But my gut has been wrong before. (Not where it applies to the Orlando Magic, mind you, but in other contexts.)
For no real good reason, allow me to break it down like Tevye from “Fiddler on the Roof”...
> The two teams met just a couple of years ago, and we saw what happened then. As the good book says, “There is faith and there is reality. Always believe reality.” I may not have that right exactly.
> On the other hand, it’s been two years that Pau has gotten to gel with his teammates. The Lakers are a better TEAM than they were...as evidenced, in part, by the ring they grabbed last year. This is a team with a history (!) and a tradition (!) of winning.
> The Lakers also have Bynum back (though he’ll play limited minutes), and Ron-Ron (who replaced Ariza, who was hurt during the ’08 Finals). So the Lakers have a slightly better interior presence than before, plus a defender who can get in the tuches of whichever C is giving them the most trouble. Oy vey.
> But on the other hand, Rondo is playing on an entirely different level. If he can keep from getting the shpilkes, he’s going to be the answer for this C’s team. The goy can get to the rack at will, and/or facilitate by finding the open shooter anywhere on the floor. Gevalt geshreeyeh!
> The C’s are a flat-out better defensive team. And like the good book says, “Defense wins in the Finals.” Or something.
> The C’s have more weapons and a deeper bench.
> The C’s don’t have that shmedrik Ron-Ron doing dumb shit.
> The Lakers have Kobe...who has been a miracle of miracles! I hesitate to use this strong a word, but in his case it applies: Kobe has been makkif. (Transcendent.)
> On the other hand, Kobe has been transcendent for a month. He’s been a self-destructive meshugeneh his entire career. If the Lakers struggle early, which version of Kobe will emerge?
> Kobe is a warrior, and this is a vengeance series for him. He got his shmeckle knocked around in 2008. If that happens again, his legacy will be written as such. Is he gonna let that happen? What about history?! What about TRADITION?!?
> Repeat: the C’s are a flat-out better defensive team. “Defense wins in the Finals.” It is the word of Hashem.
Oy, this is a tough one. The only thing I’m certain of is that I couldn’t be more excited about the Finals this year. No matter what happens. Vos vet zein, vet zein.
All right, all right, my prediction already:
C’s in 7.
-G
2 comments:
"Gevalt geshreeyeh!"??
Well, we're getting what we deserve: 7 games. Will we get what we hope and pray for as fans of this great sport? Will we get 0.3 seconds left with Kobe fading away outside the arc putting up the jumper that could win it all? Well ok, let's roll it back for a second. Each team has dominated a game in this series when they've played their best ball. Conversely, the other team in both those games has been run off the floor because it hasn't matched intensity. In game 7 will we get both teams bringin' it from tip off to final buzzer? If so, with the scenario I just painted for the closing play or its Bizarro World version with Pierce shooting, this could go down as the best Finals in recent history, if not all time. A hard fought game 7 played out by two evenly matched teams that don't like each other and have more championship lineage than all the other teams put together could lead to once-in-a-generation type edge-of-your-seat excitement around 11:30 on Thursday night. It's something we could be talking about for years to come. God, I hope it goes down like that.
And a big part of all this drama is Kobe. He may not hit said shot, but he will be the one to take it if there's a fadeaway jumper to be taken by his team. It may not be that dramatic. It may be someone else on either team who is the hero of the game. But goddammit you know like you know that your mama birthed you, that he is going to bring it on Thursday night. There is NO one in the league who you can say that about with as much certainty, LeBron included. That's why I respect and love (most of the time) his game. Not since Mike have we had a competitor like this. Forget whether or not he's as good as him. Love the fight. He's got the heart and desire to match that Celtics squad. If he and Paul Pierce switched places, that Celtics team doesn't stop winning rings til they get tired. His team, he can only count on sometimes. G, you say I ride the dude. I'm just giving him his due, which puts me ina minority. You're watching on Thursday to see what he will do; if he can do it. Will he get selfish, or play a perfect game like he did last night. He's the only one so bold as to try and be the best ever since Mike. And because of that, I'm rooting for him.
I don't know about you, but I remember the Boston Strangler. I don't like the Celtics. I don't like Boston. I don't like Larry Bird. Respect him, don't like him. I always rooted for Showtime when LA and Boston met in the 80's. I guess that hasn't changed.
Guess I forgot just one thing: the C's are old as sh!t.
(And if you want to add in that Doc ain't much of a coach, make it two things I forgot.)
The Celtics were just worn out. Ray-Ray did a great job sticking to Kobe...but it left him with no legs for jumpers on the other end. (Why didn't Doc tell him to stop shooting?) PP looked tired trying to force all those iso plays. God, was it ugly.
When things started to fall apart for them in the 3rd, Doc should've gone old school and had Rondo running pick-and-rolls with PP or KG or, sh!t, even Sheed. Go for easy buckets, then clamp down the D on the other end.
Kobe pretty much played with two hands around his neck, and they still couldn't get it done. (Love how the media sold us the angle of how Kobe found a way to get it done -- by rebounding! -- even though his shot was off. Please. Mike wouldn't have gone 6-for-24 in a Game 7. Not ever. Kobe didn't get it done that night; Gasol did.)
Ugly as hell game. Disappointing as hell game. Unless you count Ron-Ron thanking his psychiatrist at the end -- that was classic.
Oh well.
G.
P.S. Thursday night: bring on the Evan Turner era!
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