Six reasons will reveal winner
The Finals are here and the league could not be happier. The Celtics vs. Lakers series brings back so many memories of the best era of basketball. Bird against Magic, Kareem battling Parish, McHale fighting the athleticism of James Worthy, Michael Cooper showing what defense is all about, Dennis Johnson doing his Oscar Robertson imitation, Pat Riley wearing his Italian suits, etc, etc…
Every year these teams met, they where the best teams in the regular season and this year is no different.
The Celtics and the Lakers are the best and now they face off against each other just like in the 80s.
The characters are different but if this Finals go as expected and these two teams stay fully equipped and injury free over the next few years, they could be facing each other a few more times in the future.
This series gives us two of the best one-on-one players in the league in Kobe Bryant and Paul Pierce, the two most versatile seven-foot players in Kevin Garnett and Pau Gasol and most importantly the two most storied franchises in all of sports.
Do I have a prediction? Yes. But first I will give six reasons why each team could win the series.
LAKERS WIN IF…
1. Kobe Bryant dominates the series with his scoring and defense. Boston’s defense is geared toward smothering star players and taking the ball out of their hands. But if Kobe is still scoring regardless, the Celtics are in serious trouble.
2. Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol keep Kendrick Perkins on the bench and forces Doc Rivers to play James Posey, which then allows Phil Jackson to isolate and post Odom when Garnett has to guard Gasol. Odom is the Lakers’ key player in this series and Jackson will focus on taking advantage of this matchup. PJ Brown will give a solid few minutes, but it still helps the Lakers with a very good rebounder like Perkins on the bench.
3. Pau Gasol matches the production of Garnett, which would be devastating for Boston. The Lakers are a great offensive team and Gasol equaling Garnett would give them a tremendous advantage. The Poodle will have to play like a Doberman against the hyper Garnett.
4. Kobe, Derek Fisher and Sasha Vujacic continue to keep Ray Allen inconsistent. The key is to take away one of the Big Three and Allen seems to be the most vulnerable coming into the series.
5. The Lakers bench, led by Luke Walton, Jordan Farmar and Sasha Vujacic, continue to dominate in the middle quarters when Kobe is resting. Phil Jackson is counting on this unit to win the plus-minus against Boston’s bench, which has been up and down.
6. They score over 100 a game. If that happens, the Celtics will go away quickly. The Lakers will try and force tempo and if that happens this series will be over in a hurry.
CELTICS WIN IF…
1. Kevin Garnett spends equal time in the post as he does on the perimeter and averages 20 or better for the series. We know his defense will be solid, but the Celtics need his interior scoring and if he gives it to them the Celtics will have success in this series.
2. Paul Pierce forces Phil Jackson to defend him with Kobe. Jackson will try every avenue to keep Kobe away from the physical Pierce. But if he is having his way with Vladimir Radmanovic and Luke Walton, Jackson will have no choice and that would spell trouble for the Lakers. Pierce draws fouls better than any small forward in the league.
3. Ray Allen, quite frankly, becomes Ray Allen. Allen showed some signs in the latter stages of the Pistons series and if he catches fire the Lakers are in deep trouble. The Lakers have one player that can virtually carry a team for a game. The Celtics have three and Allen is due.
4. Kendrick Perkins finds a way to stay on the floor and dominates the glass, especially on the offensive end. This would negate the Lakers getting easy transition baskets and most importantly slow down the pace of the game. The Lakers will give Perkins open shots and he has to be ready to knock them down.
5. Rajon Rondo continues to grow and be steady on the offensive end. He will definitely give Derek Fisher problems with his defensive pressure, but he must make the Lakers pay when they use Fisher to roam and provide help defense.
6. Doc Rivers finally relents and gives Eddie House some solid minutes. The Celtics need consistent scoring against the Lakers. House can change the flow of the game with his shooting. Rivers was afraid to use him against the defensive pressure of Lindsey Hunter and the Pistons, but neither Farmar nor Fisher should bother House in this series to the extent Hunter did.
PREDICTION
I really like both teams and I am sure whichever way I go will fuel some irate comments, but that’s why I write the blog.
I disagree with the comment “Defense wins championships” because the Lakers won a bunch with Magic and they were known for offense. Plus it is a Catch 22 comment. Why? Because good balanced offense gives you a solid defense. It is all about floor balance and teammates knowing when a shot is going up and not being surprised and out of position to retreat defensively. Yes, defense wins. But offense sets the table, so both should be praised.
Boston comes into this series as a great defensive team and the Lakers are getting high praise for their smooth productive offense. Yet all these prognosticators that preach defense are going with the offensive team. Go figure!
I have always believed that veterans win in this league because when times get tough they dig out and produce when needed. Also veterans are hungrier because the window is closing and they see the end. Young players think it will happen again and again, which makes them close their ears to advice to the contrary.
My prediction is the Lakers will succumb to inexperience and struggle, thus forcing Kobe to try and take on too much responsibility. Radmanovic, Farmar, Gasol, Vujacic and Ronny Turiaf (all key players for the Lakers) will struggle against the pressure of the Finals and the Celtics’ defense.
The Celtics have three players that can carry the load of the inexperience of Perkins and Rondo. My key player for the series will be James Posey. He has experience with the Finals as a Miami Heat player, he is a great defender and he has been deadly with his three-point shooting in the playoffs.
The Celtics will win in six games and hang another banner in the Garden.
ryan Said,
June 2, 2008 @ 6:00 pm
I have to say this is going to be an almost completely equal playoff series, and it will be amazing to watch.
ericktmd Said,
June 2, 2008 @ 6:03 pm
eddie i love you and you are usually on the dot with your comments but you will see that in the end the Lakers will prevail. please dont be a laker hater…..
TransTeam Said,
June 2, 2008 @ 6:04 pm
“The Celtics have three players that can carry the load of the inexperience of Perkins and Rondo”
correction. only 2. ray minus 2 games. has been worthless.
2nd point. What championship winning experience minus cassel do the celtics have? none.
3rd. cant really argue w ur pick.
Gabriel Chaud Said,
June 2, 2008 @ 6:05 pm
I think Celtics will win(I’m not Eddie Johnson but I predicted it on the other article).
It reminds me a lot of the 2006 Dallas x Miami prediction about Miami winning in 6. A lot of great players that maybe never would get a championship shot again(Payton,Mourning…). On the other side the MVP and good supporting cast.
Celtics have more experienced players and they proved that they don’t want to let the title go, by stealing 2 games at Detroit.
I don’t think Gasol will feel the pressure, since he has a lot of single elimination tournaments international experience. I think Odom will struggle.
Celtics looked more troubled against young and athletic players than when they had to face players that you’ll find on the Lakers roster(except Kobe).
Perkins is growing at the right time, and the only chance that Lakers have is in Phil Jackson owning Doc Rivers.
Ghost Said,
June 2, 2008 @ 6:20 pm
Nice article but I disagree when you include Pau Gasol as an inexperienced guy. He played some very important game with Spain at the highest international level, and even if it is not NBA playoffs experience it is still a huge experience and he was the leader of the team. He can handle the pressure especially condidering the fact that this time Kobe is the leader not him.
I’ll take the Lakers in six. They proved they can play against a great defensive team with three star players (the good Old Spurs !).
Gnism Said,
June 2, 2008 @ 6:42 pm
This is my dream matchup and my dream scenario would be that the home team wins every game and game 7 comes down to a Jesus Shuttlesworth buzzer beater to win it all!
In reality, Kobe is going bananas and will WILL his team to victory in 5.
James McDonald Said,
June 2, 2008 @ 7:20 pm
Eddie I always enjoy your articles and this one just makes me flat out pleased. You are one of the few big name bloggers or analysts that are picking the Celtics (my favorite basketball and overall sports team) to bring Banner 17 home to the Garden. Being 19 I’m not old enough to have personally watched the Celtics-Lakers showdowns. Yet I’ve watched countless games on ESPN Classic and on DVD. This is the greatest rivalry in professional sports outside of Red Sox-Yankess (and just about as physical).
My prediction is C’s in 6… with a lot of close games. Very thrilling series. P-double brings his A+ game like he always does versus LA. KG owns Garnett. And Ray Ray is well Jesus Shuttlesworth again. The rest of the team does not want to let this Big 3 go without a championship in their careers.
And to comment on what ericktmd said, Eddie isn’t being a laker hater he is just stating his personal opinion about the teams. That doesn’t mean he hates the Lakers, just that he favors them in this series. But don’t worry I’ve got a feeling the Lakers will be in the Finals on and off for the next 6-8 years. So your team will get another shot… just not this year.
And to TransTeam Ray has started to get into a rhythm and the last two games will carry over into this series, giving the Celtics a Big 3 again. And he hasn’t been worthless. People need to understand that Allen is more than just a scorer, he has played better D, gotten key rebounds, assists, and steals for the C’s all post-season. That is being pretty useful IMO. The other championship winning experience is James Posey who won with Miami in 2006 (Eddie mentions this). Furthermore I think veteran savvy, hungry, and determination from the rest of the C’s will outweigh their lack of championship winning experience. And who on the Lakers besides Kobe and Derek Fisher have won a championship? Plus there is less big game collective playoff experience on the Lakers (KG, Pierce, Allen, Cassell, PJ Brown, Posey all have huge amounts of playoff experience and all have played in more than 1 conference championship series). Finally this is Gasol’s first year winning playoff games. Overall though this are two young collective teams without huge amounts of championship winning experience.
Again Celtics in 6. Beat LA!!!!
Kingsblade Said,
June 2, 2008 @ 7:45 pm
“correction. only 2. ray minus 2 games. has been worthless”
Ray Allen has carried teams in the past and still has the ability to do so now. This includes playoff games. While he has not been himself it seems a bit silly to write him off because of one cold streak when he has been nothing short of great for a dozen years.
He also has not been worthless since he has played solid defense (you will note he was reasonably effective on Richard Hamilton) and he draws defenders like nobody else on the team, including Pierce and Garnett.
As poorly as he has shot this year, he is still capable of carrying a team.
Tunette M. Callis Said,
June 2, 2008 @ 7:53 pm
Celtics in 6? Yea, you do write blogs to stir up conversation. Here ya’ go! Have you lost your mind? Did you not even read your own keys to each team winning? It sounded like all the Lakers needed to do was be the Lakers, while the Celtics… they darn near needed to be the Eastern All-Star team.
Let’s be for real… Kobe is the MVP. But he hasn’t had to take on a game by himself except for game 1 against the Spurs… Odom has something, it’s glowing and showing in everything he does. It’s his heart and the other guys are mirroring that. Look for Turiaf to be a big spark off the bench. I love his tenasciousity. It’s crazy and it will disturb whoever he guards. Ray Allen will be in a slump and by the time he gets out, he’ll be fishing! Yea, I said it. Pierce will be back and forth with the series. He’ll have a couple big games. KG will play good every night. But we don’t need Gasol to match that. This series will mirror the Spurs, meaning that Tim Duncan destroyed Gasol night in and night out. Tim Duncan got his and we were cool with that. Lakers still won in 5 games. We aren’t concerned about Tim D. better known as KG in this series. We aren’t even worried about Tony Parker, who I’ll call Paul Pierce in this series. They’ll show up… We just don’t want Manu better known as Ray Allen to show up with them… limit Ray Allen and score buckets. That’s all we gota do. Atlanta was one game from knocking Boston out. Surely we are better than them… Look for the Lakers to win in 6. And mark my word, Lakers game 1,3, 4, and 6!
Celtics will win 2 and 5.
Luke Walton Celebrity Gossip | Six reasons will reveal winner Said,
June 2, 2008 @ 7:53 pm
[...] 5. The Lakers bench, led by Luke Walton, Jordan Farmar and Sasha Vujacic, continue to dominate in the middle quarters when Kobe is resting….But if he is having his way with Vladimir Radmanovic and Luke Walton, Jackson will have no choice and that would spell trouble for the Lakers…. Source: Six reasons will reveal winner [...]
Edwin Gueco Said,
June 2, 2008 @ 8:09 pm
Thank you for your contrarian opinion. Not that bad, playing safe is you’re applying for a Celtic job. For a good basketball personality like you to dismiss the Lakers defense, perhaps you have not watched the WCF series. Are your Celtics better than Utah Jazz? Doubtful; One more chance, are they better than the Spurs in 2008? I guess they won’t even win two games eventhough Spurs are getting old, Manu is hurting, still Celts can beat the Spurs.
Here are the reasons why Lakers will beat the Celtics in five games:
1. There is no answer for Phil Jackson coaching against an inexperienced Doc Rivers. Celtics offense is jumpshooting repertoire from Pierce and KG plus inconsistent Ray Allen.
2. No Celtic can guard Kobe. Have you seen Lamar lately? Who can chase Lamar among the Celtics?
3. Lakers Motion Triangle with lots of traditional pick and roll, reversed pick and roll or pick and pop to Fisher or Vlady on the side.
4. Speed - watch the Lakers move in the 3rd Q. they are just too fast any Celtic mishandle of the ball would result to easy fastbreaks.
5. The Bench - Celtics do not have any answer for Sasha Vujacic and Farmar, these two guards is equivalent to your fastest Celtics which Rondo. Rondo does not have the consistent shots in those past three series. Pistons were just not healthy and weak at the last 5 minutes of 4th Q. but you can see the big hole on Celtics defense. In this were 2007 with a healthy Pistons, then Celtics are gone in 6 games.
6. Pau Gasol had a dramatic effect on the Lakers. It changed Odom, it changed Kobe’s mindset, there are just too much assists on this team.
7. Lakers have never been defeated at the Staples during the playoffs, can Celtics handle the pressure of the Finals in Los Angeles?
You better reconsider your analysis, it is better be right and honest than be wrong and destroy your credibility.
Paul Said,
June 2, 2008 @ 8:24 pm
Kingsblade, you’re right. Ray Allen is the only player on the Celtics that no team would EVER leave open (on purpose) under ANY circumstances. Ray Allen can carry the Celtics just as much as KG and Paul Pierce can.
Chris Whelan Said,
June 2, 2008 @ 8:40 pm
One name that comes to mind (Kobe Bryant) who has won 3 championships with one seven footer and a few pieces to finish the puzzle. I Think this lakers team is stronger than the shaq era!
Sasha can hit more 3’s than Robert (one of my all-time faves) Horry. The Lakers beat the Pacers, New Jersey and Sixers easily with a weak/par bench, it all lies with the best bench! Sure the Celtics beat the Pistons, the Lakers beat the SPURS! Come on…this series is anyones guess and it will be the best one since Bulls vs. Jazz, but i have the Lakers in 4 or 5 or 6 or 7 games!
Killa Dave Said,
June 2, 2008 @ 8:41 pm
Eddie, I respect agree with most of your assessment’s of these two NBA juggernauts. I will have to disagree on your view of “the Big 3″ vs. “just Kobe”, for carrying the team. Throughout the playoffs, Garnett has been the only consistant Celtic. Ray Allen has been virtually pedestrian, save 2 game, and Pierce has been good, but not great. The big 3 have to be great to beat the Lakers. They don’t have the composure, nor are they deep enough to dig out of any deep holes. They have struggled against the Hawks and the Cavs. Neither of those teams would pose any sort of threat to the Lakers in a 7 game series. And they beat a good, but run down, Pistons squad. That was big for their confidence, but not convincing at all.
Lakers in 6. The team is just too deep, and you know what you are going to get out of them. Which Celtics team are we going to see? The dominant team of the regular season or the team that almost got bounced by the worst team in the playoffs (Hawks)? The Celtics will either turn out as a team that dominated the regular season and fizzled out once the playoffs started (Dallas Mavericks) or answer the hype and “Do Work!” The questions ALL remain with the big Green
trevor Said,
June 2, 2008 @ 8:53 pm
I totally agree with you eddie, as long as ray allen figures out a way to make baskets he has made his entire career, if not, lakers will win. phil jackson’s steady hand will help the lakers figure out the pressure of the finals. but really, no-one can stop the celtics if ray is scoring at this point. .
observer Said,
June 2, 2008 @ 8:59 pm
It’s funny to see how excited Celtics fans got just because their team finally won a couple of road playoff games and didn’t need to play yet another Game 7. Based on both teams’ playoff performance so far, the Lakers should be the overwhelming favorite to win the championship. But I guess you can’t blame Celtics fans for not knowing how well the Lakers had played. They were too busy cheering for their team who struggled mightily against the sorry Hawks and the LeBron James one-man show. So they probably didn’t have time to watch the Lakers who cruised to the Finals with relative ease.
THE FUTURE Said,
June 2, 2008 @ 9:07 pm
EDDIE, YOU MAKE GREAT ARGUMENTS.
BUT I THINK YOU WILL BE WRONG THINKING
THAT JAMES POSEY WILL BE A DIFFERENCE MAKER
FOR THE CELTICS, HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN KOBE IS A VETERAN TOO?
HE HAS 3 TITLES, AND PHIL HAS 9! NOT TOO MENTION FISHER BEING THERE WITH SOME VETERAN SAAVY & SOME RINGS AS WELL.
THE CELTICS HAVE NO ONE BUT POSEY AND CASSELL, WHO HAVE BEEN CONTRIBUTORS TO THEIR RESPECTIVE CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS, BUT NOT THE DIFFERENCE MAKERS.
YOU DID HOWEVER HIT THE RIGHT NOTE WITH THE “VETERANS BEING HUNGRIER” STATEMENT AND I BELIEVE THATS TRUE ALSO, BUT THAT IS THE PRECISE REASON WHY KOBE WILL CARRY THIS TEAM TO GET PHIL OVER THE RED HUMP AND SECURE HIS STATUS AS “THE GREATEST COACH IN NBA HISTORY” .
THE LAKE SHOW WILL LOSE THE OPENING GAME AT THE GARDEN, THEN WIN 4 STRAIGHT!!!!!! THATS RIGHT I SAID IT!, “LAKERS IN 5!!!!”
AND IM NOT EVEN A LAKERS FAN (GO PHOENIX!)
Walt Said,
June 2, 2008 @ 9:55 pm
Prediction: Lakers in 5
I think the Pistons would have given the Lakers a tougher time for a couple reasons. 1) The Pistons best player is a PG, which is the weakest link for the Lakers, and 2) The Pistons post defense is superior to the Celtics, who have Garnett and a couple space-fillers.
I think the Lakers match up very well against the C’s. Also consider the fact that the Lakers are winning and playing fantastic ball, while the Celtics have been squeaking by in each playoff series.
On top of that, the matchups in each position heavily favor the Lakers.
Fisher/Farmar will easily outplay Rondo/Cassell. After going through A.I., Chris Paul, and Tony Parker, guarding Rondo and Cassell will be a cakewalk.
Odom is the wildcard and will be a huge advantage for the Lakers. I think he can stay with Garnett on the perimeter on D, and will keep KG out of the paint on the offensive end.
Kobe is going to have a field day against the Celtics defense. The only person that has any chance at guarding him is James Posey. But if Posey is guarding KB24, who is guarding Odom? If it’s KG, then who’s guarding Gasol? Perkins? PJ Brown? All respectable players, but not enough to keep Gasol under wraps.
And what’s all this talk about the C’s having more experience than the Lakers? Who on the Celtics has Finals experience? Cassell and Posey? Granted, the Lakers don’t have much Finals experience outside of Kobe and Fisher, but think about this. Would you rather have your star player and team captain (Lakers) or two role players (Celtics) have Finals experience?
And I won’t even bother going into the coaching experience comparison. No contest.
So Eddie, I respect your opinion, but I think this is the year the Staples Center gets some new banner-age!
Words of Wisdom Said,
June 2, 2008 @ 10:35 pm
Lakers in 5 or 6.
Book it.
You’re all wasting valuable time, effort and space on the internet posting your illogical pro-Celtic jargon here.
In 2 weeks everyone will have forgotten your foolish pride, and you get to tell your friends: “I knew the Lakers would win, I called it all along”.
Idiots
Lupe Said,
June 2, 2008 @ 10:50 pm
Even though I have been wrong on both of my predictions last round, I am still picking a winner. I knew the Lakers were better, but I preferred to stay loyal(damn loyalty) as a fan, and picked the Spurs in seven, and Detroit was no excuse, they suckered me in for the 3rd straight year. I am probably a jinx
, and therefore I choose the Lakers as the winners in six. 
Hopefully Ray Allen steps up along with the Celtic bench, and if Doc plays a consistent rotation, the Celtics stand a good chance. Go Celtics!!! 
p.s. Though I love Western Conference teams better, it’d be a shame for a player as talented/passionate as Garnett to go without a ring.
Paul Said,
June 2, 2008 @ 11:16 pm
Eddie, I’m with you on this, the Celtics will win this series 7. Boston can create a lot of mismatches. Though I still can’t believe I’m picking a Doc Rivers-led team to beat a Phil Jackson-led team in a play-off series. Gotta love it
Kingsblade Said,
June 2, 2008 @ 11:36 pm
I think that the Lakers are definitely the more battle tested team having come out of the west. The East just did not see the same level of play, even in the Eastern finals.
To have a chance game one will be key for Boston. I do not think they need to win it, but I think they need to bump up their game about 3 notches to be ready for ther type of war that will come from their western counterparts. Utah and San Antonio were not teams that went willingly or quietly, and yet the Lakers still managed to beat them in 6 and 5 games respectively.
If Boston shows up prepared (calling Doc Rivers) and game one is a battle or a Boston win then the series will be a close one with Boston winning it in 7. If they are caught on their heels by the inevitable early onslaught then I predict the Lakers in 6.
Omar Aberilla Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 12:18 am
Correction, there is only one player, just like the Lakers does, in the Celtics that could carry a team. And that’s Paul Pierce. Garnett and Ray Allen, having respectable careers, but have not shown their ability to grab that leadership role especially in dire portions of the game. You can’t be tentative from time to time. Allen and Garnett have shown that they have inhibitions on carrying the load and taking the brunt of pressure and blame, should they lose, on them. Some people just aren’t born leaders. That is why the Lakers will win the series. Because as much as the Celtics have The Truth, the Lakers have the most lethal weapon in all of basketball, Kobe. At the end of the day, championships are often written by great players and experience is overrated. You can be a green thumb and still come out and lead your team to a victory, just ask Magic. The supporting casts will just neutralize each other, so the Lakers have the edge. And this is their championship to lose from the get-go.
JM de Asis Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 12:58 am
How can you say that the Lakers succumb to the pressure and inexperience? Last time checked, both teams only have 2 players each who have been to the Finals. Believe me, the Lakers are prepared for whatever Boston will dish out after having beaten a tough Jazz team and eventually blowing the defending Champs in 5(!). Many factors point to a Laker victory. No offense to Celtics fans, your beloved KG isn’t a clutch player. Its been proven time and again Garnett does not play well when the Celtics need him the most. Sure he’s a monster when they have a huge lead but when the game’s on the line and someone’s needed to step up, Garnett will almost definitely shy away from the responsibility. And come on, Phil Jackson against Doc Rivers? The Zen master has 9 rings for crying out loud. No contest in that department really. My prediction is for the Lakers to win in six games and for KG and Ray Allen to join the prestigious company of Barkley,Ewing, Malone.
Metin Kirhan Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 1:02 am
Celtics don’t lose at home and Lakers are also strong at home. So this series can go to game 7; BUT i guess Celtics will pull out a win in one of three consecutive Staples Center Games. So they’ll finish it in game six. Let’s see if the Leprechaun will help them again :))
4-2 Celts
livlife2k Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 1:22 am
why is it that whenever someone picks against the Lakers, they are perceived as a Laker hater? it’s just someone’s opinion of who they think will win, based on the factors…hate has nothing to do with it
Jeff Stone Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 1:42 am
Bwah ha ha ha ha…
Typical Suns hater…we kicked your ass when you played now all you have left is to hate on us. Nice try!!! Your analysis is as weak as you were at the end of games in your career.
Lakers in 5!!!
Jeff Stone Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 1:44 am
By the way…
Where is the analysis on the COACHING??? Don’t you think that matters at all??? If veterans are so key as you’ve explained, don’t you think the veteran coach has a big advantage over the rookie?
Doc Rivers never went to the finals as a player or coach…Phil has 9 rings…you do the math.
Peter Stassen Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 2:15 am
Although these are gonna be some tight games, I very much doubt that the Celtics will win it all.
Garnett is - as Eddie points out - a key factor in this series, but I predict him to buckle under the pressure. He doesn’t have the necessary experience with situations like this and even with the limited access to basketball in Danish TV (which means that I haven’t been able to watch all Celtic games) it seems to me that Garnett - even though dominating in the regular season - have seemed out of place in the playoffs. I’m pretty sure that hadn’t it been for Pierce, then the Cavs would have wiped the floor with the Celtics. Garnett did not make many right moves during game 7 and he seemed like he didn’t know where to go or what to do until very late in the game…
Furthermore, although the Celtics have the so-called Big Three, none of them are on the same level as Kobe. Whether Kobe or LeBron is the best player in the world can be a topic of discussion (in my mind, though, there is no doubt - Kobe is the king), but since LeBron were almost able to throw off the Celtics by himself, how on Earth do you figure that Kobe plus a much better supporting cast wouldn’t be able to do so?
Fred82 Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 3:07 am
hey there! greetings from spain!
of course, my favourite is LA!
we support Gasol! i would like it.
ive seen LA game and i like it and gasol’s roll(whatever the team needs…)
i have to say that i havent seen this year boston, but ive heard about their game, and of course, if they win, ill be happy for the big three, u know…
this way we could finaly say about ray allen: HE GOT GAME
Jeremy Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 3:51 am
“the Celtics Don’t lose at home” niether did Utah at least untill the Lakers showed up. The 37 win Hawks took boston 7 because they young the knock on the Lakers is that they are young but unlike the Hawks they have Kobe. I like K.G. but he will retire without a ring sorry Celtics fans you wouldn’t have made it this far if you were in the west Lakers in 5.
rusty shackleford Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 4:27 am
Metin kirhan… Celtics don’t lose at home? Looks like detroit beat them in boston about a week ago so ur wrong. Lakers haven’t lost at home and they just put away the defending champs in 5. If lakers can steal one of the first 2 in boston I say lakers in 5. Yes 5
Kingsblade Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 4:29 am
“Garnett and Ray Allen, having respectable careers, but have not shown their ability to grab that leadership role especially in dire portions of the game.”
Ray Allen has been the leader of his team for nearly his entire career. True he has never been to the finals before, but he has had some success and been to the conference finals before as the undisputed leader of his team. You are basing your description of him on a handful of games played this year…a year where for the first time in a very long time he is not THE man on the team, but one of three. His problem is not an inability to carry a team, it is the difficult adjustment to NOT being the man expected to carry the team.
Furthermore, while Allen has been cold from the field he has not demonstrated any timidity whatsoever during key moments down the stretch of close games, having nailed a number of important free throws and some very important jumpers.
Why don’t you try judging a player by what he has done over his career and not just by a handful of games. Do you also feel that LeBron cannot carry a team because he didn’t play well during the Boston series?
niwdle Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 6:33 am
my goodness! why do people like garnett to win the title because of his passion? i can’t argue with you with fact that he’s a very special player but his greediness for money is what got him to the point that he’s frustrated he can’t get a title! garnett! face the consequences for being greedy! Lakers will win! sorry celtic fans the title goes to the Lakers!
C Fatz Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 7:58 am
I’ll make a small correction. Expect a 7 game series. This of course favors the Celtics since game 7 will be in their building and the refs not only favor the home team in these games but have been notorious for allowing the Celtics to get away with everything short of first degree homocide. (See the vid of Danny Ainge running 20 feet with the ball and not dribbling while the referee gave him the high sign in the Jr. Jr. Jr. Sky-hook series). I’m not predicting a Celtic victory. I’m not predicting a laker victory. I’m predicting a seven game series.
CF
:0)
Novio Magus Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 8:20 am
Celtics win in 6. Key will be to attack Lamar Odom in every which way. If Odom is to play like Scotty to Kobe’s MJ act than force Odom to prove he can be Scotty. Can he drive against Garnett? Can he post up Garnett or Perkins. How will his handle be if 7ft Garnett is right up there with him at the 3 point line. Is his jumper reliable with Garnett in his face? Can he get the ball to the right man, either Kobe or some one else? Can he play defense on Garnett when Garnett takes him in the post? Can he guard Garnett 20ft from the basket and leave Gasol to battle the heavier Perkins for the rebound?
A few years ago the Spurs applied almost the same tactics on the Suns when they put Bowen on Marion. Marion became a non factor. Amare ran wild but the Spurs took the Suns out in 5.
On Allen: I think his slump is over but even so. No way are the Lakers leaving him open on the perimeter. A guy like Allen who shot thousands of jumpers in his career can catch fire in an instant and try putting it out then.
floyd Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 8:22 am
That soft Lakers frontline is going to get introduced to physical ball and get killed on the glass - just like the vaunted Piston’s frontline.
ieatshit Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 8:33 am
i bet 100 php that boston will win!
hahaha
CanadaKid Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 8:53 am
Lakers will win in 5…the lakers big 3 is a solid answer to the celtics big 3 of KG, Allen & Pierce, so I think the biggest factor in this series is each teams bench, and the lakers win that battle hands down. Let’s not forget Kobe and Derek Fisher have 3 rings and has been to the finals 4 times (together!). KG, Allen & Pierce? A combined 0 years of NBA Finals Playoff experience, so EJ’s arguement that older players will “get it done” might hold true to some extent, but how can he say gasol will succumb to the pressures of being in the finals if previous non-finalists allen, pierce & KG are just as vulnerable ? Also, the lakers win the coaching battle; Doc Rivers? No finals experience and until this season, never made it out of the first round of the playoffs! The Lakers have one of the greatest coaches of all time in Phil Jackson who has probably won more games in the NBA finals than Doc Rivers has ever won in any playoffs. Feel free to hire me as a part-time blogger when this prediction prevails.
laallday213 Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 9:52 am
If you think the inexperience of the lakers will be the cause of them losing a championship, wrong, they would’ve lost to the mentally tough, and experienced spurs. Or got beaten by the more physical jazz team. We’re playing on a whole other level right now, and our confidence won’t be shaken. They are not stopping Kobe, or the Lakeshow, nobody is! But then again your work for the suns, and would hate to see an actual mvp do what he’s supposed to do and take his team to the ship and win a title, unlike Steve Nash.
Bball Unit Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 10:03 am
I’ve been studing this match-up for the past month, as it was clear that the two teams would meet. Heres a break down im yet to find on the net.
Three keys to LAKERS winning:
1. Odom and Gasol have to stay out of foul trouble, pierce will attack both all series.
2. Obviously Lakers need to win in boston and the key will be, if the young bench players can hold there nerves.
3. They cant afford Ray Allen to play well in the FIRST TWO games in boston, the crowd will be trying everything to get ray ray going.
Three keys to BOSTON winning:
1. Posey needs consistant minutes, boston will win when the game slows down and becomes a defencive game, with teams collapsing on everything, Posey will need to hit those corner jumpers and guard kobe or odom.
2. Who ever is being guarded by Rad/Walton have to take adavtage of the starting 5 missmatch, everytime boston comes down the court, Rondo has too find the mismatch.
3. Perkins need to monster the boards, when he gets over 10 boards in playoffs they are 6-0. Him getting offencive boards, will slow down lakers transition game and the game in general.
Conlustion:
Its more evenly matched then most anaylst have detailed.
I’ll give the advantage to boston in 7 game for two solid reasons.
1. Home court advantage, even if they lose 1 at home, theyll find a win back in LA.
2. Unless Turiaf starts on perkins, which i doubt. There will always be a mismatch on bostons offencive end.
Porky Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 10:18 am
Eddie- you have it 100% right. Despite the media bias against the Celts ( at least 90% pick the Fakers to win easily), the punishing defense of the Celts PLUS their excellent offence and mental intensity will result in Banner #17. The Celts have gotten BETTER as the playoffs have progressed- beating the excellent Pistons in 6 with 2 road games. I say Celts in only 5. Be there.
allen Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 10:33 am
Great points made on both sides. However, I think the biggest key in this series is Ray Allen. If he continues to play the way he has been in the playoffs, the Celtics are D-O-N-E, done! Unfortunately for Celtic fans, that this is a strong possibility. Manu Ginobili only had one good game in the Spurs-Lakers series, and that was after 2 series were the suns and hornets left saying Ginobili stung them were the sun don”t shine. Ray Allen on the other hand, has been nothing close to Ray Allen, so stopping him should be a cake walk.
Lakers in 6!
Bartman Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 12:06 pm
Eddie;
I like your article but I think you are forgetting a few things. Experience does win titles and that’s why the Lakers win! Boston has 2 role players that have won titles with different teams and one a long time ago in Casell and Posey. Lakers have Kobe and Fish who have won, Walton who was there in ‘04 but most importantly the one you are forgetting is Phil Jackson! Although the Phil is known to go with his regular rotation throughout the year people forget he does mix things up in the finals. Remember Tyron Lue against Allen Iverson? At that time no one knew Lue, not even Lakers fans! My bet is that Phil pulls another one out of his hat. In fact I’d expect to see Ariza out there against Pierce and perhaps short stints of Gasol, Turiaf and Odom out at the same time on the front line. I put my trust in Phil.
Lakers in 6!
Michael Bennett Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 12:31 pm
Great article, Eddie. Are you going to any of the games out here in LaLaLand? I’ll be sitting behind Jack for Game 4. If you’re there, look for me. I’ll be the only person wearing a LeBron jersey.
I actually disagree with you, though. I think the Lakers are unstoppable. They’re playing too cleanly right now. Everything is perfect with that team. And, I think we can all agree now that Phil Jackson is the best coach ever. Man, he really knows how to calm a team down and get everyone to play their role perfectly. Yes, he needs talent. He’s not ’70s John Madden. But, he knows what to do with the pieces.
Lakers in 7 - one of the best Finals ever.
Casey Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 1:06 pm
Yes you are right on!!! The Laker fans do not realize that the Spurs team they beat lost 3 games by 20 points to the Hornets. They beat a hobbled Manu and old role players. The Spurs team last year was much much better! Most people are picking LA without taking this into accunt. Also when the Lakers had Bynum instead of Gasol those games were not even close. If Allen gets hot this thing could be over fast! I think that Allen has something to prove against Kobe!!
Celtics247.com » Blog Archive » Today’s Links 6/3 Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 2:07 pm
[...] proud leader Southside Perspective KG sweats Gatorade: Unfair advantage for the Celtics Hoopshype Six reasons will reveal the winner OC Register Will Lamar Odom cave against Kevin Garnett Metro Celtics could lose coach Leading [...]
Anh Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 2:13 pm
Here is my breakdown of the Lakers-Celtics series:
Keys to Laker Win:
1) Kobe Bryant must get to the free-throw line. With a defensive team like the Celtics, they are going to contend his perimeter jumpers, which could/should lower his field-goal percentage. Normally, half of Bryant’s points come from the free-throw line, so must penetrate to the basket and draw fouls in the paint.
2) The Lakers’ bench must contribute. The Lakers have been fortunate to get away in the Jazz and a little in the Spurs series without their bench players playing well and scoring with Kobe Bryant taking over. But they cannot afford to play like they did against the Celtics and get away with it that easily. Jordan Farmar, Vladamir Radmanovic, Sasha Vujacic must find ways to get open and drain the 3’s from behind the arc, while Luke Walton needs to convert on open shots and easy lay-ups in the paint when Kobe Bryant drives in the paint and draw defenders. Ronny Turiaf must also play big defensively and body up Kevin Garnett and make it difficult for him to go in the paint.
3) The Lakers need to match or out-rebound the Celtics. With the Celtics being longer and more physical, Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol are going to need to crash the boards harder and pull out at least 28-30 rebounds between them to keep the Lakers in the game.
4) Lamar Odom needs to be more aggressive and be a scorer. When Lamar Odom puts up at least 18 points, the Lakers usually win. As the third scoring option, when Odom gets going, he starts to draw attention to himself, which takes the pressure off of Bryant and Gasol and at the same time free them up to play their game more freely.
5) Keep Kevin Garnett on the perimeter. When Garnett gets deep in the paint and the defensive team double teams him, he usually hands it off to Kendrick Perkins for easy dunks and lay-ups, or find a cutter for the easy basket.
6) The Lakers must push the ball. With their roster being younger and quicker than the aging Celtics, the Lakers must speed up the game and tempo to throw off the Celtics so they cannot set their defense. Also, in transition, the Lakers are a dangerous team where a guard and push the ball and other players can set themselves behind the arc for open 3’s. On fast breaks, there is always going to be a player that will be open.
Keys to Celtic Win:
1) Avoid foul-trouble. The Celtics are going to need as much contribution from the Big 3 as possible so they need to stay out of foul trouble and on the court for as long as they can. The Big 3 are also the core of the Celtics’ defense, so when these guys are on the court, they help set the tempo for the other players.
2) Defend the 3-point line. Lakers are deadly from behind the arc, with players like Jordan Farmar, Derek Fisher, Vladamir Radmanovic, and Sasha Vujacic getting wide open looks most of the time to shoot the 3.
3) Play Kobe Bryant one-on-one and make him a jump-shooter. Like Kevin Garnett, there is no way of really stopping him, so just play him one-on-one, throw different defenders at him like Ray Allen, Sam Cassell, Paul Pierce, James Posey, and Tony Allen (they need to get him back soon (injured achilles)), and make him take jump shots. Over time, fatigue will kick in and wear him down a little. Take a page out of the San Antonio Spurs and do not let him penetrate and get to the line where he can hurt the defensive team by drawing fouls and getting easy points.
4) Make Lamar Odom a jump-shooter. Usually, when Odom drives in the paint, he is too long for defenders and draws fouls on them, which takes them out of the game. The Celtics are going to have to crowd the paint and keep Odom away from the basket because he is not a great shooter from outside. Plus, this would help the Celtics on the glass as Odom usually racks up the boards.
5) Ray Allen needs to step up. Hopefully, by playing the Lakers and going up against his long-time rival Kobe Bryant, this should fuel Allen up enough for him to play more aggressive and take more shots…and actually draining them. He needs to have the killer instinct like he did when he played against Bryant and the Lakers when he was over Seattle. This means he needs to run and move without the ball and run behind screens, catch, and shoot (like Reggie Miller and Richard Hamilton). This was what gave Bryant the most problem whenever he faced Allen.
6) Kevin Garnett must be a selfish player. Normally, he likes to distribute the ball and pass up good shots to get his other teammates involved, but now is not the time to do that. Kevin Garnett can literally get any shot he wants on the court because no one can really guard him on the perimeter or in the paint since he is so versatile and long. If he takes more shots (about 18-20 a game), then the Celtics will win. Does anybody remember back in 2004 in the Western Conference Finals when the Timberwolves played the Lakers where he torched the Lakers with 30 point games? Yeah, he needs to be THAT KG.
What to Expect:
1) Another epic battle between Kobe Bryant and Ray Allen. Both of these players are going to step up their game and play more physical because they simply don’t like each other. Their feud dates back to when Ray Allen was a Sonic and every time they play the Lakers, Allen goes off on them and plays more physical than he normally does. Both players have trash talked the other player before so expect this to be intense and take off to another level.
2) Pau Gasol to struggle offensively and defensively, or well more so than the previous series in the playoffs. The difference between playing against the Celtics and the other teams like the Nuggets, Jazz, and Spurs, is that the Lakers have never played a defensive team like the Celtics (and #1 defensive team in the NBA this season I might add). Sure, the Spurs are a good defensive team, but they have slipped from the past seasons when their players were a little younger. For the Celtics, the defensive line starts with Kevin Garnett, this season’s defensive player of the year. Expect Kevin Garnett to be all over Pau Gasol. He is long, versatile, strong, physical, and quick. The Celtics will also at times double team Pau Gasol with Kendrick Perkins, another physical, strong 7-footer and rotate defensively between Garnett and Perkins. The Celtics will also throw their big men off the bench such as Leon Powe, “Big Baby” Glen Davis, and PJ Brown at Pau Gasol, which should wear him down over time as they will body and bang him up down low.
3) Kobe Bryant to take more shots. With the Lakers now in the finals and 4 games away from winning the championship again, Kobe Bryant will do whatever it takes to win it all, and so he will take matters into his own hands by jacking up more shots to try and keep his team in the game. As you can tell in the Spurs-Lakers series, Bryant has been feeling it and feels more confident in himself more than ever to take more shots to keep his team in the game and win. So, expect him to average around 25 shots per game in this series.
Michael Bennett Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 2:40 pm
One other thing…
I think the Lakers should HAVE to wear the short shorts for the entire series… and not be ashamed to do it. Last time, they looked like idiots with the spandex underneath. Come on! You’re pro athletes. Rock them shorts!
Phil Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 3:18 pm
The Celtics will be the most physical, athletic, trash talking team the Lakers have faced. Sure the Jazz were physical, but non-athletic and the Spurs got nothing out of their aging role players. We know Kobe and Fish are warriors, but how will the others respond to the Celtics physical intensity and trash talking. I think this is being undervalued by many picking the Lakers to breeze through the C’s. The Lakers would have had their hands full with the Cavs or Pistons just for the physical factor, paired with defense and the C’s are much better at playing that game.
Not to mention, KG got busy against two big frontlines in Cleveland and Detroit and there is not a player on the Lakers roster that can guard Paul Pierce.
albert Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 6:53 pm
Eddie I don’t know if you made the right choice in this one. 1st I dont know how you pick Rejon Rando To run the offense better than derek fisher and I dont know how you say he is going to be able to bother Fisher. 2nd Pierce, Garnett, and Allen are jump shooters and not really poast up players. I dont think they are going to be able to schore as they please. 3rd why would you pick them to win in 6 when ATLANTA and Cleavlend almost beat them with an offense that not even close to beaing ass good aas the Lakers. 4th I dont see Rando, House, Allen, and much of the celtics bench being productive. 5th Kobe will destroy the celtics they better not give hiom room like they did to lebron because Kobe will nail jumpshots all over the place. And lastly if they do close out on him he has players to pass to lamar is goiung to be unstappoble and I DONT UNDERSTAND HOW GASOL IS GOING TO STRUGGLE WHEN HE PLAYS ONDER THE RIM AND IS GOING TO GET DUNKS ALL OVER THE PLACE. i DONT CARE HOW GOOD OF A TEAM DEFFENSE THEY HAVE KOBE IS NOT GOING TO BE STOPPED LIKE LEBORN. AND GASOL IS GOING TO DO GREAT
Bruno Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 7:31 pm
I’m antilakers and I say it will be Lakers in 5.
Big differences. Kobe is playing unbelieable basketball.
Phil Jackson is light-years better than Doc Rivers.
Ovais Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 7:49 pm
Eddie, great analysis! It’s a close call either way. I think you have neglected one factor though — the Phil Factor. Phil Jackson. He just knows what to do and when to do it. I believe the Celtics will struggle to score (despite the so-called Big 3) and the Lakers will prevail in 6 or 7.
Brandon Hoffman Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 8:33 pm
Great blog Eddie.
I agree, Odom is the X-factor. If KG succeeds in shutting him down, that will be huge for the Celtics.
On the flipside, KG won’t be able to play ‘defensive’ safety like he did against LeBron and the Cavs.
If Kobe is able to penetrate Boston’s defense and KG and Perkins are forced to help, it could be over quickly.
steve Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 10:58 pm
i cant believe you call yourself an expert. i of the stupidest things you just wrote was sayin how the celtics have 3 stars that can carry a team. now lets look at those 3 stars and how they CANT single handedly carry a team.
1. kg- funny i only remember him taking the twolves far in the playoffs 1 time besides that they were always crap.
2. ray allen- dam was seattle ever good when he was there. where did he carry them?
3.- paul pierce- please remind me of what record he carried boston to last season.
point clearly made.
kobe bryant on the other hand has constantly had the lakers in the playoff except 1 time. he can by himself have a kobe game and beat the celtics and carry his team. hes not the best on the planet for no reason.
pau has no experience you said. did he not play in major games representing his country. not team but COUNTRY.
does dfisher not have 3 titles with kobe. more than the whole celtics team combined.
next time you write something make sure you know what the hell your talking about before you make yourself look like an idiot.
lakers in 6
Cman Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 11:04 pm
Eddie, Kudos to you for going out on a limb and predicting a Celtics win. This flies in the face of the conventional (ESPN) wisdom and is nice and refreshing
GQ Said,
June 4, 2008 @ 12:29 am
Lakers do not have the big 3, they have the big 4. Don’t forget FISHER. He will shoot a rainbow over your as$. The Lakers only lost to boston the 2nd time because of those damn shorts that distracted them. Whoever thought that was a good marketing stunt should be fired!
This will be a good series and Eddie will be wrong AGAIN. You think lakers don’t have experience? We got Kurt, Shaw, Tex, Phil Jackson, Kobe, Fisher, that’s more championship rings than you can ever dream of. There is no way the Celtics will win. Allen is tired, Paul is a wannabe gangster… no way he is from Ingewood. Kevin spends all his engery yelling at himself. Doc can not couch, it’s his defensive coach that is doing all the work. Doc is just there to help them play together.
There is NO way KOBE will let the team lose. He is on a mission and I feel very bad for the celtics. The schedule favors the LAKERS.
The Lakers are well tested in the WEST. Celtics played 7 games against all sorry teams!
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June 4, 2008 @ 7:03 am
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frank Said,
June 4, 2008 @ 7:12 am
“I disagree with the comment “Defense wins championships” because the Lakers won a bunch with Magic and they were known for offense.”
didn’t you mention they had michael cooper? and kareem? cooper was nba def player of the year in 1987 when the lakers won the championship and both him and kareem were all nba def during the ‘83 championship run. kinda seems like those guys were pretty damn good defenders if you ask me.
and outside of those laker teams, name me another championship team that wasn’t highly touted for their defense, or didn’t have a first team all-nba defender on their squad.
“Plus it is a Catch 22 comment. Why? Because good balanced offense gives you a solid defense. It is all about floor balance and teammates knowing when a shot is going up and not being surprised and out of position to retreat defensively. Yes, defense wins. But offense sets the table, so both should be praised.”
and until the any steve nash led team proves me wrong this statement is null and void.
i usually have your back eddie, but not on this one. a great defense will always beat a great offense. thats in any team sport. baseball. hockey. football. soccer. and especially basketball. defense wins championships.
all that said, what kg has done this season would make bill russell proud to call himself a celtic again (btw eddie, you gonna tell bill his defense didn’t win those titles?). and we saw what the big fundamental(22 ppg 17 rpg 2 bpg) did to pau. kg is a lot hungrier and has loads more to prove than timmy and boston doesn’t really need him to produce those numbers, but he will. so let’s just say its gonna be a long series for the guy stephen a. smith called the “big poodle”.
kobe will likely take on the task of guarding pierce b/c we know how much kobe loves to shut down the other team’s best wing, with all respect to jesus shuttlesworth, that man is paul pierce right now. and if kobe sticks ray, then pierce will torch whomever comes his way. so it’s kinda pick your poison there. and ray will definitely shoot himself out of this slump he’s had.
so as for you prediction. i agree. celtics in 6.
frank Said,
June 4, 2008 @ 7:26 am
and as for you laker fans out there, here’s a bit of nba history…
the last time the lakers were in the finals in 2004, they were also a 2-1 favorite, much like this year. they had the best 1-2 punch in the nba and 2 of the top 3 players depending on whom you asked. then along came a team from the east with the league’s top defense, who all the “experts” were counting out before the opening tip and they ran those lakers out the gym in 5.
history has the tendency of repeating itself…
David Said,
June 4, 2008 @ 10:35 am
Frank,
My uncle was a professional gambler. He ALWAYS bet the defense, no matter what the sport. He said that a strong defense leads to an easy offense. I think he was right.
jmn Said,
June 4, 2008 @ 11:04 am
David,
In the case of the Celtics their strong defense does not lead to an easy offense. They struggle to score consistently.
And let’s not get carried away with thinking the Lakers don’t play D. While Boston plays better D, LA plays GOOD D - plus they have a brilliant offense.
Lakers in 6
Kingsblade Said,
June 4, 2008 @ 11:20 am
steve,
Your comparison is weak. All 3 of them have been to conference finals as the main man on their team. True not regularly, but they have done it. If you want to hold that against them then you have to recongize that Kobe has not done it as the teams main man until this year.
Since Shaq left this is Kobe’s first time past the first round, so by your logic he has been even less effective than any of them in terms of carrying a team by himself.
Boozebag Said,
June 4, 2008 @ 1:04 pm
Ray Allen trying to cover Kobe on his own is laughable. and if they double, you bet he’ll find the open man. A competitor of Kobe’s calibre will simply not allow the Lakers to lose. And as far as playoff experience, Gasol and Odom have just about as much as the so called big 3. The Lakers will win in 5.
Laker haters think this is bad, just wait until next year…
floyd Said,
June 4, 2008 @ 2:26 pm
Steve,
Watch some hoops once in a while. Pierce missed 40 games last year and Ray carried his team to 50 wins a couple of years back. You only have to look to Kobe and the 8th seeded Lakers the past couple of years to realize great players can’t do it alone.
And this Fisher love, come on man. He’s always been a nice player. Hits big shots, plays good D. But “Big 4″? They must be just giving away crack in LA now.
eddie Said,
June 4, 2008 @ 2:48 pm
Steve
If i am a idiot—why do you read my blogs? i guess if i picked the Lakers i would be a genious? right? Just support your team and wait to respond. (-:
space Said,
June 4, 2008 @ 4:07 pm
the lakers in 6.
i really HATE saying that but i have to. i want the celts to win. the big three are a seriously deserving set of hall of famers. but the lakers should run them down in 6, or even a easy 7.
WHY?
no team has found a way to consistently beat the lakers since the gasol trade. it is not impossible but i do not expect genius rivers to come up with a super scheme. they will be beaten and even mastered in the future by some squad. but i do not think it will be this year. this happens from time to time. a team makes a wild acquisition, then the rest of a league [any league] will scramble to find a way to beat them. examples: the eagles adding TO, bulls adding rodman, yankees adding fill-in-the-blank. the lakers, right now, are the faster, more aggressive team on the offensive end. that translates into defense as well. gasol is far more experienced than anyone wants to give him credit, odom needed freedom and got it again, and the other key guys have years of experience in the league: radmonevic, fisher, walton and turiaf’s heart and hustle is not going to quit.
vujacic will continue to play big, and anything farmar does is a bonus.
my hope is that ray takes this whole thing personal and shows the lakers what he has left in his career. ray allen along with perkins are the difference makers if the celtics are to have a chance. if ray can strike the right daggers at kobe all series long, ray might be the one guy to get into kobe’s head and lose the team approach. perkins just needs to hustle, play defense, pull boards. but the lakers are too confident right now. the celts have to completely obliterate everything the lakers try in the 1st 2 games and win by 20+ to get their heads out of this.
sonnydelite Said,
June 4, 2008 @ 8:31 pm
Sorry man. Whatever you predict, I will have to go with the opposite because you are always wrong. If you would have said the Lakers will win it, I would have to say Celtics.
Can all of you stop it with all this SHAQ BS?? First of all Shaq did not win the championship by himself. Kobe scored all the points. It was fisher that hit the buzzer, it was Bob that hit the other buzzer, SHAQ could not win in Orlando, He needed to come to LA , he needed KOBE. It was Kobe that took out the Jail Blazers … man, give the guy some credit and stop comparing Kobe to Jordan. Jordan, didn’t have anoyone else before him to compare to but Kobe does … but let the man have his time. Jordan had his time. This is Kobe’s time. The 80’s lakers and celtics had their time, this is the Lakers and Celtics of today. Let them have their time. Stop it with all these comparisons this is a different team, a different time you stupid media freaks. Let the fans of today enjoy the team of today. We do not need to see Magic and Larry reruns. … we need to talk about the team today.
The botton line is .. Phil will not let the Lakers lose. He will actually stand up for this game and call some time outs. Phil is not BSing this game. Doc Rivers and the Celtics celebrated too early like a bunch of rookies that never made it this far. Their minds are weak and they will lose. Another banner for LA.
Peace.
Zane Said,
June 5, 2008 @ 12:33 am
“why do people like garnett to win the title because of his passion? i can’t argue with you with fact that he’s a very special player but his greediness for money is what got him to the point that he’s frustrated he can’t get a title!”
niwdle, stop talking out of your a*s, because only sh*t is coming out.
Firstly, your point doesn’t make sense because KG is playing for a title RIGHT NOW. KG was supposed to be the building block around which they would build. But McHale failed to put the right pieces around him for years. It’s not his fault that his old GM could not do his job properly. KG is worth max money and that is what he got. Would you turn it down if it were offered to you?
He has been a top tier player ever since the contract was signed, he didn’t slack off when he got the money at all. Kobe makes similar money - you could call him even more greedy because they had a contender already built and Kobe demanded the max and for Shaq to be traded! Kobe single handedly destroyed a contender, and turned it into a mediocre team, until Memphis GAVE AWAY Pau Gasol in a head-stratching trade. Lakers got unbelievably lucky, so did Kobe.
Ray Allen was dead right when he called out Kobe just after the Shaq trade… Lakers struggled and as he predicted, Kobe asked for a trade from the mess he created because of his selfishness. KG on the other hand has been loyal, almost to a fault. He stuck with the TWolves to the bitter end, and NEVER demanded a trade, all through a McHale era which has been AWFUL.
Everyone thinks all of a sudden that Kobe is now unselfish and trusts his teammates. Well we will soon see how strong that trust is, and how unselfish he apparently isn’t in the next couple of weeks.
Zane Said,
June 5, 2008 @ 12:36 am
Celtics in 6.
rafik Said,
June 5, 2008 @ 1:31 am
the only possible way that boston may win this game:
have a low key player makea hard foul on kobe\casol soone of them gets injured and cant come back to ball game..in other words,dirty basketball…..like what robert did for spurs during this playoff and last year…beside that i would say lakers on 4….YES ON 4!!
Omar Aberilla Said,
June 5, 2008 @ 2:22 am
Kingsblade, I actually was pertaining to Ray Allen’s whole career. Not just this year’s playoffs. That my friend includes coming up short when Allen was with the Bucks, even though they had much better personnel than the Sixers during that Eastern Conference matchup not too long ago. Iverson may be smaller than the Bucks’ version of the Big Three, but he willed his team, something Allen could not do for his. And who could ever forget his crybaby attitude towards Bowen’s style of defense against him when Allen was with the Sonics and they faced the Spurs in the playoffs. Have you ever heard former greats cry for a foul or for getting hurt? That dude Ray has HEART problems, if you know what I mean. He doesn’t have that cold-blooded mentality, which good and effective leaders possess. So does Garnett. Don’t get me wrong, they got skills, talent and all that, they just don’t cut it as leaders. They perform at a nightly basis, just don’t expect them to carry the load when the pressure mounts. That’s why I still stick with my assessment that Pierce is and the only legitimate top dog on this season’s Celtic team. You can’t be called such if you can’t take over games, have the willingness to carry a team in pressure situations and just zero-in on the win and burn anyone who dares stand in the way. Like I said, much respect and appreciation for their superstar careers. The stats don’t mean nothing if you can’t bring it in the clutch. Personally, it’s what players do when the spotlight’s on them, when the expectations are highest, when so much is at stake, when the win is there for the taking that makes them great. And I mean do it on a consistent basis (yes, Ray hit that shot against the Pistons). Because inconsistent play is reserved for role players. And he had the longest slump of any superstar in the playoffs. So far, these guys (Garnett and Allen) have some issues with regard to performing in the endgame. That’s why the hardware is headed to Los Angeles.
Omar Aberilla Said,
June 5, 2008 @ 2:30 am
Kingsblade, was actually pertaining to Ray Allen’s whole career. Not just this year’s playoffs. That my friend includes coming up short when Allen was with the Bucks against the Sixers during that Eastern Conference Championship matchup not too long ago. Iverson may be smaller than the Bucks’ version of the Big Three, but he willed his team, something Allen could not do for his. And who could ever forget his crybaby attitude towards Bowen’s style of defense against him when Allen was with the Sonics and they faced the Spurs in the playoffs. Have you ever heard former greats cry for a foul or for getting hurt? That dude Ray has HEART problems, if you know what I mean. He doesn’t have that cold-blooded mentality, which good and effective leaders possess. So does Garnett. Don’t get me wrong, they got skills, talent and all that, they just don’t cut it as leaders. They perform at a nightly basis, just don’t expect them to carry the load when the pressure mounts. That’s why I still stick with my assessment that Pierce is and the only legitimate top dog on this season’s Celtic team. You can’t be called such if you can’t take over games, have the willingness to carry a team in pressure situations and just zero-in on the win and burn anyone who dares stand in the way. Like I said, much respect and appreciation for their superstar careers. The stats don’t mean nothing if you can’t bring it in the clutch. Personally, it’s what players do when the spotlight’s on them, when the expectations are highest, when so much is at stake, when the win is there for the taking that makes them great. And I mean do it on a consistent basis (yes, Ray hit that shot against the Pistons). Because inconsistent play is reserved for role players. And he had the longest slump of any superstar in the playoffs. So far, these guys (Garnett and Allen) have some issues with regard to performing in the endgame. That’s why the hardware is headed to Los Angeles.
Sinan Cem Civili Said,
June 5, 2008 @ 3:05 am
Steve ,
Please watch 2002(or 2003?) Boston-Indiana series that Celtics won 4-2. And dont be too scared when you see what PP did to Artest and Jermaine.
I agree with you Eddie Boston will take this at 6.
We now Garnett will fight till his last breath.We now Paul keeps attacking all time.I think key man is Ray for Celtics.If he plays like Ray Allen we used to now things ll be harder for LA.Rondo is another key man for Celtics.When he orginazes offens well Boston can score over 100 and with their solid defense they can get the series.
When we look at celtics bench they got players like Eddie House and James Posey.When they get in game they can boost their team and start contribute immeaditly. Guys like Cassel and PJ knows very well these places, can handle pressure and help the team stay calm and play their games like they played at reg. season and other series.
For LA i disagree with you about Gasol he has lots of experiance with Spain.But we all know Gasol doesnt like play against hard physical bigmans.If he starts series with some bad performance he may lost his confidence to his shot.That means more to do for Kobe.
Odom surely key man for LA side.But important thing here , he shouldnt try to step up and take responsibility.Odom is a good player when plays his game do things he can do well.Using miss-matchs , playing team etc.
I am not so sure about Lakers bench except Turiaf and Walton.Ronny Turiaf is a basketball fighter and he can get in the ring and fight all time.Farmar and Vujacic has an important role for Lakers.If they struggle and cant make shots thats means too more to do for Kobe and less resting for him.
Kingsblade Said,
June 5, 2008 @ 12:52 pm
If you say so. Lets check out his playoff line for that year:
25.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 6.0 assists.
Looks pretty good so far, what about vs. the Sixers game by game:
31/3/7
38/6/6
20/5/5
14/2/6
20/3/4
41/2/4
26/2/6
27.1/3.2/5.4
If you ask me he played pretty well. In fact he more or less carried his team. At the very least you could say that for games 1,3, and 6.
It is also interesting to note that game six was an elimination game in which Iverson came up very big, scoring 46, but was answered by Allen’s 41 giving the Bucks a huge win in a very high pressure game.
He also seems to have been consistently good, with his worst game coming in game 4 where he only had 14 points but still did have 6 assists.
I should add that this was all against a very highly regarded Sixers defense. Iverson averaged over 35 a game in the finals but they were handily defeated…does this mean he also sucked because he didn’t ‘will his team to victory?’
It would be reasonable for you to argue that Iverson was better and won the series, but to say that Allen is incapable of stepping up and carrying a team to a big win is ridiculous. You are equating the ability to carry a team to a big win with the ability to single handedly win a championship, which is not at all what anyone here is saying.
Two things about that series with Bowen and the Spurs:
1. Everyone complains about Bowen, so Allen is not alone. Chris Paul carried the Hornets in a big way, and he has complained about Bowen more bitterly than Allen has, so I’m not sure how your point relates to Allen’s ability to carry a team.
2. He still scored close to 22 a game against the Spurs, including 32 in a big game 4 win to avoid going down 3-1. Sure they lost, but to the eventual champions, and allen played great ball.
You are right, the stats don’t mean that much, except when they show that he has in fact brought his a game to high pressure big game situations in the past. He has not been good in the playoffs so far, but it cannot be said that he is incapable, because he has proven already that he is very capable.
Maybe I’m mistaking you for somebody else, but aren’t you a big Ginobili fan? He sure was the model of consistency this year wasn’t he?
C Fatz Said,
June 6, 2008 @ 7:23 am
IF this isn’t poetic then tell me what IS!
Phil Jackson is in over his head coaching against Doc Rivers. Doc has already played the fake injury card, using Paul Pierce to play possum and now Phil will look like a copy cat if he tries it.
Eddie you may have been right, I no longer think this series will last 7 games, it might not go 5.
CF
:0)
Porky Said,
June 6, 2008 @ 11:14 am
Celts win Game 1 ….good defense beats good offense.
C Fatz Said,
June 6, 2008 @ 1:03 pm
It’s much more about the coach and the home court. With the fake Paul Pierce injury Doc Rivers is officially inside Phil Jackson’s head.
P Lewis James Said,
June 6, 2008 @ 2:43 pm
So many of you are drinking the Laker cool aid. Yes, Kobe Bryant is a great player, but the Laker big men with the exception of Rony Turiat are soft as warm cocoa butter. The Celtics play great team defense and the Lakers field goal percentage will go down in this series. The Lakers are basically a jump shooting team and even if Kobe scores forty he can not carry this team to a championship all by himself.The Celtics have the three wily veterans in the “big three, and several other veterans on the bench with championship experience (Posey,Cassell). In order for the Lakers to win this series I think that the Laker role players will have to come up big. Something I don’t think they will do under the pressure and bright lights of the NBA finals.
HoopsHype.com NBA Blogs - Eddie Johnson » Thoughts on Game 1 Said,
June 6, 2008 @ 2:55 pm
[...] but the Celtics’ bench won the first battle. The factor I noted in my series’ preview article was the Lakers bench was good but young – and it showed big time Thursday. Luke Walton looked [...]
HoopsHype.com NBA Blogs - Eddie Johnson » Thoughts on Game 4 Said,
June 13, 2008 @ 4:52 pm
[...] Lakers’ bench has turned out as I expected. I said in my preview that inexperience would do them in and it has been true to [...]
HoopsHype.com NBA Blogs - Eddie Johnson » Thoughts on Game 5 Said,
June 16, 2008 @ 4:49 pm
[...] The Celtics will celebrate in Game 6 and make me look as if I knew what I was talking about in my preview article. [...]
HoopsHype.com NBA Blogs - Eddie Johnson » Why the Celtics won Said,
June 18, 2008 @ 9:30 pm
[...] they deserved to be in the Finals. But they also on paper deserved to be smacked around. I said before the series that they were a soft unit and they did not disappoint. These Celtics grew up playing and loving [...]
gabriel Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 5:39 am
yo eddie
seems like you are a profet.
i read this article before
the finals and as a celtics fan hoped
you were right-now i know
that you know your stuff.
keep on your great work
go celtics