<P> The Washington Post quipped that "The Forum may be the only place where the fans make more money than the players ." The Hartford Courant wrote, "You go to The Fabulous Forum, and you get a basketball game in between lounge acts ." The News and Courier added, "Only one thing beats the thrill of victory . Victory with pizzaz ." NBA commissioner David Stern said Showtime showed that "an arena can become the focal point for not just basketball, but entertainment ." </P> <P> The Lakers did not win another championship until 2000, which began a streak of three consecutive titles led by stars Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant . However, the team's style under coach Phil Jackson's triangle offense was not as exciting or graceful, generally grinding down opponents behind O'Neal's strength . Rudy Tomjanovich was hired in 2004 to install an up - tempo offense and revive the high - scoring of the 1980s teams . He was not successful, and the Lakers reverted to the triangle offense as Jackson returned . Under Jackson's guidance, the Lakers were NBA champions again in 2009 and 2010 . </P> <P> The Phoenix Suns with point guard Steve Nash were a running team under Mike D'Antoni, and The New York Times called them "this decade's incarnation of the Los Angeles Lakers' Showtime". When D'Antoni joined with the Lakers and Nash in 2012, he declared, "We would love to be able to play' Showtime' basketball ." With slower personnel than he had in Phoenix, D'Antoni eventually abandoned his up - tempo offense . That season, however, Magic Johnson compared the Los Angeles Clippers, the Lakers' crosstown rivals, to Showtime . "I thought I would never, ever see Showtime again . And I was the architect of Showtime . The Clippers? That's Showtime," he said . </P>

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