If you ask Kobe Bryant or even Magic Johnson what team they would rather play and beat in the finals, they wouldn't take a second to answer, "Celtics". 1960's, 1970's, 1980's... There is no doubt that this is the greatest rivalry in any sports. Magic accomplished his goal finally beating the celtics in late 80's. Until Larry Bird and Magic Johnson retired and before the Bulls had Jordan, and the Spurs had Duncan, this was what NBA was all about.
In 2008, this rivalry was renewed. The new generation of Celtics with the Big Three face the lakers again this time with Kobe Bryant, one of the greatest player of all time. Celtics beat the lakers again in a horrible 131-92 blow out in game 6.
As the aging celtics approach 2009, they faced injuries. They lost in the eastern semi finals.
They were still facing injuries as they approach the 2010 season. After having a decent but not great regular season, Celtics showed they still got it in the play offs beating the top players in the league (Wade, LeBron, Howard).
After beating the 1st seed and the 2nd seed in the playoffs, they now have to beat the 3rd seed. Lakers and Bryant again. This is what LA wanted. There would be no sweeter championship than to beat the team that has been in their history ever since the beginning of the league. The same team that beat them again in 08. Revenge. This time people doubted the celtics. They're much older than 2 yrs ago. They've had injuries. Lakers is a better team now. But are they? Was an inconsistent Artest really a better choice than a young Ariza who was a big factor in winning the championship against the Magic in 2009? Will the rest of the team actually step up instead of depending on Kobe's winning shots at the end of the game? Will Kobe make his team better or will he make them disappear? Some even said that Kobe will do his best impersonations of Jordan. Or will Celtics continue to be great just like when they beat the Cavs and the Magic? Lakers might have the best player in the league but Boston has 4 great players including Rondo who's been the biggest problem to every team that played against Boston and also, these are the same players that beat Bryant in 2008. Much better Garnett after his injury in 2009 and still a sharp shooter Ray Allen and Paul Pierce who's been consistent and has been the teams core. And lakers Bynum is still not 100 % and wont be able to keep up with Celtics big guys. Either way its gonna have to be team work. Someone else is gonna have to step up each game. It doesn't change the fact that this is what everybody wanted. People threw stats even when Lakers was still playing the Suns in the western finals and people were already chanting BEAT LA when Celtics was still playing the Magic in the eastern finals.
After being tied 1-1, every team that won game 3 wins the series.
Lakers Phil Jackson has never lost a series after winning game 1.
Celtics Doc Rivers wins the series most of the time after losing game 1.
Lakers had 15 titles (2nd rank in NBA).
Celtics had 17 titles, winning 11 title in just 13 yrs
Celtics won 9 titles against the lakers.
Lakers won 2 title against the Celtics (now 3).
Celtics has never lost a series that ends up in game 7.
Celtics has never lost after being up 3-2
But these records didnt really matter anymore. Either way, it will be history. Records will be broken. Records will be repeated.
Aside from improved and slowed down players, the difference between 2008 and 2010 is home court advantage. This rival is so great that even that didn't matter anymore. Ray Allen exploded with record breaking 3 point shots and Boston won game 2 in LA and Fisher went off in game 3 leading LA to win game 3 in Boston. After 6 games, they're tied.
Finals, 7 games, 4 wins for the title. It came down to the first 6 games didn't even matter anymore. Down to game 7 but did the other games really not matter anymore? Game 6, Bostons center Kendrick Perkins goes down from a hard foul by Andrew Bynum. Had to be carried to locker room by his team mates, Perkins stated the next day that he is feeling better physically than mentally knowing that he couldn't play and help his team for game 7 which could be the toughest, most important game of everyones career. A lot of people look at Perkins as just the guy that gets a tech. A guy that is mad after every play whether he makes the shot or not. A guy that's always mad or looks mad the entire games. He's just this mean guy. What people don't know is this mean guy on the court is the nicest guy off the court. In reality he's a guy who's quiet and always ready to listen to his coach and team mates. Always ready to do what he's told to help the team. A guy that sacrifices his body for his team. Losing a 7 footer, biggest player in the team and the best defender in the team is never a good thing. After leaving Boston coming up 3-2, all of a sudden it feels like game 7 is gonna be even uglier than over 20 something point loss in game 6. Veteran Rasheed Wallace replaced Perkins as the starting center. A smaller but a scorer and much skilled player. Boston lead the entire game till the last half of the 4th quarter. Highest lead was 13 points with a big help of guess who, Rasheed Wallace. All 7 games was won by rebounds. The last 9 minutes of the game, LA took over the rebounds. Boston played great and some people say that if Perkins was playing, Boston could've gotten them rebounds. But then again if Perkins was playing, they probably wouldnt have had the lead the entire game because Rasheed did great scoring and defending. Rasheed who is also going through injury gave it all he got and played through an excruciating pain. Kobe Bryant started very off. He mentioned after the game that he wanted this so bad and was trying so hard that he end up not making anything. Towards the end of the game, he finally figured to play a diff part to help his team rather than scoring. Rebounds and defense. Everybody was playing their part for the Celtics. Pierce, Garnett, Rondo were all great. Even Ray Allen who only scored 1 three in game 6 ever since the record breakin threes in game 2 was making the 3s again. Even Rondo who is not a 3 point shooter was able to make one to cut the lakers lead to 2 with few seconds left. But lakers defense took over with a little bit of Ron Artest luck.
I might be a little one sided here being a Celtics fan but no matter how heartbreaking it is for my team, I was happy to see faces like Ron Artest, Fisher and Gasol who has good qenuine hearts with their families enjoying their moment. Artest will get to bring back a ring to Queens Bridge. He was honest to say he was freaking out that it was game 7 they were down by ten about to lose to Boston at their homecourt. That's real. They might call him insane but he's as qenuine as you can get. He's been through so much and he gives it all he got. I can never forget after the game when he said Kobe passed him the ball and he knew in his head Kobe and Phil are saying "dont shoot it Ron" but was just like "whatever" and shot it. Biggest 3 point shot lakers has ever made. Fisher, he never denied anything. He never tries to hide how much he wants to beat the celtics and how much he still havent forgotten 2008. It was nice to see Gasol happy. Someone who dont mind being the second man and just does everything he can to help his team. Kobe Bryant did a lot in the regular season and play offs but he better recognize how much his team mates have bailed him out in the finals. He better let Gasol touch that finals MVP trophy who's been the most consistent laker player in the finals more than anybody.
On the other side, while these laker fans are unable to contain themselves after the win (actually just mostly the fake laker fans), saying dumb and unreal things, I was thinking what my boys are going through. Forget the skills, forget the talent, forget the advantage and disadvantage, these two teams are practically even in that level. But...
Celtics team isnt just a basketball team. These players are crazy tight with each other. A lot of these players are approaching the last years of their basketball careers. Rasheed will most likely retire. If he is retiring, he just had a great last game. Doc Rivers will evaluate if he will coach again next year. Ray Allen is now a free agent and is having some family issue that he has to consider before signing another contract with any team. For now, this was as good as this team was gonna get. Celtics will be a different team next year. It's never going to be the same again. This was all or nothing, now or never for the Celtics. We're all still hoping that both Doc and Ray comes back next yr. I love this team. This is the only team that doesnt have to have the biggest/best player in the team. We dont need a Kobe Bryant. We dont need a LeBron James. We have the big three/big four and no one is or has to be the best or better than the other. They all share the spotlight. Its always been about a team and not just about one player. This team trust each other and makes each other better. This team is so close that anybody in the team can take anyones yelling and screaming when they make a mistake. These guys don't just play together, they have personal relationships with each other. They proved everybody wrong in the play offs and beat the hardest teams. No other teams has been through the line up of teams Celtics had to go through to get to the finals. Doc Rivers was interviewed after the game and said that there was nothing but tears and hugs in the locker room. Garnett was almost unable to hold his emotions when he was being interviewed that he couldnt even keep his head up. Tony Allen couldnt hold his tears and couldnt stop saying how much he love these guys. I cant imagine how Perkins feels. These are group of great guys. This is a team that doesnt approach games as "just another game". Every singe win and loss mean something to these guys. These guys are confident but they not arrogant. This guys are real. They always play with their heart even at their best. They're not like other teams that don't play with their heart just because they know they're good enough to win and will just play hard the last minute. They don't play like other teams who wont even call a time out in critical situations thinking they can still win it. Celtics speaks to media and fans with respect. You all are CLASSY till the very end. Kobe after saying that the Boston was a huge problem for him was asked after the game what this meant to him personally, all he could say was "One more ring from Shaq.. Yall can take that to the bank". So sad. What a waste of talent and skills.
This only make the rivalry even greater.To us, yall are still the champions. Yall still deserve it more than anyone. We're all proud of you guys and everything that yall have accomplished this season. Great job! Let's do it again next year!
Celtics team isnt just a basketball team. These players are crazy tight with each other. A lot of these players are approaching the last years of their basketball careers. Rasheed will most likely retire. If he is retiring, he just had a great last game. Doc Rivers will evaluate if he will coach again next year. Ray Allen is now a free agent and is having some family issue that he has to consider before signing another contract with any team. For now, this was as good as this team was gonna get. Celtics will be a different team next year. It's never going to be the same again. This was all or nothing, now or never for the Celtics. We're all still hoping that both Doc and Ray comes back next yr. I love this team. This is the only team that doesnt have to have the biggest/best player in the team. We dont need a Kobe Bryant. We dont need a LeBron James. We have the big three/big four and no one is or has to be the best or better than the other. They all share the spotlight. Its always been about a team and not just about one player. This team trust each other and makes each other better. This team is so close that anybody in the team can take anyones yelling and screaming when they make a mistake. These guys don't just play together, they have personal relationships with each other. They proved everybody wrong in the play offs and beat the hardest teams. No other teams has been through the line up of teams Celtics had to go through to get to the finals. Doc Rivers was interviewed after the game and said that there was nothing but tears and hugs in the locker room. Garnett was almost unable to hold his emotions when he was being interviewed that he couldnt even keep his head up. Tony Allen couldnt hold his tears and couldnt stop saying how much he love these guys. I cant imagine how Perkins feels. These are group of great guys. This is a team that doesnt approach games as "just another game". Every singe win and loss mean something to these guys. These guys are confident but they not arrogant. This guys are real. They always play with their heart even at their best. They're not like other teams that don't play with their heart just because they know they're good enough to win and will just play hard the last minute. They don't play like other teams who wont even call a time out in critical situations thinking they can still win it. Celtics speaks to media and fans with respect. You all are CLASSY till the very end. Kobe after saying that the Boston was a huge problem for him was asked after the game what this meant to him personally, all he could say was "One more ring from Shaq.. Yall can take that to the bank". So sad. What a waste of talent and skills.
This only make the rivalry even greater.To us, yall are still the champions. Yall still deserve it more than anyone. We're all proud of you guys and everything that yall have accomplished this season. Great job! Let's do it again next year!
Excellent piece Jerry-very heartfelt and emotional. You are a very good writer.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
ReplyDelete