Slam Dunk Central

The Leprechaun was back in Boston Tuesday night, his first visit to the “New Garden“. The magical sprite who used to put the ball in the basket for the Celtics teams from 1957-1986, and would bat the ball away when the opponent tried to score, was floating around with a huge grin on his face. The long drought that had plagued Boston was now over, the “Green Team” had completed the greatest comeback in the history of the Association. And how fitting that it came against the team that had beaten the Celtics the last time Boston was in the NBA Finals in 1987 the Los Angeles Lakers. The Boston Celtics are the 2008 NBA Champions after beating up the Lakers in game six of the NBA Finals 131-92. Boston is once again “Hoopsville, USA“. That aroma that you smell faintly in the air is Red Auerbach lighting up a victory cigar on that great parquet floor in the sky.

The first five games of the NBA Finals were some of the most entertaining and exciting games played in the Association’s final round in quite a while. If you held any allegiance to the Lakers this game stopped being fun during the second quarter. It looked like it was going to be a battle during the opening minutes, as Lakers guard Kobe Bryant hit three treys and scored 11 points in the opening quarter. Kevin Garnett, had four straight double-doubles, in the previous four games, but he was never in prime-time form. That changed Tuesday as the “Big Ticket“ scored 10 points, as he hit 3 consecutive outside jumpers, and then ignited the crowd with an alley-oop. Boston led at the end of the quarter 24-20.  Celtics coach Doc Rivers gave Glen “Big Baby” Davis his first taste of the finals early in the second quarter, and although the rookie center did not do much offensively, he was a factor on the defensive end. Offense gets you on SportsCenter defense wins you championships. Boston did both starting in the second quarter. They led 58-35 at  the half, and the second half was truly just extended garbage time. It was the “Memorial Day Massacre” in reverse! In 1985 the Celtics blew out the Lakers in game one of the NBA Finals. They would lose the Finals to Los Angeles that year for the first time in their combined history. This time the blowout came in the final game of the series. Boston led after three quarters 89-60, and things got no more pleasant for the Lakers in the fourth.

If you are a  regular reader of mine, you are aware that I have adhered to Boston Director of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge’s wishes this season. Per his request to the media, I have always referred to Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen as the Elite Three. From this moment on they will be hereby be referred to the name they have rightfully earned, the “Big Three“.  KG led the way for Boston as he recorded yet another double-double, as he scored 26 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 1 block. Ray Allen also scored 26 points as he hit 7 treys, 4 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists, Rajon Rondo 21 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds, 6 steals. Paul Pierce also recorded a double-double, as he scored 17 points, 10 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, James Posey came up big off the pine as he scored 11 points, 3 steals, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block.

Kobe was the high scorer for the Lakers, as he scored 22 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal. Lamar Odom recorded a double-double, as he scored 14 points, 10 boards, 5 assists, Jordan Farmar came off the bench and scored 12 points, 1 steal, 1 assist, 1 rebound. Pau Gasol scored 11 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists. Attention all  employers in the New England area! Expect all your employees to be tardy on Wednesday, and don’t count on much productivity! In fact you may want to start thinking about a five day weekend this week.

© Copyright 2008 thesackattack.net  

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The Celtics deserve this championship. They played 26 out of a possible 28 games to win the 17^Th title in franchise history, and they almost always looked like the better team, even when they were losing. Lakers fans can point to their own comeback in Game 2, when the Lakers pared a 24-point lead to two, but the Celtics had enough resolve to ward off a Lakers lead and secure the win.

It’s fitting that the Boston Three Party – or whatever else you want to call Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen – had big games in the title clincher. Their formation last summer after the Allen and Garnett trades gave this franchise a new ray of hope. They can definitely repeat next year since all three are in their early 30s. Although Ray Allen is more clearly defined as a one-dimensional player (though he did show excellent energy defensively against Kobe in Games 1 and 2), Garnett and Pierce haven’t shown a noticeable slip in their games. Of course, it will be interesting to see how severe Pierce’s knee injury is.

Speaking of injuries, I wonder if Kobe’s right pinkie is the reason for his poor shooting. Is he just too fatigued after expending so much energy helping guide the Lakers to the Finals? Is the Celtics defense that great? I don’t want to take too much away from the Celtics defense, because it was truly remarkable. I just find it odd that in an MVP-caliber season, a season and playoffs in which he played the best basketball since Jordan’s prime, Kobe Bryant never had an MVP-caliber game. His propensity to disappear for great lengths of games was confounding.

I don’t have much more to say, because I haven’t ever been this disappointed over a series. The Lakers looked more confused, like the stage of the Finals was more pressure-packed and intense than they imagined.

The Celtics aren’t an all-time great team, but they had a fantastic defense and two, maybe three, Hall of Fame players who bonded as teammates. As Phil Jackson would say, the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack. No quote more appropriately describes the 2007-08 Boston Celtics.

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In the column that I wrote just before the NBA Finals began, It’s Back To The Future As Celtics Host Lakers In Finals I predicted the Boston Celtics to win the series in seven games. After Boston won game four in stunning fashion, coming back from a 24 point deficit  to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers 97-91, I amended my prediction. I told my friends, both in and out of the media, that the Celtics would win the series in six games. I could not fathom that Lakers star, and NBA MVP Kobe Bryant would allow the “Green Team” to dance on his floor.  Of course the Lakers ended up with the victory Sunday night, but it was more the Celtics losing the game, than Los Angeles winning it. Boston had to rally back twice from double digit deficits, and they played sloppy ball in the third quarter. The Celtics who had owned the third quarter for the first four games of the series, committed six turnovers and went into the final 12 minutes of the game down by 9 points.

The fact that Los Angeles did not display the urgency to win in game five, makes me even more secure in saying Tuesday night will be  the night that Boston earns their seventeenth NBA Championship. (Please allow me to make a quick aside. If you are a regular reader of mine, you are well aware of the disdain I have for Jeff Van Gundy in the broadcast booth. I have written many times, that the former coach adds very little insight into broadcasts, and has made more than his share of ludicrous statements. But I have to give Van Gundy credit for  his work in game five, he was spot on in his criticisms. So coach, I tip my hat to you!)

Monday afternoon I got a call from an old buddy from Boston, who is not in the media, but is a Celtics die-hard fan. He asked me a  very intriguing question; did I think that with Boston starting center Kendrick Perkins sidelined with a shoulder injury, would Boston coach Doc Rivers have the guts to either start, or bring in as a substitute Glen “Big Baby” Davis in game six? My response to my friend was that, I feel veteran P.J. Brown would get the start, but I would love to see the rookie get some time in the game. The question is will Doc Rivers have the confidence in his second round pick to put him into the most important game of the Celtics season?

In my opinion it is a no lose situation. As much as Boston wants to end the series in six games, if necessary game seven would be played in Boston. Even if, the Lakers shock the world Tuesday night, there is no way they can win three straight games against Boston, especially with two games in front of the rabid Celtics fans. If I am Doc Rivers early in the second quarter, I would insert Davis into the game. Who do the Lakers have who can match up against the “Big Baby”? Pau Gasol certainly is not strong enough, I don’t think even Lamar Odom is. Turiaf is too small, and we all saw that Chris Mihm was totally ineffective in game five. With Andrew Bynum sidelined since January, ironically this would the one time that the Lakers could use Kwame Brown!

The upside far out weighs the negatives in this situation. Give “Big Baby” a shot early on, if he is a liability, yank him after two to three minutes. But I believe, as my friend from Boston does that Davis could be a weapon for Boston Tuesday. Plus look at the way you would accelerate his growth pattern, if the experiment is successful. Davis would have that much more confidence at the start of next season.

Life is a series of risks, we take our lives in our hands each time we cross the street. But you have to again weigh the pros and the cons. I truly believe that the positive far out number the negatives. So Doc take a chance Tuesday night, let “Big Baby” take his first steps in the Finals. One day we all may look back on that moment, and say that is when a great NBA career was started!

© Copyright 2008 thesackattack.net

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