Lakers, Shaq Make Them Eat Their Playoff Words

When I send a letter to The Times, I’m always a little concerned that something could happen just before or after it’s printed that would make me look like an idiot. That fear is now gone. After reading David Amack’s letter last week about Shaquille O’Neal being worthless in the midst of the big man laying waste to Seattle, I know I can never top that.

ROB OSBORNE, Redondo Beach

*

I am writing this in reply to a letter from David Amack in May 9 Viewpoint. He has stated that the Lakers are a better team without Shaquille O’Neal and that the team has made a big mistake in signing him. And to this I have to ask myself, what more can he do? The Lakers won 61 games this year, the most since Magic Johnson retired. And it most likely would have been the best record in the league if Shaq did not get injured for a long duration.

I don’t know if it is jealousy that makes a person fabricate these irrational comments. I have the perfect idea for David. Let the real fans cheer the Lakers and he can go cheer the Clippers as they play as a team.

WILLIAM CHON, Pasadena

*

David Amack and I must be watching different Laker games. Thank God Jerry West is the general manager and not Mr. Amack.

It is easy to criticize Shaq for his poor free throw shooting, his ubiquitous image in advertising and even his rapping and movies. But as far as his performance on the court, he has been nothing less than the most dominant single basketball player not wearing No. 23 and clearly the most consistent Laker all year. As far as the Lakers’ departure from team play with Shaq at center, I think that if you have such an unstoppable player as Shaq, you find a way to get him the ball and let him do his stuff.

It is true that Shaq has not won a title yet. But one thing is certain; the Lakers would not even have a chance at reaching the finals with Vlade Divac or Elden Campbell starting at center. Moreover, if all of the Lakers show the hustle, intensity and desire to win that Shaq does, large contract notwithstanding, we will be celebrating another championship in Los Angeles.

ANDREW OSHRIN, Long Beach

*

When those of us who read pick up a book, we immediately look to the inside cover to learn something about the author.

Maybe you should mandate this for your Viewpoint writers. My point? What are David Amack’s credentials? On how many NBA championship teams has he played? Where did he coach? Does he know more than Jerry West, Mitch Kupchak, Magic Johnson . . .

Those who have played the game think Shaq is the best and that he proves it night in and night out.

Shaq, keep doing what you’re doing, Big Fella.

Hey, David, tell me about your word processor and its spell-check.

T.A. CRIGGLER, Mar Vista

*

News flash for NBC: Basketball fans do not care what is on “Dateline” tonight, are not interested in local news during halftime and most of all we like to see the games, all four quarters of them involving our local teams.

Thank goodness you lost the NFL.

DOUG VONBERG, Costa Mesa

*

Larry Stewart, don’t let Mr. Markey of NBC lie to you. According to Monday’s article, Mr. Markey stated, “NBC never uses split screens on anything.”

Perhaps Mr. Markey doesn’t remember June 1994, when the O.J. Simpson car chase was in progress. At that time, the Houston Rockets were winning the NBA championship series. When the O.J. chase began, NBC put the NBA game in a small box on the screen while showing the chase on the rest of the screen.

ANDY BARBRE, Costa Mesa

*

As of this writing, the Lakers are up 3-1 and are in control of the series. I pick up my Monday sports page to further bask in this glory, and I read this passage from Seattle writer Ron C. Judd, ripping the Forum. Now the Forum is a target? After Game 1, it was business as usual for Seattle writers. Now that the SubSonics are on the brink of elimination, these coffee-drinking, multiple-umbrella-owning media jocks have sunk to making fun of our building. That’s weak. But maybe he had to get that column out while he could, because he knows next year is coming soon, when we have a newer building than theirs and a championship for the ‘90s to go in it. It’s a shame that articles like these actually pay mortgages and car notes.

KENNY WILLIAMS, Los Angeles

*

I just wanted to thank the writers of The Times for giving us an objective view of the series versus Seattle. From the excerpts of the Seattle papers it appears as though they bash our city and stadium because they have nothing positive to say about their team.

When your team is getting beat the way the SuperSonics are getting beat, don’t resort to cheap shots. L.A. fans are not bandwagon. How many fans did the Mariners draw before the Angels collapsed in 1995? The Forum, while not the greatest building in the world, is not a dump. The sight lines are excellent. As for not turning out the lights when the lineups are introduced, it is so the many people who arrive late can find their seats. It is a courtesy to the paying customer, more than anything.

I, as an avid Laker fan, am offended by the statements made by the Seattle journalists. Is a high school diploma required to write for their papers? They can talk all they want but the fact remains that we have dominated this series and all that matters is what happens on the court (however old the court may be).

JOSHUA SINGER, Valley Village

*

Have the Seattle papers gotten to the point where they have to trash our arena? Funny how Mr. Judd made no mention of the Lakers’ third straight crushing of his beloved SuperSonics. As for his little remark about why we do not turn down our lights during player introductions? We seem to be one of the few teams in the NBA that does not need flashy lasers or turned-down lights to attract fans. It seems that our team is enough to get the fans excited.

DONNIE HO, Goleta

*

Del Harris is an average coach who is good for maintaining a team until someone better comes along, and in order for the Lakers to win a championship they will definitely need a better coach.

I don’t understand his substitution patterns. When the team is having a good run, he needs to ride the wave out. He usually will stop the momentum by breaking up a good unit on the floor. For instance, in the game Sunday, he took Nick Van Exel out after Nick had a couple of good runs, and put in Derek Fisher, only to have to bring Nick back 20 seconds later because Fisher immediately committed a foul. That seemed to slow the pace and momentum of the game.

I don’t profess to be a coach, but I think Harris needs to recognize when something nice is happening on the floor and leave it alone until he’s not getting anything out of it anymore.

CHANDRIKA RICHARDSON, Ontario

*

If Karl can’t beat the Lakers, Karl can.

Go Jazz.

JIM BLISS, Santa Fe Springs

*

There are two men standing in the way of the Lakers winning the NBA title:

Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan.

TROY SYED, Monrovia