Luke Walton claims Karl Malone's injury led to the downfall of the 2003-04 Lakers

Upon assembly of the 2003-04 Los Angeles Lakers roster, fans and critics were confident that the Hall of Fame-stacked squad would win the title. Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal had the blueprint, while Gary Payton and Karl Malone added that extra layer of experience.

The team almost lived up to these great expectations. But come the 2004 NBA Finals, the Detroit Pistons eliminated the super team in just five games. Many wondered if there were deeper internal problems within the squad.

The Mailman

The team started the season well. "Purple and Gold" training camp was in Hawaii, where Phil Jackson organized various team-building activities, including paintball. The Lakers started with an 18-3 record. But then, tragedy struck.

"Then all of a sudden Karl got hurt," Payton said, per Bleacher Report. "He was controlling our offense. He was running that triangle, making us more comfortable, especially myself. Karl had never been hurt in his career, and it was a devastating injury that he couldn't deal with. He had never missed that many games in his life."

Malone is one of the greatest ironmen in the NBA. In his 19-year career, the only time he played less than 80 games was in the 1998–99 lockout season, his final season. The Mailman was not used to sitting on the bench for multiple games, nursing an injury. He was used to being on the floor and helping his teammates.

As is the common trend in Malone's era, he played through injuries and would only sit down when he had to. But in his final season, all those years of playing hard-nosed ball took a toll on his body.

Something's off

Luke Walton, then a rookie on the Lakers powerhouse team, observed that things were out of order when Malone got hurt. The Lakers saw the two-time league MVP as a glue guy. He was the player that brought everyone together.

"Karl was as good of a teammate as I've ever had," Walton said. "He was funny. He was hardworking. He was all about what was best for the team. He just had a great personality, offering advice to the young guys, hanging out with all the different groups of the older guys—he was just awesome.

"When he got hurt, not having him out there being an anchor, you just noticed something left the team," he added.

Malone played just 42 games in the regular season and averaged 13.2 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists. He played all 21 games in the postseason but was nowhere near his old self. The Lakers, too, are out of sync, especially in the NBA Finals. They made uncharacteristic mistakes and failed to make quick adjustments to counter the Pistons.

The 2003-04 Lakers' experience shows how difficult it is to win a title in the NBA. Having all the talent in the world is just a small piece of the pie. To reach glory, a team must be completely healthy in mind and body. Of course, a little bit of luck goes a long way.