an abundance of the quality John Wooden defined as the essence of basketball success--quickness.

Less philosophical observers might have naively supposed that the Celtics playing on fractured bones and sprained muscles displayed a remarkable, even unwise, excess of courage.

Less sophisticated observers might see Buss’ comment as a crude insult to a gallant opponent.

Thanks, Buss, for explaining it to us.

GARY GOLDSMITH

Van Nuys