Five Biggest “What Ifs” in Lakers History
By Jacob Rude
4. What if the 2004 team didn’t collapse?
The collapse of the 2012 team drew comparisons to the 2004 team, which was an embarrassment to say the least. Despite going 56-26 in the season, it was almost seen as a disappointment considering the talent their starting lineup had.
Gary Payton and Karl Malone, both on the tail end of their careers, joined Shaquille O’Neal and Bryant, who were coming off an ugly playoff loss the season before. Seen as a super team capable of breaking the Bulls’ 72-10 mark in 1997, the 56-26 record is put into perspective.
However, despite a few stressful moments, the Lakers made it to the Finals with lots of help from Derek Fisher‘s 0.4 second shot and finally some good health.
That is until they met the buzzsaw that was the Detroit Pistons. After a shock loss in Game 1, Bryant and Shaq returned with huge Game 2 performances, combining for 62 of the team’s 99 points en route to a victory. However, Game 3 saw an injury take out Karl Malone, who battled knee injuries all year, and officially derailed the series.
But what if Malone wasn’t injured the whole season? What if they were able develop a camaraderie and chemistry through the season? What if Malone got his ring?