Wow! Who saw that coming?!? I knew the Lakers would come out like a defending champion should and lay it all on the line, but a 22 point blow-out, a game that was all but over in the first half? I think game six can be summed up pretty easily in two short phrases: The Lakers played tremendously as a team and; The Celtics played awful pretty much to a man.
I thought the Celtics could pull out the series in six with Andrew Bynum dragging one leg up and down the court, but that would not be the case when the rest of the Lakers finally joined Kobe Bryant in defending their title. Bynum was a non-factor once again (2 points, 4 rebounds in 16 minutes) but the rest of the Lakers’ frontcourt more than picked up the slack. Check out the rest of these stat lines:
Pau Gasol: 41 minutes, 17 points, 13 rebounds, 3 blocks;
Lamar Odom: 28 minutes, 8 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks;
Ron Artest: 32 minutes, 15 points, 6 rebounds, 3-6 3pt FGS, no craziness.
Including Bynum, that is 42 points, 33 rebounds, and 7 blocks from the Lakers frontcourt, their best output since game three. Throw in Kobe’s 26, 11, 3 and 4 steals and their best defensive effort since game three and this was by far the Lakers best play of the series so far. Sure Boston lent a hand in helping the Lakers look so dominant with too much one-on-one play and at least a half a dozen missed lay-ups and dunks. But the tone was set early in this one as the Lakers turned a 12-12 tie into a 28-18 end of first of first quarter lead, and they never looked back.
To add injury to insult, the Celtics also lost their starting center in Kendrick Perkins, who left with a severely sprained knee and is most likely out for game seven tomorrow night. The Celtics have probably played better in the series with Perkins off the floor, but his absence certainly hurts the depth and toughness of the Celtics frontcourt. Boston is going to need big-time performances from Rasheed Wallace and/or Big Baby in game seven to have a shot.
Well we all got what we wished for in the beginning of this series….game seven between two champions and the two greatest franchises in NBA history. We have not seen any ESPN classic games yet, but it has been a classic series as a whole. It should only be fitting that we have a game seven between these two teams. We will find out tomorrow who rises to the occasion.
Showing posts with label NBA Finals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NBA Finals. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Bynum Injury the Difference
The Lakers and Celtics series has played out relatively how I thought it would to this point with a split of the first two games in Los Angeles followed by the Celtics winning two of three in Boston (although I would have guessed a different order in which it happened). I picked the Celtics before the series to win game six in L.A. and take home yet another title in their storied history, but I did so with the understanding that anything could happen when the series returned to Los Angeles. After a very entertaining but very unpredictable series so far, you could make the argument that is even truer now that we actually head into game six back in Los Angeles with the Celtics up 3-2.
However, it’s my belief that this series took a dramatic shift when Andrew Bynum aggravated his knee injury in game three. The Lakers dominated the boards in game one and their length with Pau Gasol and Bynum looked like it would be too much for the Celtics. In game two, an unconscious shooting performance by Ray Allen and a slightly more aggressive Celtics team managed to get out of L.A. with a split, despite 13 blocks combined by Gasol and Bynum. Game three, one in which you would have thought Boston would have a distinct advantage heading home with short rest, was once again owned by the Lakers big men as they won the battle on the boards and supported by Kobe Bryant, blocked another seven of Boston’s shots. It was here that the series made a dramatic shift after Andrew Bynum came down wincing after a dunk.
After playing 28, 39, and 29 minutes in the first three games, respectively, Bynum was only able to play 12 minutes in game four and a very lackluster 32 minutes in game five (6 points, 1 rebound). The Celtics took advantage of the Lakers’ diminished size advantage, winning the rebounding battle in both games and getting great production from their undersized bench, namely Glen “Big Baby” Davis, who became much more of a factor when they were not dealing with the length of Bynum in the middle. It has also allowed the Celtics to focus all of their non-Kobe defensive efforts towards Gasol (who shot under 50% in both games four and five), especially with how poorly Lamar Odom is performing in the series and how badly Derek Fisher and Ron Artest have shot.
So with the series heading back to Lakerland for games six and seven, and Bynum dealing with short rest and a six hour flight back to the west coast, I do not expect a significant improvement in his performance. That gives me great confidence that the Celtics should have the upperhand tonight in game six, and in game seven as well shall it get to that. If I were a Boston fan, which I am not, I would be feeling pretty giddy right now that my team was about to take home its second championship in three years. Let’s see if Kobe Bryant has anything to say on the contrary.
However, it’s my belief that this series took a dramatic shift when Andrew Bynum aggravated his knee injury in game three. The Lakers dominated the boards in game one and their length with Pau Gasol and Bynum looked like it would be too much for the Celtics. In game two, an unconscious shooting performance by Ray Allen and a slightly more aggressive Celtics team managed to get out of L.A. with a split, despite 13 blocks combined by Gasol and Bynum. Game three, one in which you would have thought Boston would have a distinct advantage heading home with short rest, was once again owned by the Lakers big men as they won the battle on the boards and supported by Kobe Bryant, blocked another seven of Boston’s shots. It was here that the series made a dramatic shift after Andrew Bynum came down wincing after a dunk.
After playing 28, 39, and 29 minutes in the first three games, respectively, Bynum was only able to play 12 minutes in game four and a very lackluster 32 minutes in game five (6 points, 1 rebound). The Celtics took advantage of the Lakers’ diminished size advantage, winning the rebounding battle in both games and getting great production from their undersized bench, namely Glen “Big Baby” Davis, who became much more of a factor when they were not dealing with the length of Bynum in the middle. It has also allowed the Celtics to focus all of their non-Kobe defensive efforts towards Gasol (who shot under 50% in both games four and five), especially with how poorly Lamar Odom is performing in the series and how badly Derek Fisher and Ron Artest have shot.
So with the series heading back to Lakerland for games six and seven, and Bynum dealing with short rest and a six hour flight back to the west coast, I do not expect a significant improvement in his performance. That gives me great confidence that the Celtics should have the upperhand tonight in game six, and in game seven as well shall it get to that. If I were a Boston fan, which I am not, I would be feeling pretty giddy right now that my team was about to take home its second championship in three years. Let’s see if Kobe Bryant has anything to say on the contrary.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Lakers-Celtics Living Up to Expectations
The Lakers and Celtics are tied at one game apiece after two games at Staples Center in LA, and we could not have asked for a better start to the series. We have had it all, from fantastic performances (Kobe in game one, Rondo and Ray Allen in game two), goat performances (too many to mention, headlined by Ron Artest in game two), coaching adjustments, trash-talking, celebrity sightings, you name it and the NBA Finals have had it so far.
As the series shifts to Boston it has also gone much the way I thought it would so far with the Lakers being pushed by a strong crowd and a great Kobe performance in game one to the Celtics being fueled by the Rondo-Allen backcourt in game two, their biggest advantage in this series. These are not the same two teams from 2008. The Celtics were the bigger, stronger team in ’08 who had a huge advantage in the front court while the Fisher-Kobe backcourt was superior to the Celtics’ with a young and overwhelmed Rondo at the point. This year, it has been the Lakers’ frontcourt with the advantage having Pau Gasol as the best player among the bigs and what looks to be a healthy Andrew Bynum patrolling the paint. If the Celtics are going to win this series they are going to need more, a lot more, from Kevin Garnett and Glen Perkins. Luckily for the C’s, Rasheed Wallace and Glen “Big Baby” Davis have helped fill the void and the Lakers have refused to pound the ball into Gasol and Bynum extensively.
Gasol did not attempt a shot in the 4th quarter of game two, this despite finishing the first three quarters with 25 points on 70% shooting and going 11-13 from the free throw line. The talk of Kobe being the best player in the league is once again ridiculous; if he was so great and unselfish he would understand that his team’s biggest mismatch is pounding the ball down low. Yes, Kobe wants to win, but he only wants to win on his terms, hence his eight shots in the fourth quarter to Gasol’s none. Kobe may just be great enough to win this series on his own, or more realistically, with great performances from the rest of his team through three quarters and him taking over in the fourth but it would be much easier on him and his team if they were to attack the Celtics with their strength against Boston’s weakness to this point in the series.
Funny, however, that this has been a fantastic series so far (at least to me) and yet neither team has been clicking on all cylinders. As I mentioned, Boston needs more from their starting frontcourt and definitely needs more from Paul Pierce, who only had 10 points in game two. Los Angeles needs more from Derek Fisher, Lamar Odom and the rest of their bench who were brutal in game two. Odom, in particular, has been a complete no-show so far in this series and is very key to the Lakers’ rotation and flexibility. Ron Artest also went from a great game one to an absolutely awful game two. Whether these guys are able to pick it up or not I think we are in for an incredible series. There are too many stars on the court and too much pride at stake for each of these former champions and I expect a fantastic finish to the series.
As for what happens, I am thinking that the Celtics take two of three from the Lakers at home and we head back to Los Angeles a week from Tuesday with the C’s enjoying a 3-2 series lead. At that point, I would not be surprised by anything that happens with the Lakers having home court for the final two games. I am holding tight with my pre-series prediction of Boston in six, but at this point nothing would surprise me. It is time to sit back, relax, and watch a great series from this point forward.
As the series shifts to Boston it has also gone much the way I thought it would so far with the Lakers being pushed by a strong crowd and a great Kobe performance in game one to the Celtics being fueled by the Rondo-Allen backcourt in game two, their biggest advantage in this series. These are not the same two teams from 2008. The Celtics were the bigger, stronger team in ’08 who had a huge advantage in the front court while the Fisher-Kobe backcourt was superior to the Celtics’ with a young and overwhelmed Rondo at the point. This year, it has been the Lakers’ frontcourt with the advantage having Pau Gasol as the best player among the bigs and what looks to be a healthy Andrew Bynum patrolling the paint. If the Celtics are going to win this series they are going to need more, a lot more, from Kevin Garnett and Glen Perkins. Luckily for the C’s, Rasheed Wallace and Glen “Big Baby” Davis have helped fill the void and the Lakers have refused to pound the ball into Gasol and Bynum extensively.
Gasol did not attempt a shot in the 4th quarter of game two, this despite finishing the first three quarters with 25 points on 70% shooting and going 11-13 from the free throw line. The talk of Kobe being the best player in the league is once again ridiculous; if he was so great and unselfish he would understand that his team’s biggest mismatch is pounding the ball down low. Yes, Kobe wants to win, but he only wants to win on his terms, hence his eight shots in the fourth quarter to Gasol’s none. Kobe may just be great enough to win this series on his own, or more realistically, with great performances from the rest of his team through three quarters and him taking over in the fourth but it would be much easier on him and his team if they were to attack the Celtics with their strength against Boston’s weakness to this point in the series.
Funny, however, that this has been a fantastic series so far (at least to me) and yet neither team has been clicking on all cylinders. As I mentioned, Boston needs more from their starting frontcourt and definitely needs more from Paul Pierce, who only had 10 points in game two. Los Angeles needs more from Derek Fisher, Lamar Odom and the rest of their bench who were brutal in game two. Odom, in particular, has been a complete no-show so far in this series and is very key to the Lakers’ rotation and flexibility. Ron Artest also went from a great game one to an absolutely awful game two. Whether these guys are able to pick it up or not I think we are in for an incredible series. There are too many stars on the court and too much pride at stake for each of these former champions and I expect a fantastic finish to the series.
As for what happens, I am thinking that the Celtics take two of three from the Lakers at home and we head back to Los Angeles a week from Tuesday with the C’s enjoying a 3-2 series lead. At that point, I would not be surprised by anything that happens with the Lakers having home court for the final two games. I am holding tight with my pre-series prediction of Boston in six, but at this point nothing would surprise me. It is time to sit back, relax, and watch a great series from this point forward.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Lakers-Celtics Historical Final Preview
The Lakers-Celtics series kicks off tonight and I cannot remember the last time I have been this excited for a NBA Finals. We have two championship caliber teams; one the champion in 2008 and the other the defending NBA champ. We have at least five potential Hall of Famers (yes, Rondo is that good at this point) on the court. We have bad blood lingering from the 2008 Finals when the Celtics physically bullied the Lakers, namely Pau Gasol, on their way to their first NBA title in over 20 years. Finally, we have the historical aspects of the league’s two marquee franchises dueling in the NBA Finals for the twelfth time, a history that the Celtics own with a 9-2 edge.
I grew up a die-hard Lakers fan. Magic was my favorite player of all-time, I loved “Showtime” and I hated when Bird or anyone else was able to topple my Lakers. I continued to love the Lakers through the Shaq/Kobe era when for the first time we saw what a dominant big man and guard combo could accomplish. The Lakers are still my favorite team, despite my overwhelming fandom for LeBron James, though the luster has certainly worn off, especially after watching Kobe Bryant play me-first basketball for three years in middle of his prime and his still “above-thou” attitude when talking to the media.
This Lakers team is the best in the league when they are clicking on all cylinders, playing defense and feeding the ball into the post. Kobe Bryant is still Kobe Bryant. Gasol is the best offensive big man in the game. Derek Fisher reinvents himself every postseason hitting clutch shot after clutch shot. Ron Artest and Lamar Odom give the Lakers flexibility, defense and more scoring and rebounding options and Andrew Bynum, despite battling a knee injury, is a force down low. That is before we get to quite possibly the best coach of all-time in Phil Jackson. If the Lakers were playing anyone besides the rejuvenated Celtics, it would be easy for me to pick the Lakers in a short series.
The Celtics, however, have rebounded from a terrible regular season to finally make me a believer. It took three series to get here, but I am finally sold. As I wrote Monday, anyone who saw this team play in the regular season could not possibly have seen this coming. They finished the season on a 26-24 “tear”. Yes, two games above .500 over their final fifty games for a team that was completely healthy. They looked slow, old, and quite frankly, past their window. The only players that competed night-in and night-out were Rondo and Pierce. Then a funny thing happened in the playoffs. Garnett and Ray Allen found the fountain of youth. Rasheed Wallace actually started trying. Tony Allen and Glen Davis picked up their play off the bench and all of sudden this team looked much like the 2008 champions, except for one minor detail. Rajon Rondo is a superstar! The guy has played on a level that only Chris Paul, Derron Williams and Steve Nash have played at in recent years. He has been the difference in each of the Celtics’ series so far as nobody has had someone to contain this guy.
So there it is…both teams have the pedigree, the experience, and the talent to win this series. How do we decide? This pains me to say it, but I am going Celtics in six. The Celtics toughness and depth in the front court should be enough to offset Gasol down low and I simply do not think the Lakers have an answer for Rondo at this point. The Lakers home court advantage scares me, as their role players and bench play that much better at home, but in the end Boston is going to be too tough and too physical for the Lakers.
I grew up a die-hard Lakers fan. Magic was my favorite player of all-time, I loved “Showtime” and I hated when Bird or anyone else was able to topple my Lakers. I continued to love the Lakers through the Shaq/Kobe era when for the first time we saw what a dominant big man and guard combo could accomplish. The Lakers are still my favorite team, despite my overwhelming fandom for LeBron James, though the luster has certainly worn off, especially after watching Kobe Bryant play me-first basketball for three years in middle of his prime and his still “above-thou” attitude when talking to the media.
This Lakers team is the best in the league when they are clicking on all cylinders, playing defense and feeding the ball into the post. Kobe Bryant is still Kobe Bryant. Gasol is the best offensive big man in the game. Derek Fisher reinvents himself every postseason hitting clutch shot after clutch shot. Ron Artest and Lamar Odom give the Lakers flexibility, defense and more scoring and rebounding options and Andrew Bynum, despite battling a knee injury, is a force down low. That is before we get to quite possibly the best coach of all-time in Phil Jackson. If the Lakers were playing anyone besides the rejuvenated Celtics, it would be easy for me to pick the Lakers in a short series.
The Celtics, however, have rebounded from a terrible regular season to finally make me a believer. It took three series to get here, but I am finally sold. As I wrote Monday, anyone who saw this team play in the regular season could not possibly have seen this coming. They finished the season on a 26-24 “tear”. Yes, two games above .500 over their final fifty games for a team that was completely healthy. They looked slow, old, and quite frankly, past their window. The only players that competed night-in and night-out were Rondo and Pierce. Then a funny thing happened in the playoffs. Garnett and Ray Allen found the fountain of youth. Rasheed Wallace actually started trying. Tony Allen and Glen Davis picked up their play off the bench and all of sudden this team looked much like the 2008 champions, except for one minor detail. Rajon Rondo is a superstar! The guy has played on a level that only Chris Paul, Derron Williams and Steve Nash have played at in recent years. He has been the difference in each of the Celtics’ series so far as nobody has had someone to contain this guy.
So there it is…both teams have the pedigree, the experience, and the talent to win this series. How do we decide? This pains me to say it, but I am going Celtics in six. The Celtics toughness and depth in the front court should be enough to offset Gasol down low and I simply do not think the Lakers have an answer for Rondo at this point. The Lakers home court advantage scares me, as their role players and bench play that much better at home, but in the end Boston is going to be too tough and too physical for the Lakers.
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