Why the Celtics won
Hunger and home grown toughness
The Celtics are probably the only team in the NBA with not one foreign import on their roster. OK, what does that mean? Well, in this instance, especially judging by how the Celtics just manhandled the Lakers, I would say hunger, pride and toughness. This Celtic team had three stars and one former player as coach that had success as individuals, but never had accomplished the team success to validate great careers. They hungered for it and it showed with how they stayed focused, fought through injuries during this series and played as a complete unit. They showed pride and respect for the history of a franchise that had not won a title since 1986 after winning 16 before. They capped it off with a toughness defensively I have not seen since Detroit won back-to-back titles led by Isiah Thomas.
The Lakers are littered with players from all over the world. And yes, 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 this NBA game. They saw it every day and they knew as youngsters the history and emotion of a championship. This is a learning process for the young talented Lakers and their mixture of foreign born players. I played in Greece and I had no idea how important it was to beat Turkey until I lost a game and had rocks thrown at my house. I fought the passion and hatred for other teams we competed against until I started to realize that this was their history. This is the problem facing the foreign players. I bet Gasol, Radmanovic and Vujacic had no idea of the history of Celtics-Lakers. They do now, but it’s too late because they got on a plane, flew across the country and refused to fight in the biggest game of their lives to date.
Defense was stifling
I never imagined saying Paul Pierce and Ray Allen were very good defenders, but I reserve the right to change my mind. They were unreal. I always respected both of them, but now it has risen to another level. The Celtics are the best defensive team I have ever seen in this league. They were on a string the whole year defensively and that is why the Celtics are the champions. I have never seen a team dismantle the triangle offense like they did in this series. Kobe could not even get to the rim in Game 6. He might not ever admit it, but the Celtics made him second guess and hesitate every time he touched the ball in this series. Yes, he needed some help, but before the series if I remember correctly everyone was raving about how good the Lakers’ offense was. Truth is, in essence the Lakers had no offensive closers to help Kobe. When the going got tough in the later quarters players like Gasol or Odom disappeared when Kobe needed them most.
Bench play
I also heard the Lakers’ bench was the best in the league. I disputed that call as well in my preview article. I looked at Boston’s bench with guys like Sam Cassell, Eddie House, James Posey and PJ Brown and said… Are you kidding me? These guys are not only tough minded but closers. They did not fail because all of them made big plays late in games when the Celtics needed them the most. Meanwhile, the Lakers’ bench played scared and intimidated with the exception of Vujacic for a few games. Luke Walton gave the Lakers no production and it got to the point where Phil Jackson played Chris Mihm in Game 5. Mihm had not played in months.
66 wins
Boston won from start to finish for a reason. They won the Texas Triangle, which is unheard of. They beat the Lakers twice during the regular season, but yet people picked the Lakers. Go figure!
Ray Allen
He was ripped during the early series, but people failed to realize he was playing third wheel after being first, second and third option for so many years. He hit a speed bump and people ripped him. All due respect to Paul Pierce, who I truly love, but Ray Allen was MVP of this series for one simple fact… If he had not averaged 20-plus points in this series and shoot the three like mad, the Celtics would not be celebrating today.
Unsung heroes: James Posey and Eddie House were huge. Posey has proven to be one of the best multi-purpose role players in the league and House continues to be beat down by coaches shutting down his role and minutes, but yet continues to keep himself prepared when his name is called. House will carve out a 15-year career in this league just based on his professionalism and ability to make buckets.
Doc Rivers stayed calm and on purpose all year. He carried no ego when it came to coaching and his relationship with his players. Hence it was not surprising to see one of the Big Three grab the clipboard and point out something to the team. And it was normal for assistant coach Tom Thibodeau to be up standing next to Rivers barking out directions. I guarantee you will never see that happen with old-school coaches. Rivers did not outcoach Phil Jackson. He just coached his team better and now he has a championship because of it.
Prediction for next year
Boston Celtics:
- The Celtics need a backup center and a third point guard with size, which would allow Eddie House to play consistent minutes. I expect PJ Brown to return, but not Cassell.
- They will be challenged by Cleveland, Detroit, Orlando and Washington.
- They will be back in the Finals for a chance at two straight.
Los Angeles Lakers:
- They need a pure small forward, so I look for Odom to be used as bait because Gasol is a better power forward with Andrew Bynum returning.
- Phil Jackson historically only likes catch-and-shoot players in that triangle offense, so I expect them to try and upgrade the bench with shooters.
- They will be challenged mainly by San Antonio, New Oleans and Phoenix.
- They will not get back to the Finals because I think the West is too competitive and dominance will not happen.
Nicholas Todd (Australia) Said,
June 18, 2008 @ 10:45 pm
eddie your so pretentious. referring back to old articles as if to validate yourself & be a hard ass. loser. congrats on getting phoenix coaching job. oops thats right u never stood a chance ha ha ha
eddie Said,
June 18, 2008 @ 10:58 pm
I am accepting apologies from all those Laker Fans that killed me when i said Boston in 6. LOL
Jax Said,
June 18, 2008 @ 11:02 pm
to my mind, the Lakers lost because Kobe played scared! there were moments in this series when they needed buckets and yet he opted to pass to Gasol inside, i thought that he really played scared this series.
Congratulations to the Celtics!
p.s. i agree, the MVP of the series was supposed to be Ray Allen, but selecting Pierce over Allen won’t make it a wrong choice either.
George J Said,
June 18, 2008 @ 11:17 pm
Eddie, I apologize. You were right. I was wrong. You were also right about KG. I have finally seen the light about him. Please keep writing and I, for one, will keep reading. Thank you.
La Rhon Said,
June 18, 2008 @ 11:17 pm
As a Laker Fan and a Fan of the NBA, I thank you Eddie for writing this article it hits the nail on the head. Foreign born players are not only SOFT but they are also part of the blame why officiating is out of whack. How many times do we associate floppers with Euro Ballers (Manu, Vlade, Verajao, Niwotzki, etc.)? During the regular season these guys look awesome but come playoff time it is a known fact that they melt (Radmonovic, Gasol, Manu, Parker, Nowitzki, Peja). When the game gets physical they fold and hit the deck on first contact causing the offical to blow the whistle all game long.
There is only one person to blame for this and that is David Stern. He is greedy, inconsiderate and terrible when it comes to how to expand the game. He ruined the purity of the game by assuming that Americans not having the ability to hit the mid-range jumper. He went out of his way to change the defensive philosophy of the nba to include a partial zone to increase scoring? That didn’t work and it has also killed the game. What are Euro Ballers good for? Set shots which would be in abundance if teams were not allowed to run a box in 1 on star players with lesser talent (i.e. Kobe and the Lakers). Everyone remembers how great it was to see Michael Jordan drive to the basket and kick it out Craig Hodges, John Paxon or Steve Kerr who all made careers from being able to get a good look at the basket at the hands of the best player getting them involved. Now teams can hide defensive weakness by playing a man and an area when it used to be everyone for themselves and dare to double-team. I know we cannot kick the Euro Ballers out of the league but I highly suggest we revist the zone like defense being played today.
And memo to General Managers, Please do not draft a Euro Baller and lie to your fans how great he is because its a bold face lie ask Milwaukee and Toronto they know first hand! Like Eddie says American ballers grew up with this game and instilled in them is a different type of fire and desire. I say we should hold a separate Euro Draft so that more American Ballers have a chance at playing their game in their country!
If you have read this and you are a Euro Baller or European no disrespect to you its all factual! How many Euro Ballers have one a title and where the team captin? The closest you will get is San Antonio Spurs and hell I might have to question those victories in light of all of the referee scandals and David Sterns attempts to convince everyone that the NBA had an Image problem that was supposedly killin the game? Go figure African American basketball players were more of a threat than a white official betting on th game and other white officials tanking games? Image is everything, David Stern isn’t!
Bynum Said,
June 18, 2008 @ 11:19 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9efsJwJxYEk
Two wins away despite not having that in the lineup…this team is poised to be in the finals for years…
MAXIMUST Said,
June 18, 2008 @ 11:26 pm
Yessssss Eddie!
Pierce is the most craftiest player in the league…basic basketball…one hand dunk, two hand dunk, left layup, right layup, mid-range jumper, 3-points…but is secret weapon is the way is using is dribbling skills to split up the defense…kobe is not afraid but prefer to avoid contact..Pierce use is body all the time…but I think the big difference in the series came from the vet…guy<s like Posey HUGE!!!! and PJ Brown!!! Lakers didnt have the depth and experience to compete against those guy’s….
Jeff Said,
June 18, 2008 @ 11:45 pm
Is Keving Garnett Kidding Me When He Screamed At The Top Of His Lungs “Anythings Possssiiibbllleee”!?…Yeah Of Course Anythings Possible When You Have 3 AllStars On Your Team…I Can Not Respect This Chapionship For That Simple Fact…
P.S. - I Am Not a Lakers Fan Or Celtics Fan…
The Truth Said,
June 18, 2008 @ 11:59 pm
Eddie, your analysis this series has been pretty good, I must admit. But, with the addition of Andrew Bynum and trading Odom for a better SF fit on the Lakers squad is going to make them by far the favorites next year. You have SA as another top team in the West. DId you watch the WCF? The Lakers beat them in 5 WITHOUT Bynum. Lakers will run the league for the next 3-4 years and build another dynasty until the BLAZERS are ready to give them a run. Boston is a one and done champion. Props to them this year, they earned it, but to say that they’ll beat the Lakers or even get close next year is foolish and speaks volumes of your knowledge.
Luke Walton Celebrity Gossip | Why the Celtics won Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 12:02 am
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KR Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 12:51 am
The lakers need back Shaquille O Neal!!!
dyeyk Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 12:59 am
manu was playing hurt in the SA-LAL series. if he was healthy, i doubt the outcome would have been the same. not saying the spurs would have won it, but they would have definitely made it harder for the lakers.
weezy from the 602 Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 1:06 am
Eddie, did you interview for the Suns Asst. job yet?
weezy from the 602 Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 1:07 am
Also, have you heard any other info about the Suns trading barbosa and diaw for another 1st rounder?
BTW Good article and good call on Celtics in 6
I had the Celtics in 7
Jeff Moss Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 1:36 am
Eddie, your comments and insights are right on the money, keep up the good work. I also had Boston in 6 and could not understand how so many people picked LA. Boston dominated them in the regular season and I know that it was the regular season, but l looked at how they defensed Kobe back then and I knew that the other Lakers players could not step up and play consistently good ball to help Kobe out when Boston D’ED HIM UP. That is the best combination of individual and team defense that I have seen against Kobe.
maniLA ice Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 1:54 am
Eddie, your prediction was dead on. When I read your Finals preview, I knew the Lakers were in trouble because of all the things you pointed out. You said the X factor in the Finals is gonna be James Posey and you nailed that one like a 3-pointer from the corner. Posey’s championship experience with the Heat and his ability to make big shots swung the bench advantage towards the Celtics. Nice work EJ.
Zane Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 2:26 am
I called Celtics in 6 too Eddie, and got slammed. bring the apologies Laker fans!
I’m not sure they need to trade Odom though, as Lakers have some terrific chemistry between their big 3 of Kobe, Odom and Gasol. Having Bynum back next year should have them back in the thick of the race if they can work him in, chemistry wise. Otherwise if they are dropping games with Bynum, maybe it is time to trade Odom for a more pure small forward.
Either way, Lakers will be even more dangerous next year. I’m picking a re-match next years finals….
CONGRATULATIONS BOSTON!!!
Kingsblade Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 2:39 am
“…but to say that they’ll beat the Lakers or even get close next year is foolish and speaks volumes of your knowledge.”
lol…this statement speaks volumes of your affinity for hyperbole.
Heaven forbid anyone suggest that the defending champions might be “even close” to being a contender.
Come on people. Bynum made some strides this year, but lets not get ahead of ourselves. First he has to demonstrate that he has recovered from his injury. Then he needs to prove that he can keep improving. To suddenly claim that they are sure champions because a guy who has never proven anything at all at the nba level is coming back from a season ending injury is laughable at best.
Might he be the difference? Sure. Is it a guarantee? “Not even close.”
Trade Odom for a more fitting small forward? Who did you have in mind that they could actually get for him?
The SPurs are going to get much younger next year I assume, and by the WCF Ginobili was playing hurt. (enough that it looks like he is missing the olympics too) I would not go so far as to write them off. I expect New Orleans to get better. I expect Utah to get better. LA should be good, but they are no sure thing. New Orleans is a very tough matchup for them, so they better hope to miss them in the Playoffs I think.
Masood Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 3:01 am
Boston a one and done champ? That’s the most uninsightful observation I’ve heard in a while. This is not the ‘06 Heat. This is a team that won 66 games in a dominating start to finish fashion not seen since the ‘98 Bulls. For a newly assembled team, that is unheard of. The core of that Bulls team (MJ, Pippen, Phil) had been together for over a decade, while these guys were learning how to win on the fly. Sure, they stumbled out the gate against an underrated and overlooked Hawks squad, but they learned from it, refocused, and went on to dismantle the second best team in the East in Detroit, and everyone’s favorite, the Lakers. There is no shame in going 7 against a LeBron James team either.
The fact that their star is the defensive player of the year, and that his defense-first mentality has had a trickle down effect throughout the lineup is enough to keep the Celtics relevant for the foreseeable future. Sure, it’s a veteran laden team, but by no means are they old. Perrenial contenders San Antonio and Phoenix will get old way before the Celtics will, and up and comers like New Orleans, Utah, Portland, and Cleveland are probably still 2-3 years away from serious contention. The Big 3 is still only an average of 31 years old, and with the athletic Rondo (who outplayed the league’s MVP in the deciding game) and bruising Perkins in line to improve drastically in the years to come, the C’s have the makings of another mini-dynasty in Beantown.
XeRoX Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 3:36 am
The NEED to pick up a great base, Calderon is the man. He is the best restricted free agency on the market. Fisher should be a solid bench player (He’s old).
This could be…
- Calderon
- Kobe
- Odom
- Gasol
- Bynum
does he truly love me Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 3:39 am
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Jacob Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 4:12 am
i love how laker fans still blame kobe, even tho he was the only person who didn’t have a bad game all series, funny how things work when your the only star on your team.
eddie you might make alot of euroscrubs mad with the start of your blog, but i agree it might be that the trophy means more to american athletes who grew up wanting it.
and thanks for picking the celts to be back, i think they will too (prob my fanhood) but i dont see pj coming back. i mean he got his prize, we will bring in the next attractive veteran pf (cwebb? lol just messing)
Jacob Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 4:16 am
“Boston is a one and done champion. Props to them this year, they earned it, but to say that they’ll beat the Lakers or even get close next year is foolish and speaks volumes of your knowledge.”
funny when people make comments like this they have no evidence or reason behind it, they just boldly make these statements…
let me ask you this, is boston going to suddenly not be a defensive team? We will have the exact starting 5 back, rondo and perk will get better as they have every year of their careers. And i expect danny to bring in some new wily vets who are hungry. To say they wont even be close is speaking on YOUR FOOLISHNESS and it speaks volumes about YOU.
until the lakers learn to play defense, they wont win either… so you all can say “man shaq was right”
and the lakers had GREAT chem right? lol bunch of whining babies, i wont be surprized if kobe demands a trade this offseason
Jacob is G@y Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 5:02 am
Posey will sign with lakers. and lakers will waive or trade a few players and that includes odom as a center piece. lakers bench was good but too young and no experience. kobe needs more than that to compete against celtics
frank Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 6:58 am
eddie
don’t wholeheartedly agree with your euro bashing in the intro. in fact, it’s pretty preposterous. duncan didn’t play organized ball until 9th grade and olajuwon didn’t play ball until he was 17, but somehow their lack of hunger and that so called lack of desire to win the nba championship that comes with being born in a foreign country, helped those two rack up 6 championships between them. and how can you really say that after the spurs have won with a bunch of foreign born players… manu and parker come to mind. if you’re a pro in th nba, you are paid to win and you’re mentality should be focused solely on the championship.
the reason the celtics won is because they were the better team, more importantly, the better defensive team. and we all know defense wins championships.
another big reason… gasol and odom are not as good as they are on paper. they’re both soft and don’t show up for crunch time. and if they do show up for a game, it’s only for one half(ie odom in game 4).
i do agree with you eddie that one or the other gets traded. butafter they’re demise in this past series, what value could the lakers really get for either.
frank Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 7:14 am
and whose gonna challenge boston next year?
joe d is totally dismantling the pistons.
lebron is still waiting for help.
orlando, atlanta and philly are still a couple years away from really challenging.
miami is rebuilding.
and everyone else is irrelevant.
boston goes to the finals again next year, unless joe d pulls a danny ainge this off season, or an elton brand or gilbert arenas joins lebron, or d wade and the 2nd pick can catapult miami out of the cellar. the nba saga continues. i love this game.
ieatshit Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 7:18 am
hahahaha go celtics
get antoine walker and tony battie
jk!
C Fatz Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 7:52 am
Why the Celtics won by C Fatz. Volume One:
Celtics 3 stars; Lakers 1 star…you do the math.
C Fatz Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 7:54 am
Why the Celtics won by C Fatz. Volume Two:
Kevin McHale reveals he is still working for the Celtics and sends KG to Boston for a song and a dance (no disrespect intended to Al Jefferson and Ryan Gomes a 6-4 Power Forward generously listed at 6′-7)
Finals MVP first name Kevin, but his last name isn’t Garnett.
Hersey Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 7:57 am
Frank, using Timmy D and Hakeem as counters to Eddie arguments about the Lakers Euro players not matching the desire of the Celtics is kinda weak. Hakeem played college ball in Houston and was drafted by Houston. Timmy D grew up in the Virgin Islands and played four years at Wake Forest during the height of ACC basketball. They’re American players who learned to play ball in America in very competitive circumstances. Gasol may bring it during the World Championships but he was soft during the Finals, a strong indication he wasn’t aware of the circumstances. Radmonovic is guilty of the same thing. Even Laker fans call him a space cadet.
The Celtics were pretty impressive this season and Game 6 was the exclamation point. I find it funny everyone is so ready to anoint the Lakers the next dynasty. Bynum played well for half a season before a knee injury and when he returns he’s the missing link to a title? That’s a big stretch. It took Amare two years to fully recover from his knee surgeries and he couldn’t get a WCF team any further when he returned.
In the West, veteran clubs will retool with youth and the emerging clubs will get better with experience. Kobe was great this year but he couldn’t unleash the Mamba on a superior Celtic team. Teams have tape and I’m willing to bet we’ll see some new schemes in the West next year. Simply losing in the Finals and getting Bynum back won’t make the Lakers better next year. They need to make some personnel adjustments, develop better chemistry and pray for good health like everyone else.
Ignore the haters Eddie. The analysis on here and on TV is on point. Hope you get a position with Terry Porter’s new staff.
C Fatz Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 8:06 am
Why the Celtics won by C Fatz. Volume Three:
Doc Rivers now officially owns Phil Jackson. It may or may not be permanent, but it’s time for him to write a book about his own mind games just as Phil did not many years ago.
To quote Maximust from above Paul Pierce is the…craftiest player in the league Maximust mentioned that Pierce’s secret weapon is his use of dribbling on that detail we diverge, I insist that secret weapon is his use of the wheelchair - MIND GAMES! And Don’t think for a minute that it was Paul’s Idea; this ruse came from the coach!
Rajon Rondo was too injured to play but played, this is a Doc Rivers move.
Kendrick Perkins was to start game five, but didn’t play another head game by Glenn (Doc)
Then skillfully employing the media to play up the illness of Ray Allen’s son - as if that was going to have ANYthing to do with Ray playing in games five and six. Glenn has passed into the territory of Freudian proportions with his mind games with that singular stroke.
Then he comes to Kobe’s defense in Sunday’s papers. A benevolent opponent? what is that? He’s hitting from all angles now.
Let’s face it. While Phil Jackson was reduced to whining about the officiating in Boston, Doc was re-writing the book on creating the competitive edge between the games. This used to be the zenmaster’s strength. This time though it’s his waterloo.
C Fatz Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 8:15 am
Why the Celtics won, by C Fatz. Volume Four:
First let me thank Eddie for providing a medium and an audience to my vast b-ball wisdom. Eddie if you are appointed to a post in Phoenix, perhaps I should take over your column.
Now back to our theme.
How many times has Roone Arledge repeated - “since the league went to the 2-3-2 format for the finals no home team has won the middle 3 games…ever”. Let us not forget the Home court advantage and the 2-3-2 format which actually creates a homecourt disadvantage for the team with the middle three games at home. This means that winning 66 games and having the best w-l record was truly a factor in the outcome of the finals.
And lest we forget, besides the homecourt advantage in its per se state this is a playoff game on Boston’s homecourt. HISTORICALLY it is next to impossible for the visiting team to get a fair shake in Boston in the playoffs. That’s not a complaint, not an accusation of conspiracy. That’s just the way the league worx. Always has, always will.
George J Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 8:43 am
Fatz,
that is not entirely true . Detroit won all three home ames when they beat the Lakers in 2004.
math Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 8:44 am
Eddy is such a Lakers hater ! I remenber when Kobe scores 81 and everybody debate on the true value of this performance, Eddy was saying : with today’s rules I would have score 28 ppg !!! just to talk shit about Kobe’s great scoring season !! Truly amazing for a guy who never be able to score !! So don’t be surprise if the same guy bet on Boston next year for a come back to the finals and not on LA
kb Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 9:01 am
it is funny to me how people talked about the lakers being so great with gasol, but we all saw that LA had issues even before playoff time! gasol was soft/ odom inconsistant and kobe’s selfishness, but still people picked the lakers. not to mention phil spoke about OFFENSE during every interview and not DEFENSE which was the weakest link of their team. next year i expect the lakers to START OFF HOT!!!! 15-2. why? gasol is going to be in the work out room. i expect him to be much bigger and stronger next year, BUT with him adding so much weight and mass in such a short time it will eventually land him on the IR and when the lakers need him most (playoff time) he will not be on the court cuz he will be injured or hampered by injury. so look for the lakers to end the season 53-29 (38-27 after the hot start) and lose to the jazz or rockets in the west finals. if you think i am crazy look at kobe when he came into the 05 season at 235 lbs of pure muscle and had knee problems that season… yao ming did the same thing this year putting on muscle and he too had foot and knee problems… how can we forget penny hardaway putting on 15 lbs of muscle in one off season that ultimatly destroy his career when his knee problems became cronic. Gasol will fall into the trap and it will hurt the lakers. the answer is not gasol gaining 15 to 20 lbs this off season but the lakers changing his role offensively. use him like cleveland uses ‘Z’. have him post up 30% and pick and pop 70%. then you go out and get and guy off the bench that WILL bang down low in the post and have gasol roam the paint for weak side help and boards. who is that guy you ask? antonio mcdyess!!! the lakers MUST SIGN HIM to have ANY chance at being the TEAM that has every peice in position… oh, one more thing- sign a veteran 2 gaurd with HIGH BBALL IQ to help Kobe learn leadership skills that will take him from superstar to LEGEND. superstars are great, but legends have that leadership that makes their teams better than what they really are… so who is that 2 gaurd to help kobe? EDDIE JONES!!! eddie has played with magic, won a title with shaq… and mentored kobe in LA- who better to help the phenom become a legend! if these things are done by LA… then and only then do i say championship; but if it is done i say MULTIPLE CHAMPIONSHIPS!!!
FRONT OFFICE JOB EDDIE… I AINT PLAYIN
azzman555@yahoo
António Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 9:27 am
Eddie you have nice ideas but… How can you say that Ray Allen deserved to be MVP?
Pierce averaged better numbers at every point of the game(Assists, Rebounds, Steals, POINTS), and he did BIG perfomances… Ray played very good but Pierce deserved to be MVP.
António Cantante, Portugal
Legs Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 9:29 am
Where were all you Celtics fans last year when the team sucked and they were in last place and the stands were empty… True fans would’ve shown up to support their team no matter what… Now your actually happy you won a championship? You had 3 all-stars on your team.. Of course you were gonna win it all… Its called, “Buying a Championship.” The Spurs have Tim Duncan (1 superstar), the Lakers had Shaq and Kobe (2 Superstars), the Heat had Sahq and Wade (2 superstars), the Pistons had no superstars, and the CELTICS HAD ALLEN, KG, and PIERCE (3 SUPERSTARS)!!!! And Garnett feels like anything is possible!!! of course its possible, when 3 superstars could take over a game at any given moment.. Sorry Celtics fans, this championship sucked… At least Bird, McHale, and Parrish were true Celtics… Unlike Allen and KG…
Kevin Garnett Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 9:42 am
Jeff, I have heard this same statement from a lot of NBA fans in the past few days. What I wanted all the fans to know is that I worked hard to win this championship. My teammates and I worked year round to reach our goal. As fans, it is hard to see the hardwork and patience it takes to compete at such a high level on a daily basis. We did have a good supporting staff, with Allen and Pierce, and all of our other role players who all played a big part in guiding us to this victory. However, it is a lot harder than it seems on television. At one point during the season, Ray, Paul, and I were averaging 20 points a game each. That takes a lot of focus and understanding of the game. I’m sure you have played competitive basketball and you were on a team who was way better than your opponent, but yet you still lost. Things like this happen all the time. Being the best team in the NBA comes with a lot of pressure, and we maintained and won. That is what i meant by “Anything is Possible.” Anything is possible, but to actually do it, is the best feeling in the world. Hopefully you’ll be a Celtics fan from now on and support this great team and great city.
Thanks, KG#5
Jacob Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 9:53 am
“Kevin McHale reveals he is still working for the Celtics and sends KG to Boston for a song and a dance (no disrespect intended to Al Jefferson and Ryan Gomes a 6-4 Power Forward generously listed at 6′-7)”
but u just did disrespect… you cant say no disrespect then rip someone, what the hell is that… al jefferson is a better player than odom and gasol. he will have a better career and much more gifted then they were when they were 22-23. I dont get how it was a steal that the celtics got kg, it wasn’t and minnesota fans feel that way.
if you wanna talk about robbery, how bout gasol trade, they got 2 back draft picks and kwame brown… KWAME BROWN! At least al jefferson was one of only 4-5 people to average 20-10.
Jacob Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 9:54 am
legs, the celtics still averaged 17k in attendance last year, im not sure ur aware of that but by talking i guess your not and please dont make title town sound like memphis with its attendance, there were plenty of fans in the crowd last year. its not like the celtics had to use any gimmicks like “by two games get one free”
Anonymous Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 10:19 am
Eddie,
Good post. However, I respectfully disagree on your point regarding ’soft’ foreigners. Gasol has had the pressure of representing his country several times, but was playing out of position as a center during the playoffs and also had a unique role. He thrives as a leader that gets everyone involved, but Kobe’s leadership style (Berate everyone!) limits him on that regard.
Radmanovic has always been a terrible defender (he’s soft in the regular season as well) and Vujacic is still a young, immature player, so the fact that they are foreigners isn’t what made them perform poorly.
If anything, the leadership of Kobe should be questioned. To a casual fan, he seems too aloof to actually relate to any of his teammates, hurting overall chemistry. The fact that he’s Kobe Bryant (the best player on the planet) compensates for those flaws most of the time, but not all of the time.
kb Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 10:32 am
you think just cuz you have talent and all stars on your team that you are gonna win… dog you are CRAZY. phoenix has nash-amare-shaq and LOST, before that, nash,amera, marion, JOE JOHNSON, and they lost TOO. to say the spurs have one superstar you are crazy. manu is not a scrub and would be a superstar on any other team- parker too. the NUGGETS… OH MY GOOD NESS- iiverson/melo/camby (defensive player of the year last year) former alstar kenyon martin. what about them. they have 4 allstars and 2 superstars!!! they shouldve won too right? right! well they shouldve but they couldn’t put it all together like the C’s did. that is why Rivers deserves so much credit.. he made the talent WORK TOGETHER! this goes to show you need more than talent to win champships… you need chemistry and the C’s brought it all together in less than a year.. WOW!!!
Front Office JOB EDDIE!!! connect me
azzman555@yahoo
Legs Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 10:38 am
Hey Jacob, I don’t want to hate on you, cuz you seem like a true Boston fan. The average attendance for the Celtics in the 2006-2007 season was 16,843 for a stadium that seats up to 18,624. This was the 11th worse home record in the NBA that year. When the Lakers had a losing season in 2005, they averaged 18,792 in a stadium that seats up to 18,997. So which city shows more support?
However, I will not call you a frontrunner, cuz you do seem like a die hard fan, but those other people in Boston, you know who i am talking about (the fake Red Sox fans, and the definitely the fake Patriots fans), they shouldn’t be allowed to celebrate the championship like you should be able to.
vicky Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 10:40 am
La Rhon: Manu melt ??? no way.-
kb Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 10:41 am
i also have to throw this in, the celtics wouldn’t have won all those championships without dennis johnson or parris… werent both of them TRADED TO THE CELTICS JUST LIKE KG AND ALLEN. you can make the aurgument that johnson wasn’t a true celtic- we was with the sonics first and parrish with golden state!!! i guess moses malone doesn’t deserve his ring with the 76ers and drexler doesn’t deserve his with the rockets. gary payton doesn’t deserve a ring with the heat either, he’s really a sonic… oh and kareem AND wilt are not really lakers- THEY WERE TRADED TOO. homey just admitted you are really trippin on the fact that these guys deserve to win cuz they worked together and worked hard!
whooooo- heating up for the front office EDDIE
adfsafdadsfasfdfweawer Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 10:46 am
yeah Eddie, the after the thought for Game 4, you also said that Boston is going to win Game 5. You made so many predictions, if you make a million predictions a few are bound to drop. Did you predict that Boston will go to game 7 against Atlanta or Cavs? uHH… I don’t think so…. why didn’t you mention about your missed prediction huh? if Lakers have bynum back, then lakers won’t get killed on the board like they were, simple as it is. Defensive and offensively it’d be insane to think about. Bynum is avging 13/10 in less than 30 min, you go figure. Lakers will be the team to beat for many years to come barring any major injuries to the star players. Sadly to say, I’d have to say that if San Antonio or New Orleans or even Utah were to play Boston in the finals, I think they’d do a better job than the lakers since those teams are way more physical than the lakers. Unfortunately, starting next year, you’ll see teams trying to adopt Boston method of abusing lakers physically. Lakers need to get strong physically, that’s the reason why Portland had a lot of success against lakers during the regular season.
Jacob Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 10:48 am
good post kb, and yes robert parrish was traded to us along with dj. if you look all over trades/free agents caused championships - detriot, la (shaq), miami, boston
the only team that didn’t trade or free agency signing was the spurs.
Legs Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 10:52 am
Hey Kb, In order for you to call someone a Superstar or an All-Star, they have to at least be an all-star this year… Amare and Nash were all-stars, Shaq and Marion weren’t (so that means Shaq and Marion are not superstars and not all-stars), Carmelo and Iverson were all-stars, Camby plays D and get rebounds and k-Mart hasn’t been an all-star in years (so that means Camby and K-Mart are not all-stars or superstars), Duncan is an all-star, Ginobli and Parker didn’t make the all-star team (so that means Ginobli and Parker are not all-stars or superstars) and don’t say if they were another team they would be all-stars, cuz the Pistons run the same system and they had 3 all-stars this year… So there you have it, Suns had 2 superstars, Nuggets had 2 superstars, and the Spurs have 1.. Boston Celtics had 3 Superstars… And if you want to bring up the past like you when you mentioned Shaq or K-Mart, then I could throw out names like P.J. Brown and Sam Cassell, who at one point in there career were all-stars… So there, the Celtics had 5 superstars, according to your way of thinking… Good championship… Way to buy one.. Tell Garnett to keep on screaming, “Anything Is Possible”!!! He was right, anything is possible, when money is involved….
kb Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 10:52 am
jacob
in the regular season gasol’s trade was like WHAT!!! for kwame are you serious… but in the finals, Kwame would’ve been better suited for the lakers than gasol… so really the lakers got exactly what memphis got… NOTHING! it was an even trade after all. you know what- if kwame goes to the right team with the right coach and mentor the lakers might regret trading him!!!
maker of fact i am going out on a limb here- if kwame gets snatched up by spurs/ suns/ boston look for him to be a solid NBA power foward/ ‘PJ Brown in his prime’ 15pts 9 reb 2 blks a game
Front office gig is coming
azzman555@yahoo
kb Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 10:55 am
thanks jacob
you the man… work on eddie to get me that front office gig for me
i love friendly/honest debates
Azzman555@yahoo
Legs Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 11:03 am
This is a great debate guys… but its a 2 on 1… get me a front office job too…lol…
Hersey Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 11:05 am
Legs- How did the Celtics buy a championship by making smart player acquisitions? That’s the silliest thing I’ve ever heard. They are under the same salary cap and luxury tax rules as every other team. Other teams (San Antonio, Dallas, Phoenix, New Orleans, Detroit) had multiple All Stars on their roster and didn’t win the title. The point is to accumulate talent and win- which the Celtics did. Even Lebron James said their defense was one the best EVER.
kb- Eddie Jones never won a title with Shaq. He did mentor Kobe before and was traded to give Kobe more playing time. In Miami, He was traded to Memphis before the 05-06 season when the Heat won the title. Doubt he’s leaving Dallas. I can see your point though. Lakers need some tough veterans.
Michael Bennett Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 11:06 am
Wow! It’s funny to see all the experts come out AFTER the Finals. Here’s the truth:
Kobe is to blame.
The Lakers were a good team before Gasol. When they got Gasol, they were the best team in the West (obviously). How can you blame Gasol for being soft? He’s, first of all, not ’soft’. He’s just not the physical player that Kevin Garnett is. Gasol is a fantastic player who deserves A LOT of credit for the Lakers run this year.
Odom didn’t disappear, either. He played solid… when he was on the floor. The reason his numbers didn’t reflect his talent is because of foul trouble. It’s tough to guard KG and a lane barreling Paul Pierce on every other play.
I love how people think that the Celtic’s defense only applies to Kobe. “Well, that’s why he played so poorly. They were great defenders.” Yes. That’s true. The Celtics defense is amazing. But, the Celtics defense also played against Gasol and Odom. Yes, G and O didn’t play as well as they did in the regular season or the rest of the Playoffs, but the difference was minimal compared to how Kobe played.
Kobe choked. It’s that simple. Like one of my basketball friends said, Kobe is one of the worst Finals “superstars” performers. Look at 2004. Look at 2008 for examples.
For two games in a row, Kobe started off shooting threes in the opening quarter. For those who think that his teammates failed him, I say he failed his team. How can you do that to your team in the elimination game?!? Instead of getting everyone involved, everyone loose, everyone part of the triangle, Kobe’s jacking up threes. Stupid basketball.
Kobe’s to blame. He’s the supposed leader of that team. He underperformed. It’s that simple. The Lakers lost because Kobe underperformed. He never had a superstar/breakout game in the Finals.
On the flip side, I obviously give credit to the mighty Cs. Kevin Garnett is one of my favorite players, and his impact shows now. I think this Celtics team automatically ranks up there with some of the best teams ever. KG was so good in game 6 on both offense and defense. He was the Finals MVP in my mind. Eddie said that the Celtics couldn’t have won it without Ray Allen’s shooting. I somewhat agree. I don’t think they could have one it without the play of any of the Big 3 (sorry, KG, I don’t have a better nickname), but I think Garnett’s impact is greater than any other individual. He set the tone on defense. It was the defense that separated them from every other team. He’s gotta be considered one of the best PFs of all time now (he was before, this clinched it). Man… he’s inspiring.
eddie Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 11:08 am
frank
the difference between Duncan and Hakeem is that they played college ball in the USA.
Guys understand i am not bashing foreign players. i gave you the analogy of what i went through in Greece as a player that had already played 13 years in the NBA.I did not appreciate and understand what winning against certain teams meant.
what i am saying is that it takes longer for them to figure it out and the hunger does not match American born players.
Tony Parker lived in both countries his dad grew up and played here.
Manu is the poster boy for figuring it out quickly
frank Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 11:13 am
Eddie,
How can you say that that the reason that the Lakers lost is because they are playing too many foreign players? Do you think that Diaw and Barbosa shouldn’t be on the roster of your beloved Suns?
The Lakers got beaten because the Celtics are a better team. It doesn’t matter how many white, black, latino, native american, foreign born, or space aliens they started, the final score is in and the Celts are the clear winners.
We should celebrate and embrace the diversity of the NBA as another example of how if one works hard, respects our nation, and makes a contribution, that the United States is a land of opportunity.
It is also a dramatic oversimplification to simply call the Lakers players foreign born. Radmonovic, Vujucic, Gasol, Turiaf, Mbenga may all be foreign born, but their stories are as different as one can imagine. If you look at these folks lives a little more closely, I think that you might not be so quick to judge them in a negative fashion.
eddie Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 11:17 am
math
you must not read my columns because i am the biggest Kobe fan on here. hands down.
Kobe is the best in the game hands down, but he needed help against a stingy determined defense. so i am not a Laker hater at all. i just call them like i see them.
i must admit since i am being honest. i am a Spur hater, but only the team name.
i love their players. they are truly class individuals and thats honesty.
Bruce Bowen although hated by many is my favorite Spur next to my good friend Kurt Thomas.
but when it comes to writing i will be honest and i enjoyed writing again for Hoops Hype this season.
eddie Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 11:19 am
Legs
don’t forget how the Lakers got Gasol for nothing.
eddie Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 11:24 am
Anonymous
you just answered my question. Gasol does play great for his country because he grew up understanding the importance of it. thanks for making my point!
Legs Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 11:24 am
Mbenga got brought up in a conversation…. lol…. Celtics have great defense, but are you guys really overlooking the fact that they had 3 SUPERSTARS!!!!!! Guys, 3 superstars… Not Kobe and Gasol, Not Kobe and Shaq, Not Duncan, Not Shaq and D Wade,… They had 3, Solid, top 100 players of all-time on their team… Did Danny Ainge make great deals to get them in Boston? Hell yeah.. did Pierce fake an injury last year to secure good draft pick to then trade for Ray Allen… and thats your NBA finals MVP??? Guys, 3 Superstars…
Michael Bennett Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 11:25 am
Okay, okay, Eddie. You love Kobe. We get it.
Did I ever mention that I love LeBron? And, he’s better than Kobe.
eddie Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 11:26 am
adfsafdadsfasfdfweawer
i said Boston in 6.
Puytzarra Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 11:26 am
You’re right Eddie. Foreign players didn’t step up in the Finals. They don’t know anything about Celtics-Lakers rivalry, or the whole NBA for that matter. Just the same way you didn’t step up in the 1995 Euroleague Final with Olympiakos against Real Madrid in Zaragoza. You had no idea (or interest) about european basketball. You were probaly there for the (lots of) money. Pretty chauvinistic and disrespectful article, isn’t it?
eddie Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 11:30 am
Michael
whats your next line—Lebron is better? Kobe can’t score against 5 defenders. the one thing i will always say about Kobe is that he will never quit. he needed help and did not get it consistently to win the series. bottom line.
eddie Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 11:34 am
frank
you are trying to make this into a foreign issue. that was not my point—read the article. i said they don’t understand the importance of the trophy to the magnitude of a Boston team that has 15 home grown products.
that is why Boston had an advantage. i have no hard feelings towards foreign players. –read the analogy i made of myself in the article.
Michael Bennett Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 11:35 am
Here’s LeBron’s stats in the two elimination games against the Celtics:
32 pts, 12 rbs, 6 asts, 2 stls, 1 blk, 9-23 FG, 13-15 FT in a WIN (Game 6)
and
45 pts, 5 rbs, 6 asts, 2 stls, 14-29 FG, 14-19 FT in a LOSS (Game 7)
How was he able to get to the rim so much against the Celtics unbelievable defense? Does he have even one good teammate? Hmm…
Here’s Kobe’s stats in the two elimination games against the Celtics:
25 pts, 7 rbs, 4 asts, 5 stls, 8-21 FG, 5-7 FT in a WIN (Game 5)
and
22 pts, 3 rbs, 1 ast, 1 stl, 7-22 FG, 5-5 FT in a LOSS (Game 6)
Why couldn’t he get to the rim like LeBron? Why didn’t he utilize his great teammates Gasol and Odom more? Hmm…
LeBron is better by a mile.
Michael Bennett Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 11:37 am
Eddie - Not quitting is the same as stubborn. In the NBA, stubbornness is a plague and not good for the team. You just admitted that Kobe is stubborn and not a good team player with what you said. And, I agree. Thank you.
eddie Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 11:39 am
Michael Bennett
at getting to the rim!
Lebron has a chance to become the best ever, but only when his ability to knock down mid-range jumpers improve.
until then—–MAMBA
kb Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 11:45 am
legs
bostons big 3 do NOT HAVE 3 of the top 100 players all time!!! haaaa. you are crazy for that one. you mean to tell me that paul peirce and allen are in teh top 20 catagory of sf and sg in NBA history? you are confused!!! NO way. i can name 5 better small fowards and 5 better in the game TODAY, so how can they be the best in nba history? just think about it a little dog, they are great players but NOT THAT GREAT.
holla
azzman555@yahoo
eddie Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 11:46 am
Nicholas Todd
Didnt mean to ignore your opening quote. i have made this a fun blog, nothing is personal here. we talk smack—-yes i am recalling my prediction because if you read my preview article and read all the attacks i got from Laker fans you might understand why I feel justified to request apologies.
i hope i explained myself because i don’t want someone from Australia being mad at me.
i plan on visiting in the next year or so. maybe you can show me around (-:
Jorge Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 11:50 am
” “Kevin McHale reveals he is still working for the Celtics and sends KG to Boston for a song and a dance (no disrespect intended to Al Jefferson and Ryan Gomes a 6-4 Power Forward generously listed at 6′-7)”
but u just did disrespect… you cant say no disrespect then rip someone, what the hell is that… al jefferson is a better player than odom and gasol. he will have a better career and much more gifted then they were when they were 22-23. I dont get how it was a steal that the celtics got kg, it wasn’t and minnesota fans feel that way.
if you wanna talk about robbery, how bout gasol trade, they got 2 back draft picks and kwame brown… KWAME BROWN! At least al jefferson was one of only 4-5 people to average 20-10.”
Couldn´t agree more Jacob!
You Lakers fan should stop crying, better luck next time….
Michael Bennett Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 11:51 am
Eddie - If you’re right, and Kobe’s the best, Isn’t it sad that ‘the best player on the planet’ just had his tush handed to him on the game’s biggest stage?
Would MJ have let that happen? Would Duncan? Would Bird? Magic?
39 points!!! That says something’s wrong with EVERY player on the Lakers. Kobe’s not exempt.
kb Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 11:54 am
oh yeah,
eddie… Lebron IS BETTER THAN KOBE… RIGHT NOW!!!!
you put kobe on the team and lebron lakers and the lakers beat boston in 6!!! the cavs wouldve lost to boston in 4!!!
lebron is better than kobe like paul is better than nash
HOLLA front office gig
frank Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 11:56 am
I didn’t make it into a foreign issue, you did. Hey I’m not trying to put you down, at least your article had a little controversy to it to make it interesting.
But do you really think that foreign born players lack the hunger, pride, and toughness of American players? The Celtics not only had more hunger, pride, and toughness than the Lakers, they put the ball through the hoop more often too! When that ball was going through the hoop for 128 points that last game, I doubt the basket asked whether it was “made in the USA”.
You also say that “on paper they (the Lakers) deserved to be smacked around”. This closely follows a sentence that talks about Laker players being from around the world. Vladimar Radmonovic lived in a war zone. Whatever his basketball faults, I doubt that he believes that he should be smacked around.
What I think that you are trying to express is that the NBA is a very, very physical brand of basketball, different from both college and most foreign leagues. I think that you are also expressing the fact that the Celts were such a veteran team that they knew how to dish out a very physical brand of basketball that the Lakers were not prepared for.
However, realistically, the person who was dominated the most in the series by the Celts was Lamar Odom, a veteran who should have known how to make adjustments. Kobe also had a hard time.
What a minute…wasn’t Kobe born in a foreign country?
Lyrically I Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 11:57 am
CELTIC DISS
Paul Pierce, limping around like your fierce
You ain’t crap, you hadn’t won nothing in your college or NBA career
Until you added 2 other all stars to your team,
Of course you were gonna win, you had a damn dream team,
Come on man, really Paul Pierce, you a fake
Wasn’t it you who faked an injury to get a higher draft pick
Oh and Ray Allen, yeah “He Got Game” and they on it
But where hell was your game when you were a SuperSonic
Or when u used to ball with cassell and the Big Dog
I saw your game logs, and all the games that you lost
And I know, cuz like Sam you could sell,
You should just stick to acting and making movies with Denzel
And when you see your man Garnett, tell him to calm down
Screaming and hollering to catch the attention of those around
Man I remember you too, weren’t u once a t’wolf
You always sucked in the playoffs, you should’ve played more like teenwolf
And asking for a trade, cuz u can’t lead a team
You have no excuses, I remember when y’all were the number 1 seed
And then Bill Russell called u a true Celtic, that’s hectic
He just said that so you wouldn’t feel rejected, neglected,
I suspected that you win an NBA crown,
But I Didn’t think you couldn’t do it without 2 all stars around
And Eddie House, come on man, you just a role player
I remember your earlier days when you was just a brick layer,
And now u got a chance to play and made some lucky shots,
now u jump around like a punk, my man you ain’t hot,
we could all hit 3’s when we’re open and we know u could,
especially when the Defense is focusing on players that are good
You were an afterthought on the mind of Phil Jackson,
Your like a John Paxson, a role player who won’t see no more action
And your man James Posey, come on just keep walking
With his mouthpiece in his mouth to stop his shit talking
So you got 2 rings, for not doing a thing,
Your name will be forgotten, come on your game is rotten
And Spotting up for 3’s, come on homey please
You and Eddie House couldn’t win without the Big 3
And how about this korny dude, P.J. Brown,
You should be in a wheelchair, you look like a washed up clown,
And I’m supposed to respect you cuz you play so hard,
of course you do, you only play 10 minutes a game you retard
And for the rest of you Celtics I’ll get at you one by one,
But I’ll only make it one line each, cuz it’ll sound more fun,
Hey Perkins, learn the game, get more knowledge,
Powe and Brown outplayed you, you should’ve went to college,
And Rondo, I think you’re the only one I respect
Your game is aight, but with 3 all stars, what do you expect
And overpaid Scalabrini, with your orange hair and freckles,
You’re the type of player that fans just love to heckle
And the diesel man, I feel bad for poor Powe
Dude scores 20 points, and still can’t get on the floor
And Glenn Davis, now I know why they call you Big Baby
Cuz your game is immature, too slow and too lazy
And Scott Pollard, man you will never learn
Your game is done, just retire and grow some longer sideburns
And my man Pruitt, its time to get to it
Mayo is the only good player from USC and that’s what the truth is
And little Tony Allen, acting all quiet and shit
Can’t coach Rivers put him in for just a little bit
And last but not least, gotta take a shot at Cassell
Your good for an old guy, but your ugly as hell
So there go the Celtics man,
Danny Ainge figured out a masterplan,
Lose games on purpose, so they could get their man,
So you won a chip, but there’s no way you could be glad
And the crowd, where the hell was all the support last season
since the team wasn’t winning, I guess there wasn’t a reason
To show up to the games and support the staff
And now your all going crazy, when last year you laughed
At that team, and were embarrassed to be fans
Now you sellout the stands and cant stop clapping your hands
Now your praising Doc Rivers, and saying he’s a great coach
When you were ready to boo him, vs the hawks if they choked,
But like in every sport, you got a bunch of frontrunners
Acting like they support, and their Celtic Lovers
So when your sleeping at night and y’all think you’re the shit,
Just Remember one thing, you bought this championship,
Jorge Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 12:04 pm
And so what if the celtics have 3 “superstars”? Is it against any rule??
Didn´t the Lakers once had Shaq, Kobe, Malone and Payton and still lost to the Pistons??
I don´t remember everyone picking the celtics to win it al on the beggining of the season only because Allen and Garnett joined the team, very few people did…
They said rondo was to young and they had no bench, and even when they won 66 games, 90% of the peoplie were still picking the Lakers on the finals….and now they won because they have 3 superstars?? Common, a lot of doubts had to be clear, and it´s a great history cause Pierce, KG and Allen finally got their rings, 3 good guys and great players, I´m happy for them……
I also think Lebron is better than Kobe! The talent is pretty much the same, but Lebron is a better guy, his teammates play for him, unlike Kobe who scares the hell out of everybody on his team…..
Michael Bennett Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 12:08 pm
Kobe LIVED in a foreign country. Maybe that had something to do with it.
Celtics247.com » Blog Archive » Today’s Links 6/19 Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 12:08 pm
[...] use Celtics’ blueprint Topix Next goal: Two in a row for Celtics Big Three Hoopshype Why the Celtics won Globe and Mail Defense wins championships Cavalier Attitude How ya like Big Game James (Posey) [...]
eddie Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 12:20 pm
frank
thats why they value playing for their country more. You see the emotion rise up in these players on that circuit.
Kobe grew up in Italy, but his dad played for a top team in the NBA.
Kobe spent his summers here and he played high school ball here.
Paul Varjak Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 12:21 pm
Eddie,
Your finals analysis and prediction were spot on. Congratulations for having the balls to not follow the herd.
I can’t believe that Laker fans are still complaining about the Celtics acquisition of KG. We gave up a very good young player in Al Jefferson who averaged 21 ppg and 11 rpg; a decent player in Ryan Gomes 12.6 ppg and 5.8 rpg. We also sent our 1st round pick in 2009 (I know it will be a late 1st round pick) and we sent back a 1st round conditional pick we had obtained in the Wally Szczerbiak trade. Compare all of that with what the Lakers gave up for Gasol and it isn’t even close so please stop with this. It’s not even debatable.
Michael Bennett Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 12:38 pm
See, Eddie - kb agrees with me about LeBron. And, kb is smart enough to have a front office job in the National Basketball Association.
sean from cayman islands Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 12:51 pm
bottom line…the best TEAM won. bryant , for all his superior skill, had 2 problems: his team mates defer out of fear of his pretend MJ attitude and the c’s defense was, as stated, the best seen in the nba save for the bulls teams a decade ago ( don’t even dispute…check the tape people..those bulls were a revelation on D)…..Know the happiest bandwagon jumping c”s fan today and for the next year? The Diesel!!!!
hahahahaha…..
Jacob Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 1:07 pm
“Kobe choked. It’s that simple. Like one of my basketball friends said, Kobe is one of the worst Finals “superstars” performers. Look at 2004. Look at 2008 for examples.”
but he doesn’t consider those finals kobe won, he points the two his team lost, hey its a team game!
lebron can get to the hoop better because hes bigger and stronger, plain and simple, he can and never will be able to defend or shoot like kobe. get off your agenda michael bennett.. take ur goggles off and anaylze a game.
also bird and magic have lost finals before… so hasn’t your binky lebron james,
just because mj and duncan havent lost in the finals doesn’t mean u can bash kobe for losing in the finals.
Walt Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 1:13 pm
I think what this series boiled down to two key facts:
1) The Lakers didn’t do what they were suppose to.
2) The Celtics did what they had to.
The Lakers could have won this series, but there weren’t enough adjustments made quarter-to-quarter, game-to-game. The bench and even several of the starters, did not step up, didn’t give a good effort, and frankly looked scared or disinterested at times.
The Celtics did everything that had to for the win, which means taking charges, fouling hard, and playing off-the-ball defense. Doc was constantly shuffling players in-and-out of the lineup in order to expose match-ups, making adjustments, and preaching to keep the effort level high, even when they were getting blown out.
A couple moments in this series could tell you exactly the difference between the Celtics and the Lakers. On a fast break, Farmar basically watched Pierce lay the ball up, instead of taking a charge, or hitting him with a hard foul. If it was Kobe on the fastbreak and Posey at the other end, he probably would have McHale’d him into the cheerleaders a la Kurt Rambis. Also, for many of the games (especially Game 6) the Lakers bench was sitting on their hands (except for Turiaf), while the Celtics bench was doing cartwheels, no matter what the score was.
So from me to you, Eddie you were right about the Celtics, and I and many others were wrong about the Lakers. They did not come to play, and showed.
I don’t think all is lost in Laker Land, as the team is young, this experience will help them grow, and Bynum will help their defense and rebounding by leaps and bounds. But for this year, enjoy the champaign and trophy, Celtics.
Doug Christie's wife's cousin Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 1:20 pm
This article reminds me of the way white golfers used to talk about the absence of black players in the golf world back in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Even now, I hear people say, ” sure, Tiger’s great, but other than him…” Same with tennis, swimming, hockey, etc… I think it is a fundamentally flawed argument. People tend to use whatever arguments they can to support their biases. If Tim Duncan hadn’t won 4 titles, people would probably say he’s got too much of a laid-back caribbean attitude to win the big games… he’s not “passionate” or “driven” enough…. but we all know that’s not the case, so an argument like that isn’t allowed to surface. Last year’s nba champs had at least 5 foreign born players, including 3 starters. The idea that homegrown players are somehow “naturally” more capable of winning in the NBA is a theory that has it’s roots in racism.
Jason Whitlock of the Kansas City Star wrote an article similar to yours and later rescinded that opinion with another article, saying he was wrong to make such a broad statement. I wish you would do the same.
John M Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 2:10 pm
Sorry about the silly name above– I was on a different hoopshype blog and writing a much more joking type of comment in response to something funny that someone had written, and forgot to change it before submitting this comment.
eddie Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 2:10 pm
Doug Christie’s wife’s cousin
I am not Jason Whitlock and i don’t view my article as a negative.
I will repeat again. the Lakers deserved to be in the Finals, but the Celtics were more hungry and desperate to win it all and they did.
case closed!
tell Doug hi and that i wish he would have signed that contract when the Sonics drafted him. i would have loved to have that defense on our team.
John M Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 2:34 pm
You are a racist.
Case closed!
Jacob Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 2:43 pm
look at you eddie name dropping, i said hi to jojo white after the celtics game, he walked past me near the pro shop.
rich Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 2:44 pm
Great view Eddie..
Could not have said it any better. I do agree on Lakers not going back to Finals next year because the West is just too tight. I of course am a Shaq fan so I’m a bit biased for Phoenix however if boston plays defense like what they did, then it’s BACK TO BACK. Thanks Eddie.
Kingsblade Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 3:01 pm
I am having a hard time comprehending how some of you people on here are as idiotic as you are.
His comments about foreign players has NOTHING to do with any sort of ethnic trait.
He is talking about what things are important to a person. European players coming here do not give the NBA title the same importance as players who grew up here. Conversely, american players who play in europe do not give their european league championship the same importance as someone who grew up there. This holds even more true for specific rivalries.
I live in canada, and regularly watch american football players, who would sell their soul for a shot at the superbowl and an NFL title, go through the motions while trying to win a CFL title.
Why are people putting ethnicity into it at all?
Since some of you seem to be in high school still we will use that as an example.
Imagine you go to western high, and your school has had a fierce rivalry with eastern high. You have been there for 3 years now and have learned to hate them. You play ball, and the only thing you care about is beating eastern. Then your parents move and you have to go to northern high. Their rivalry is southern. Do you now suddenly want to beat southern as badly as you wanted to beat eastern before you moved? Not likely. You will play, and you will try your best, but the level if intensity that you would have brought against eastern will not magically appear for southern.
Please stop trying to make Eddie’s comments into some sort of ethnocentric diatribe. He was pointing out a natural tendency of ALL PEOPLE.
John M Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 3:23 pm
I respectfully disagree Kingsblade. Eddie has a history of condescending opinions about foreign players. Reread the intro. Do you honestly believe that Pau Gasol has “no idea” about the history of the Celtics-Lakers rivalry? He’s been in the league for years, and he grew up watching NBA basketball just like you did. The implication is Pau and the others mentioned must be completely oblivious to the world that they are living in, while it took Eddie one incident of having rocks thrown at his house to understand. Also, Eddie has never had anything good to say about a guy like Ginobili, and now tries to defend his position by saying Ginobili is the poster boy for learning fast…. which is to say, his ridiculous theory is still right and Ginobili, whose existence disproves the theory, is a wild exception. He is not an exception. He was never an exception before for Eddie– he was an over-rated flopper, but now he’s Eddie’s “poster-boy”… give me a break.
Lakurluv Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 3:31 pm
Good Review. I have to agree with the majority of your assessment, but the last statement I totally disagree with. The Lakers will return to the Finals next year, I actually think that everyone underestimated the Eastern Conference, and I think it was a lot tougher than people thought it too be. The Lakers are at an advantage from a Free Agent perspective. I think a few tweaks here and there, such as a Defensive Small Forward, A Defensive Coach, a focus on Defense will make all of the difference. The Lakers will dominate next year, not to take anything away from the rest of the West, because I believe Portland will be a force next year, but I truly believe the Lakers will Take the crown hands down!!!
Euors do have a different approach to the game, US Players have a greater focus on that Fact, and exploit it every chance they get.
frank Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 4:11 pm
eddie,
this frank is the same as the first 2 frank posts but not the 2 latter. i was never making this a foreign issue. all i wanted to imply is that if you’re a professional basketball player, regardless of where you’re born, you’re main focus should be winning championships. and if i’m the coach and i notice that focus is distracted for any reason, then you’re not playing?
and let’s not blame kobe entirely. history shows you can’t do it on your own. and history also shows you need at least 2 future hall of fame caliber players on your team to win a title and if you’re lucky you’ll get 3. can you say that about odom? pau? are they future HOFers? NO. i’d take luc longley or toni kukoc over either of those two guys in a heartbeat.
kobe needs a running mate and 2 second rate ones won’t do. maybe bynum could be that guy, but the jury is still out on that one. and yes it will probably take 2 years before we can make that assessment.
Mangro Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 4:18 pm
Calling all the international players soft or floppers is a sure sign of racism and lack of knowledge of the game. Of course there are a few busts, but they come with a lot of fundamentals and is good for the game having different styles. The Lakers losing has nothing to do with the Euro players, it was a good defensive Celtics team with more hunger and passion that rolled over them.
Cman Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 4:27 pm
Eddie, once again a nice article and once again hats off to you for picking (correctly) Celtics in 6. I am still amazed that ESPN had 7 of their 8 “experts” picking the Lakers…. some picking the Lakers in 5 games! Go figure.
Mangro Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 4:28 pm
Doug Christie’s wife’s cousin makes a great point, the past decade has seen a back to back MVP from Canada, a team (San Antonio ) were his core of players neither were born or raised in the US. The last 2 sixth man have been from Argentina and Brazil. The most followed player is from China, and I can keep going and going. People, the problem is not that international players are soft, is that the NBA is a flawed game, with bad officiating, lacks of fundamentals and full of egomaniacs.
John M Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 5:10 pm
Lakurluv said:
“Euors do have a different approach to the game, US Players have a greater focus on that Fact, and exploit it every chance they get.”
This is exactly what I’m talking about. You can’t sum up all euros in a neat tidy sentence that implies that they are naturally inferior, or say that U.S. players have a greater focus. This is ridiculous. Euro players vary as much as any other human group, including Americans: did Dennis Rodman play the same way as Mike Miller? After all, they are both American. Does Ron Artest have the same focus that Kevin Garnett has? Would you say White people are just naturally better at golf than Blacks, based on the “evidence?” Sorry, my opinion may get in the way of your pre-conceived notions, but what you’re saying is racist.
eddie Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 5:41 pm
John M
never!
eddie Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 5:44 pm
Kingsblade
Thank You! you explained it in a way i did not. Excellent. where is Michael when we need him—oh probably still watching Lebron tapes. LOL
eddie Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 5:54 pm
John M
Figured a Spurs fan. listen John i like Ginobili. Do i think he is inconsistent ? yes is he a flopper? heck yes
Do i think Gasol is soft? well yes and a double yes.
they both can play and i love their skill, but you my man are to sensitive.
Spur fans read my articles because i tell the truth. they might not like when i talk about their team—Just like i get mad when they talk about my Suns.
i love the inclusion of foreign players in our league it has made American players focus on the skill set of the game and not just the athleticism.
So please stop being so Spur-ish and enjoy their vacation like i am with my Suns.
eddie Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 6:04 pm
Mangro
read the article man! i said this in reference to the trio on the Lakers.
“The Lakers are littered with players from all over the world. And yes, 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. ”
Ask me if i think Parker and Ginobili are soft? Heck no is Turiaf soft ? heck no a lot of the foreign players are tough as heck.
read the article again. i was making reference and comparison to the knowledge and hunger for the trophy.
you get it now or you want me to call you and walk you through the article word by word (-:
Michael Bennett Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 6:08 pm
Just got back from watching LeBron tapes…
What’s going on? What did I miss?
Matt Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 6:09 pm
To the dude who wrote that rap on the Celtics:
Never rap again.
And to be perfectly frank, the Celtics didn’t buy the championship. If anyone in the NBA had ever bought the championship, it was the Lakers from 2000-2002. You said some of the stupidest, most ignorant garbage I’ve ever read.
Maybe you should get a reality check.
frank B Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 6:19 pm
I’ll be Frank B so that other guy with with the great name isn’t confused for me (I wrote the “latter” Frank quotes).
Call it whatever name you want to call it, but lumping a group of people together by some common characteristic such as their “Euros” or “Foreign” is just plain wrong. And it really doesn’t offer much in the way of analysis as to what creates winning basketball.
Eddie I give you credit for developing a theory and putting it into writing in a way that stimulated this conversation, but your central thesis that foreigners don’t have what it takes to win a championship is not supported by the evidence.
If one goes to Wikipedia and asks for a list of foreign born NBA players past and present I’m sure a lot of these guys would be surprised that they don’t have the love for the NBA trophy required to be champions: Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobli, Tony Parker, Peja Stojakovic, Luol Deng, Hakeem Olujawon, Steve Nash, Raja Bell, Boris Diaw, Leandro Barbosa, Rick Fox, Mychal Thompson, Nene, Patrick Ewing, Dirk Nowitski, Detlef Schrempf, Dominique Wilkins, Samuel Dalembert, Sarunas Marciulionis, Bill Wennington, Luc Longley, Arvydas Sabonis, Darius Songaila, Andrei Kirelinko, Al Horford, Yao Ming, Andres Nocioni, etc., etc., etc.
eddie Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 6:30 pm
Mangro
Nash played in the states and again for the last time i did not call all Foreign players soft.
Michael Bennett Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 6:33 pm
Why are you so racist, Eddie? You didn’t say it in your article, but I could feel the ‘cracker’ inferences when talking about Europeans.
Ah… Good times. Anyone who really thinks you are racist doesn’t understand that most NBAers are colorblind and are at the forefront of progressive thinking when it comes to different races, religions, creeds and cultures.
Great article… Got to get back to my LeBron tapes, though.
ericktmd Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 7:07 pm
yo eddie here it comes….im SORRY!!! but hey you are too quick to dismiss the lakers for next year. sometimes a nice ass whooping is all you need to get a little hungrier and a little tougher. i think these lakers with #17 need another chance to show what they have. things should be better in lakerland next year. and people stop kobe hating!!!!! the dudes for real!! didnt le bron’s team taste the broom just the other year?!! LOL
Metin Kirhan Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 7:41 pm
As I stated in my comment after the game 5, I was right in my prediction about the series. Lakers aren’t mature enough to win three consecutive games at home. They’ll probably be here again with a health Bynum, but he just can’t solve all the problems of Lakers. What we saw and learnt in this match-up:
1) Celtics were more hungry. Especiallt KG and PP.
2) Posey was X-factor of the series. He really did a good job defensively and offensively.
3) Kobe was outplayed by PP except for one game. He lost second time in the Finals which never happened to MJ.
4) Gasol is a soft player and he was harassed by KG most of the time.
5) Despite some aging players, Lakers still lack experience.
6) It was strange to see Kobe in the last two games just trying to shoot from the distance instead of driving inside. Was he scared? I don’t think so, but it was “really” strange…
7) It’s good to be on the same page with Eddie.
John M Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 9:27 pm
I’m not a Spurs fan. I used them as an example to prove how your reasoning is wrong since they won the championship last year with many foreign players.
eddie Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 10:03 pm
John M
you are still on that argument claiming i said all Foreign players are soft.
WILL YOU READ THE ARTICLE? lol
Metin Kirhan Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 10:17 pm
One quick reminder:
Eddie is right about his adventure in Greece against Turkish teams. Because I’m Turkish and the games (be it basketball or soccer) against the Greek teams are always eagerly anticipated and exciting. Almost two years ago Turkey beat Greece 4-1 in soccer in Athens and after each goal the Greek fans became really furious and threw anything they could in the pitch. One year later they beat us 1-0 in Turkey.
John M Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 11:14 pm
I’m not “on” any argument you dummy. I’m just pointing out to you that your assumption about me being a Spurs fan is incorrect.
jeremy Said,
June 20, 2008 @ 12:08 am
I just don’t get the Lakers soft reference. Where they soft when they swept the Nuggets, or soft whenever they won game 6 in Utah? Or how about when the beat the Spurs who are probably the toughest team mentally in the NBA?
Are all of those teams soft as well?
The Lakers just lost because the Celtics were the flat out better team. It was evident during even the regular season that they had trouble against the Celtics and Pierce especially. Can’t a team just lose because they simply weren’t as good?
Your reference about players not knowing the history of the game is just complete bs. Sure you don’t know about the importance of beating Turkey, noone does, but for these foreigners they dream about coming to America to play in the NBA. Your dream wasn’t to go to Greece and play basketball. I have a friend who is from Turkey to attend college here and he knows more about the NBA and it’s history than most people who call themselves fans.
For most of the Lakers besides Fish, Walton, and Kobe, this was their fisrt true taste of playoff success. Their season was a huge success and they are in great position for next year with Bynum returning and the expiring contract of Odom to dangle in trade talks which could perhaps return a true SF like Antawn Jamison (s&t) or Ron Artest.
I just don’t understand how a guy (Gasol) can go from holding in check Camby, Boozer, and Duncan to being called soft in the same post season.
Or how a guy (Kobe) can basically carry a team all season that was projected to barely make the playoffs into the Finals beating two of the best teams in the NBA (Jazz, Spurs) in the process then lose in the Finals to a 67 win team and be toasted for it.
Ah, that’s the media for you.
Bulgakov Said,
June 20, 2008 @ 12:35 am
i agree with Jeremy’s comments. Every year 29 teams don’t win the title and suddenly armchair critics appear everywhere talking about how this team needs to be dismantled and that team is worthless, etc. This was Boston’s year, but L.A., New Orleans, San Antonio, Detroit, and a few others are still very good teams, and Portland, Orlando, and Atlanta are young teams to watch. Remember: a year ago, Boston was projected to be a lottery team. With the draft, free agency, and potential trades, next year looks to be another great nba season.
XOSE Said,
June 20, 2008 @ 1:16 am