who is responsible for this collapse

let's start at the end of last season it was party time in LA and who is ready to prepare for the next season kobe and who is not shaq.....i clearly blame shaq for this collapse......shaq waited untill the beggning of the season to get his surgery done......that put the lakers in hole from the get go the were uphill from the start kobe and robert horry waisted alot of energy just to keep the team at 500 ......and where is shaq on the bench watching his team suffer its liike a trickle down effect if the guy making the most money is not working his [Swearing is not permitted at Clublakers. You must edit this post prior to submitting.] off then why should the others on the team should......shaq is the main guy for lakers championship and he clearly did not come to play this season totally unprepared if he had kobe's work ethic he could be very dominateing but no he has to enjoy his summer........i get the feeling shaq does not care anymore i hope the shacklacking the tim duncan gave him this series will awake the sleeping giant............but i think shaq is to blame.............thank you

See... I dont blame it on one person for the Lakers coming one game short. Sure Shaq should have got his surgury sooner, but it was just another obstacle for us to overcome. This season was in doubt, where at all star break we weren't even in playoff contention. Kobe literally carried the team on his back for the entire month of February, and sure some players responded.

I do hope Shaq gets Kobe work ethic over the summer. Kobe worked too dayam hard at the end of last season. While Shaq just waited around, and came into practices over weight. Dayam Shaq.... But he shoulda prepared himself the way Kobe has. But now in hind sight we can say all this woulda shoulda coulda stuff, but it isn't gonna change the fact of where the Lakers are at now. Just look towards the future and look for new beginnings, and work hard in the off season!!

If there is one person to blame, it should be Mitch Kupchack. He made only one move over the off season and instead of bringing in YOUNGER talent, he felt he was doing a fine job. however, he only was in a good position because jerry west put him there. now that jw is gone, mitch has to take control of this team. he's waiting for problems to fix themselves and can't wait any longer. the lakers should have began rebuilding earlier. this is why we didn't have a supporting cast all year long.

Easy to blame the players or even Mitch ... Dr Buss didn't want to spend money on role players and is where we are now.
I hope he will learn his lesson !

Dynasty is not over, it's only starting !

Agree with you Golden Eye. EVERYTHING starts at the top and Buss didn't want to spend. Keon Clark and Jimmy Jackson shoulda been in LA this year. He didn't want to spend. why?

Mitch can't get players if the owner isn't willing to pay them. I've heard stories about Jerry West giving secretaries in Laker org raises out of his pocket because Buss wouldnt'. that is sad.

Jackson - gotta show some emotion.

Shaq - show up in shape. PLEASE!!!!

Everyone else: follow Kobe's lead.

The Team didnt step up to match Spurs game. They just got beat by a better team.. That's all it is... We will rebuilt in the off season and we will be the team to beat again No Doubt!!!

You win as a team and lose as one.
No one to blame.

The Spurs were a better team, roster wise. At times I felt that the Lakers were over matched. It was like 5 vs. 3 at times during that series. The Lakers need to get deep this off season.

I blame no one. They all made mistakes. Jerry Buss wanted to stand pat, Kupchak didn't swing that Ratliff/Terry trade, Phil kept Pargo and Shaw in when we were still within 10 (instead of going back to Fisher and Devean, a HUGE mistake), Shaq opted to wait for surgery and Kobe struggled to adapt to different roles. Everyone played a part in our demise and I really think it is for the best. More motivation, less pressure and it will show Buss and Kupchak that we need to get some fresh players. And the best thing to happen here was that Phil saw Slava CAN BE A DEPENDABLE scoring machine for us, and that should give him about 15-20 minutes a game next year A PF and C, which should really help his development. Don't worry about blame, lets just be proud of our past and look to the future with passion and a drive to get back to the top!

I AGREE WITH SNAKEL
THERE IS NO ONE TO BLAME EVERYONE MAKES MISTAKES CUZ REALLY NO ONE IS PERFECT THERE WASENT ONLY ONE PERSON WHO MESSED UP EVERYONE DID SO YOU CANT PUT THA BLAME ON ONE PERSON.

They lose as a team, and win as a team. If players don't do what they're asked, those players don't lose, the team does. If certain players are able to step up, then we win as a team. Players gotta know their roll, and do what they signed to do. PLAY THE GAME. Whether or not they're the most talented players, they still gotta play the game. And that's what they, did, they played the game.