December 22, 2008 10:30 am  |  61 Comments

Magic Johnson: Lakers Not on Celtics’ Level


by Marcel Mutoni

You don’t need one of the greatest basketball players to tell you the following: Right now, the Boston Celtics are a better, hungrier team than the Los Angeles Lakers. All one has to do is watch the games and take a quick scan of the standings.

But if you need to hear it from a great former player, here it is. Courtest of the LA Times:

“Those guys have got to come out and really prove something to themselves and show the league that they are really ready to challenge the Celtics. Right now, the Celtics believe that the Lakers can’t beat them. It’s all about the Lakers on Christmas Day.”

“The Celtics are playing better on both ends of the court,” said Johnson. “You can just tell that they really want to repeat. The Lakers have been struggling big time on the defensive end, so they’ve got a lot of work to do to come up to where the Celtics are.”

The truth hurts.

With the Christmas showdown a mere three days away, the Lakers are currently on a two-game slide. As for the C’s, they’ve won 18 (!) in a row, tying a franchise record.

Suffice it to say, the Lakers will have a lot to prove this week.

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This story is filed under: NBA, News & Rumors, The Wire, Top News

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  • Wes Posted: Dec.22 at 10:41 am
    Good motivation attempt…

  • Young Chris MP3 Posted: Dec.22 at 10:42 am
    It’s pretty obvious.

  • Wes Posted: Dec.22 at 10:42 am
    I blame the lo tops

  • polowthaJon Posted: Dec.22 at 10:42 am
    why does magic constantly play both sides of the fence? Is he a Laker or is he an NBA commentator? Conflict of interest? FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!!1

  • Co Co Posted: Dec.22 at 10:53 am
    One of the most impressive things about the Celtics is that they pounce on most team’s early to let them know there’s really no way in hell they have a chance at winning.

  • wilz Posted: Dec.22 at 10:53 am
    you mean, Fourth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • wilz Posted: Dec.22 at 10:55 am
    the Lakers are still as soft as ever, they just have their giant back so it balances out. they can’t rely on him to make the difference this time around

  • Ken Posted: Dec.22 at 11:00 am
    What’s interesting to me about the Celtics win streak, is that they have a shot at beating the 22 win streak of last year’s rockets. The only strong team the Cs face in the next 10 days or so are the Lakers. In any case, the xmas game should be fun to watch no matter what.

  • Russ Bengtson Posted: Dec.22 at 11:03 am
    Magic went on to say that Kevin Garnett is a better player than Chris Mihm, and that Red Auerbach may have been a better coach than Del Harris.

  • Moose Posted: Dec.22 at 11:18 am
    Enough with the Pierce-Kobe matchup. Let’s talk about the ones that REALLY matter: Scalabrine and Powell, O’Bryant and Mihm. The Christmas matchup will come down to these guys. Anyways, I agree with Magic’s assessment. Completely.

  • James Posted: Dec.22 at 11:25 am
    the lakers are a great team offensively which is good but the celtics are amazing defensively. Offense wins games where defense wins championships

  • B. Long Posted: Dec.22 at 11:26 am
    Beat Memphis, Nawlins, and then the Celts and I’ll be a believer again.

  • Roy Posted: Dec.22 at 11:51 am
    Magic is just being objective of his comments on the Lakers. He’s simply looking at it in reality’s perspective. I don’t blame Mr. Johnson for feeling that way. The Lakers need that victory on Christmas day. From the way they have been playing lately, they got a lot of work to do. I agree with everything Magic said. That’s just my opinion…

  • Mendel Posted: Dec.22 at 11:51 am
    Well the Zen Master summed it up the other day and since then they have fallen completely apart. They are truely costing thinking they are far superior to everyone and thinking they can turn it up whenever but as we see two games in a row Kobe game time is game time but somtimes it does go in and out, and we know kobe4 will get it in but you can’t help it coming out and that s not the way to be the best. Kobe needs to GET RIGHT and get back to being MAMBA and let everyone know thats the plan. Now he is in low tops smiling after losses and that dons’ty jive well with me or Magic.

  • Static Posted: Dec.22 at 11:57 am
    Funny that on the Left Coast they didn’t show that interview until after they lost the Orlando game, so by then he must of been stating more of the obvious…and btw Dwight soopaman’d all over Bynum

  • ClydeSays Posted: Dec.22 at 11:59 am
    I’m a Celts fan, but I don’t understand Magic throwing his team under the bus. Lakers seem slightly better defensively from last year and they have one of the best records in the L. Are they as good as the C’s? Only a Finals rematch can answer that question.

  • Static Posted: Dec.22 at 12:14 pm
    So far their defense has been less than admirable outside of their first week of playing, Kobe has been deferring to other teammates more than ever, the middle is still soft because Bynum hasn’t figured out how to keep out of foul trouble, LO has been even more of a non-factor…the record doesn’t speak enough about the way the team is actually playing

  • RV Posted: Dec.22 at 12:15 pm
    Clyde, throwing them under the bus??? It’s the TRUTH. Maybe 2 weeks ago you could argue only a rematch would answer that, but the celtics are continously progressing upward, while the Lakers hit a speedbump and started going downward. Its no contest right now.

  • Myles Brown Posted: Dec.22 at 12:17 pm
    It’s the football playoffs that are in January, right?

  • overtime Posted: Dec.22 at 12:43 pm
    Would be huge if the Lakers ended the Celtics streak

  • Todd Spehr Posted: Dec.22 at 1:21 pm
    Overtime, not really. It’s a regular season game. The Celtics are playing for home court in the playoffs while the Lakers - who are a team consisting of eleven regular season players and one playoff performer (Kobe) - arrogantly think they’ll just find a way without leaving cruise control.

  • John D Posted: Dec.22 at 1:42 pm
    The Lakers had a really easy schedule to start the season. Everyone knew they weren’t as good as their record indicated. They have the same problems as they did last year: defense and toughness.

  • John D Posted: Dec.22 at 1:43 pm
    Well everyone except Lang I guess, who had the Lakers over the Celtics in his Dirty Thirty.

  • Anton Posted: Dec.22 at 2:11 pm
    I really hated their arrogance. Just cause Bynum’s back they claimed they were the favorites? Then Phil says they’re not playing good enough teams. Hey Kobe, tell me how the Heat and Magic taste?
    It’s very fun watching them fall.

  • Zee! Posted: Dec.22 at 2:15 pm
    Magic had to pick now to actually start making sense. Much as I hate to agree with him, you can’t deny real talk. This is what in the Bay is what we call someone “feeling themselves” a bit too much. Laker’s better wake the f up.

  • Josh D Posted: Dec.22 at 2:30 pm
    Although the Celtics are playing well, i don’t see them repeating, and as for the Lakers,Offense can’t win championships.
    San Anton will win the title this year

  • Anton Posted: Dec.22 at 2:36 pm
    ^^oh god no, anybody but them

  • reflex Posted: Dec.22 at 2:55 pm
    Only teams who I see having the tools to stop the Celts are the Hawks & Cleveland and God I hope one of thos e2 manage iit caus eit sure ain’t gonna be Kobe and his sunshine boys.

  • teddy bruschi Posted: Dec.22 at 3:10 pm
    it doesnt look like any team poses a serious threat to the celtics right now. i think it was a great favour for joey dumars to trade billups, i think that opened up the east. lbj has his team flying they will be serious contenders. the one team that can pose a threat to us is the houston rockets. they match up really well against us

  • Darksaber Posted: Dec.22 at 3:14 pm
    on a side note, this just in: D-Wade is balling out of his mind in ‘08. (way to state the obvious, Earvin)

  • Darksaber Posted: Dec.22 at 3:16 pm
    i SAID it last year, and i’ve been shouting it to the heavens….whiney Pau Lumberjack is NOT the big man you want as your frontcourt backbone. Noooo way.

  • mat smith Posted: Dec.22 at 4:23 pm
    Bynum is a Moaner, Pau is no KaGee, Kobe is good at basketball and stuff, im bored and tired….

  • vtrobot Posted: Dec.22 at 5:01 pm
    If the Lakeshow let themselves get embarrassed on their home court, that could really mess with them. Finals sweep?

  • a_whiteman Posted: Dec.22 at 5:57 pm
    @josh d… The spurs won’t win the title, but they will do us all a favour and beat l.a. In the 2nd round

  • Young Chris MP3 Posted: Dec.22 at 7:04 pm
    Mitch is probably regretting that 4-year, $58 million contract he offered Bynum now that he sees his “star Center” is not from Shaq’s planet, far from Dwight Howard, and is better subjected to Greg Oden comparisons.

  • melvin ely Posted: Dec.22 at 7:27 pm
    @young chris: tracy morgan’s twin brother ain’t even on the level perk is in at the moment. truth.

  • Anton Posted: Dec.22 at 7:31 pm
    Bosh>Howard

  • Harlem_World Posted: Dec.22 at 7:46 pm
    Rondo…Rondo…Rondo…Rondo…Rondo…

  • Sarah Posted: Dec.22 at 11:42 pm
    He’s right, but it really isn’t any secret.

  • Z Posted: Dec.23 at 1:07 am
    Myles, I see your point but could you argue that, right now, the Celts are the best team in the L?

  • Cahyo Posted: Dec.23 at 1:48 am
    it’s Zen Master mind’s games, Lakers try to look bad in 2-3 games before showdown, Celtics will buy it and think the game as walking in the park…and when the game time comes, KG & crew wl realize that the fools was on them..U all heard me first here!

  • Anton Posted: Dec.23 at 2:39 am
    ^I’m getting you kneepads for Christmas

  • anjoe Posted: Dec.23 at 4:11 am
    I am one of the die hard fans of lakers. and i think magic is right.. lets just hope that kobe and the lakers can get back the intensity to the staples center.. coz its been missing this month of december.. remember that they had a nice month in november! Never say DIE lake! GO FEED BOSTON!

  • j4zz m4n Posted: Dec.23 at 4:19 am
    lakers to beat boston by 5 points.you heard it here first kobe to get 30 plus and bynum to get a double-double.you heard it hear first.

  • j4zz m4n Posted: Dec.23 at 4:19 am
    sorry here.gotta get sleep yo

  • Jukai Posted: Dec.23 at 6:41 am
    I’m also saying Lakers beat Boston in a close game. Lakers need to prove something, Celtics are going to be a bit shaky with expectations.

  • blackice87 Posted: Dec.23 at 8:53 am
    how’s boston going to win the chip if they lose to atl in the playoffs?

  • 007 Posted: Dec.23 at 11:15 am
    Predictions..) Order of Finish (barring any injuries)
    Celts=champ
    East West
    Cavs Lakers
    Hawks New Orleans
    Magic San Antonio
    Houston over Denver (coach) Peace.

  • You Eediots Posted: Dec.23 at 11:25 am
    We’re not even to the halfway mark and you guys are already talking finals? Hands down the Celtics are the best team in the league, but where is all this “Lakers think they’re the team to beat” crap coming from? They are still one of the youngest teams in the NBA, where Celts are one of the more established teams. Christmas day will be bigger for Lakers, because now that theyre 22-5 people are counting them out. Either way lets let the season play out

  • flipinoman7258 Posted: Dec.23 at 12:30 pm
    Celtics are WAYYY better than the Lake show rite now. . . But watch the Zen master will bounce us back. . . GO LAKERS!!!!!!!

  • Mbenga!!!!!!!!!!! Posted: Dec.23 at 12:50 pm
    Celts own the Lakers rite now. Hornets,Cavs,Magic are all better than the lakes. But the Zen master will lead us to the promised land. GO LAKERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Quanman Micell Posted: Dec.23 at 3:47 pm
    LAKERS are the best team OUT rite NOW. Magic Johnson is CRAAAAZZZY!!!

  • Anton Posted: Dec.23 at 3:49 pm
    First of all, Hornets will beat the Lakers tonight

  • flipinoman7258 Posted: Dec.23 at 6:44 pm
    Yo, Anton I agree the hornets will win the way the lakes play right now. They will prove themselves by the all star break that they are championship caliber

  • Anton Posted: Dec.23 at 7:41 pm
    For realz, I believe in Chris Paul.
    And I watched this season’s game when they met them last and though the Hornets were still in the process of gridning out their identity, they almost won.
    Posey will own tonight.

  • pollyserial Posted: Dec.24 at 1:06 am
    well that’s one for you anton. good luck with that other prediction xmas day.

  • BOSTONBALLER Posted: Dec.24 at 10:35 am
    #1 Cayho: Have you ever seen KG play or even prepare for a game? If so there is no way he or his teammates take this game lightly..Who’s the fool? U all heard me first here! In every interview I’ve heard from a Laker I’ve never heard anything that even resembles arrogance. Steals leader, HELLLOOOO..that “steal” he got in the 1st 11 seconds was NOT a steal on his part. The way stats are given out in todays L is a big joke. I love CP3 but in some of those games he didn’t get legit steals…What a disrespect to GP & Mo Cheeks in their day. LOL.

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  • Midnight Posted: Dec.28 at 12:10 pm
    Really paid any attention to the Boston Celtics schedule?I thought not because if you had of,you would’ve noticed the easy schedule that they have and also realized that they haven’t played 10 games with teams that have winning records.However, they just played two consecutive games by teams with winning records namely the Lakers and Golden State and look what happened.

  • BOSTONBALLER Posted: Dec.28 at 6:00 pm
    Midnight, your time is up. We did lose back to back but how significant will that be when SLAM writes back t back in reference to our Championships? The name of the game is to win, regardless of who is on the schedule. The winning streak did not get me excited and the 2 loses didn’t phase me. Be patient and see what happens as the season goes on.

  • celtics are going down Posted: Jan.2 at 6:49 am
    Not just two in a row lost… 3 out of 4… and not even to very good teams. Go Celtics! Ha.

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