I’ve been spending most of my free time the last two weeks in the hospital
(somebody close to me, serious but not life-altering or threatening, thanks
for asking) and thus missed what was doubtless tons of fun here.
Just wanted to take a minute to say congratulations to the Celts and their
fans for getting to 17 and keeping us stuck on 15. I know how good it felt
to me to win one after a seemingly endless 12 year drought, I can only
imagine how it must feel after 22.
From the Boston end, they went all-in for a maximum 1-2 year window of
contention at the expense of some tough times to follow. It was a bold
move, and to their credit they got their championship out of it. It’s not
something I would want for my team, but when I’m 6 years removed from a
dynasty it’s pretty easy for me to say that; if I was two decades removed
from relevance and four decades removed from dynasty I’d probably see it
differently. Kudos to them in any case, it paid off and who cares if it’s
another decade or two…as the great Chuck Thompson would say when the
Orioles were going well…Ain’t the beer cold?
From the LA end, they were playing with house money since early May and
are well ahead of schedule. But ultimately, being asked to beat one of the
top 3 teams in Celtics franchise history while missing their second best
player to injury, and then additionally being asked to do so 5 times in 7
games, was just too much, too soon for this group. This is a team built to
win multiple titles, and if they don’t win at least two in the next five
years it will frankly be a major disappointment. This year’s run came
completely out of left field and it’s hard to be disappointed for more than
about 5 minutes at the outcome of the Finals.
Beyond the obvious – probably the biggest comeback in Finals history and
probably the most one-sided officiated game in Finals history, I think this
thing came down to experience more than anything. I’m not sure a team has
ever won with such young and green role players, and the difference in
experience off the pine was for me the thing that made the difference.
I’m not sure that Allen should not have been the MVP; I thought he was the
choice after game 5 and while Pierce (or as Heinsohn calls him, Piss) may
or may not have passed him in game 6, I am not surprised he was chosen -
his game 1 performance wrapped up both the MVP and an Oscar in one fell swoop.
LVP’s were pretty clear. I’m still amazed the Lakers were able to win a
game where Perkins did not play, but he still was able to decide the series
by leaving game 4. If only he had stuck around that game, I’d have one
less bottle of good champagne left. And if only he’d not left G4 but still
played more overall, that bottle would still be in some danger.
LVP from the other end, I’m thinking you guys have gotten together to buy
Ra_manovic a Rolex by now, what an asset he turned out to be for you. He
just might be the worst player ever to start for an NBA finalist, good
offseason research project there.
As for what I missed here, I expect:
- there were healthy doses of outrage from the LA end and denial from the
Boston end at the 20-something point bump Boston got from the game 2 crew.
OTOH, while we can say that each team’s players beat the other team’s
players 3 times, we can’t say that it decided the series, as the whole
dynamic going forward changes at 1-1 instead of 2-0. That’s just the
breaks, and why you play the season to get home court so that you’re more
likely to get a game decided like that in your favor. They even out over
time, but not usually in a 7 game series, next time have the better record
if you don’t like it (getting fewer people to bet on you would help as
well, no surprise that the game in question was the one with the huge line
move). That the Lakers won a January home game vs Memphis due to
officiating and lost one in the NBA Finals to the same fate, bad timing but
that’s basketball, too bad.
- there was joy from Boston and despair from LA at the comeback game.
Ironic that it was really a clone of game 2, the difference being that it
started earlier and thus left enough time to get finished. One thing is
for sure, the same thing happened in each game – either Boston choked in G2
*and* LA choked in G4, or LA showed greatness and heart in G2 *and* Boston
showed greatness and heart in G4. Whichever of those is your take, it’s
remarkable that two such similar games happened in one series (and LA had
been in two of those the previous series, adding to the oddity). And I
reiterate…damn you Perk for leaving that game!
- and finally, there was more joy from Boston and disgust from LA at the
way the Lakers quit on defense in game 6. Not sure what to make of this,
it’s probably mostly due to the team being young but you wonder if there
wasn’t also some carryover from the guys who had witnessed their team
leader quitting on them in a game 7 two years back, and just following his
lead. Even if it was subconscious, you have to ask the question. At any
rate, I think it helps in the long run, as I think it makes it easier to
summon the will and the drive to come back working harder in the offseason.
Much as the way LA lost in '84 made the '85 title a foregone conclusion,
this should make them even more dangerous next year than had they lost a
game 7 barnburner.
- and in the big picture I’m sure there was a lot of good stuff from the
Durrells and brinks of the groups and a lot of idiocy from the usual
suspects on both sides (special props to “skeptic” for throwing out some of
the dumbest basketball talk I’d ever read before I took leave – like his
take on 2008 Lakers as a better defense than Russell’s 1960’s
Celtics…genius!). And, doubtless, a bunch of uber-idiotic trolling from
new and old alike – Kobe as the rapist and KG as the woman beater and such.
I imagine the bad comedy was topped/bottomed only by the unintentional
comedy masquerading as serious hoop talk.
Enjoy the draft and Olympics, guys, I’ll be checking in when I can.
--
Gary Collard
SABR-L Moderator
gmcollard.RemoveThis@yahoo.com
http://sarcastipundit.blogspot.com/
"A wheelchair? Seriously? ... We’ve dinged our knee up harder on
our computer desk." -- The Big Lead on Paul Pierce
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