Clash of the Titans: 2010 NBA Finals

This NBA finals marks the 12th time in which these two basketball giants have met on the hardwood during the finals. Of those 12 meetings the boys from Bean Town have won 9 of those championship crowns. Most notably were the rumbles in the 80s between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson that arguably ended up saving the NBA. Today's "legends in the making' wear shorts that are thankfully a bit longer but have match ups that are just as riveting. If your a betting man, this one may be just too close to call as both teams have grown since their last 2008 match up. Here are our predictions for how this renewed rivalry will play out.

Adrienne- Lakers.

John- Yes, Kobe is Kobe, and Pau is lightyears better than he was in 2008. However, Garnett seems to be at or near 100%, Perkins and Davis have matured substantially, and Rondo is now a premier point guard and master of the steal. The Celtics have a defensive edge over the Lakers which should provide an overall advantage; Boston has allowed 10 fewer points per game in the postseason. Potential X-factors: Fish, 'Sheed (should I actually want him shooting 3's? I'm so confused), and Artest (offensively). Artest has been playing good defensive ball, so it will be up to Allen on the perimeter, Garnett inside, and Rondo on the fast break to make up for what could be limited productivity from Pierce. Celtics in an EPIC 7-game series, a show only the Lakers and Celtics can offer. Is anyone selling tickets for game 6 in the Garden? Or game 7 next to Mr. Nicholson? Boston.

Sport4Prophet- And so for the billionth time we have the Boston Celtics vs. the Los Angeles Lakers. As a former Sixers fan I am predisposed to hate both those teams but I will try and put that aside. This is a case that we often see in the NBA where the best two TEAMS will make it to the Finals and the Lakers and Celtics fit that bill. I think it really comes down to the matchups in this series: how Artest does about slowing down Paul Pierce, how Gasol does about the physicality of the Boston front line, how negatively Rondo and Bynum are affected by their injuries with their respective matchups, how good Bryant is able to chase Ray Allen off of screens without exhausting himself, and finally how much Garnett really has left in the tank. This could be an even better Finals than 2008 as both teams are now more comfortable with their rosters and most of the players have been upgraded. In the end I believe that whoever wins game 1 will most likely win the series as a. Phil Jackson never loses a series when winning game 1 (47-0) and b. I think that game 1 represents the Celtics best chance to win one on the road. Unfortunately, if I had to guess, I would pick the Lakers in 6 as the Celtics just seem a little too banged up and the Black Mamba seems too focused not to go for the kill. Ring number 5 for Kobayashi and the discussion for best Laker of all time begins. Lakers in 6.

Girmay- This will be a match for the ages. Aside from the two team's physical ability and talent for the game, you can tell they both are willing to die for it. What happens when your dream comes at the expense of another's? At the end of the day, the one who wants it more will win. I don't think anyone wants this more than Kobe. Look at this dude in interviews. In his opinion a Western Conference Championship means nothing. He is focused. He will get his 5th. One more until he equals the man whose shadow he's been playing in. Lakers in 6

Michelle- The anticipation behind this series is honestly enough for me. At the end of the day, I know that it is going to be a knock down drag out. Both of these teams have been tried and tested in the finals. And both have changed a bit since the 2008 when the Celtics came out on top. Gasol and Garnett down low should be a physical match Kobe will probably do some Kobe-esque things to keep us all on the edge of our seats. I also have my money on Perkins getting at least one technical before we get to game 4. At the end of the day I am hoping for the Celtics to pull through; in part because I’m a fan of the underdog and not too long ago we all (myself included) didn’t think the Celtics could make it this far. My brain tells me that I’m probably wrong, but let’s hope I’m not. Celtics in 7.

Marcus- Honestly, I don't really even have rational thoughts on this one. Even if rationally I thought the Celtics were going to win, I wouldn't be able to say that. But to try to get something rational out, I think that Rondo will give the Lakers a substantial amount of trouble, but that the series will likely come down to Kobe's ability to control the game and to give his team whatever they need. I think Pau Gasol is considerably stronger and more talented than he was the last time we saw this matchup. Lakers in 6

Poll Question: Best Semifinals Performance

The Semifinals have been quite the roller coaster with 3 sweeps already complete and a heavily contested battle between the Celtics and the Cavs. A few big name players have stepped up seal the deal for their team, but who's semi final performance was worthy of them earning the title of best Round 2 performances.

Here are the contenders

• Kobe Game 3- The the battle royale that was game 3 versus the Jazz, Kobe Bryant reminded us why he is Kobe Bryant. After starting off the game scoring the Lakers first nine points, Bryant had 20 points at the half, which was four more than the rest of the Laker's starters combined. He went on to be strong down the stretch including hitting a 3-pointer with 54 seconds left to tie it at 106. Bryant ended the game with 35 points.

• Rondo Game 4- Rajon Rondo carried the Boston Celtics with a triple double (29pts, 18 rebounds, and 13 assists) to a Game 4 victory. Making him the 3rd player ever to reach this mark in the playoffs.

• LeBron Game 3- James with is "injured" elbow in tow had his way with the Celtics when he scored 21 of his 38 points in the first quarter at the Garden. The 21 points in a quarter was a franchise post season record.

• Dragic Game 3- Dragic's 26 point performance tied for the third highest point total by a reserve 24 years or younger in the playoffs. Although that seems like quite a few caveats it is impressive to have a player his age who is not a starter put up numbers like that and to shut down Tony Parker defensively. He also had the second lowest minute total fo any player scoring 20 points as a reserve under the age of 24.

My vote goes for Rondo. With all the focus usually put on the Celtics Big 3 (Garnett, Allen, and Pierce) the one many used to refer to as the "little guy" showed that he could/would be the force that the Cavaliers would have to reckon with. He was quick, smart, and his passes were impeccable. Not to mention that as the smallest guy on the court he still manages to lead in rebounds. He is the must watch guy for the rest of this series.

What performance do you think topped the list for Round 2? Are there any players that I'm missing?

The Heart Stopping Back-and-Forth (LAL-UTA Game 3)

One would be foolish to say we haven't seen a lot in this NBA Playoff season. After all, we've seen blow outs (Magic v.s. Hawks Games 1 & 3), we've seen upsets (OKC taking LA to a Game 6, Spurs taking down the Mavs), and on a few momentous occasions, we've even seen history made (Magic get first playoff sweep in franchise history, LeBron becomes youngest player to ever win back to back MVPs, and Kobe- despite the unbelievable number of superstars to grace the pristine court of the Staples Center- sets the record for all time scoring leader of Los Angeles).

Despite these accomplishments, however, not until last night's game between the Lakers and the Jazz did we experience the heart-pounding, jaw-dropping, stomach-turning excitement of a classic back-and-forth. Beginning halfway through the 3rd quarter, I counted at least 15 times when the lead was exchanged. If that's not crazy enough for you die-hard basketball fans, in the last 2 minutes (120 seconds of game play), I counted 7 (count'em 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, SEVEN) times when the lead was traded-off or tied. These two titanic teams battled it out into the very last second of the 4th quarter, neither one of them willing to accept the crushing defeat of losing by 1 point in a playoff game. Ultimately, the Jazz missed a final jumpshot and a last .1 second lay-in to hear the screeching tone of the buzzer, signifying the beginning of an agonizing night riddled with "what-ifs" and "we could haves". But alas, you didn't.

"That was quite a game," said head coach Phil Jackson, "It was fun for fans to watch. It wasn't great for coaches to watch."

We must never belittle the importance of the classic back-and-forth. It is what fans want to see. Even fans who think they want their home-team to blow a team away, actually want a back-and-forth. Of course they want their team to come out on top in the end, but they feel like they've gotten their moneys-worth when they spent that game shouting at the top of their lungs, spilling bear on their neighbor, professing their hatred for their favorite player, then their love, then their hatred, then their love (i.e. "he never follows through, he's gonna blow it..." and then "OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD, CAN'T NOBODY STOP KOBE!"). It's human nature: we get bored with predictability. For us to truly appreciate good times, a little bit of bad has got to be in the mix.

"Sunny days wouldn't be special, if it wasn't for rain/ Joy wouldn't feel so good, if it wasn't for pain..." - 50 Cent, Many Men

I really hope we get to see more 4th quarter back-and-forths this playoff season- no other phenomenon in sports is quite as entertaining.

Watch Video and Recap Here

- The Supersonic Zombie (Girmay)

Photo of the Day: Rolling Thunder

OKC Thunder Beats LA Lakers 91- 75

Sue Ogrocki

Oklahoma City snapped a 12-game losing streak against the Lakers, earning its first win in the series since Nov. 5, 2006, back when they were still the Seattle Sonics.But this definitely wasn’t the Zombie Sonics playing out there last night. They also ended the Lakers 7 game winning streak. Kevin Durant led the Thunder with 26points while Lamar Odom led the the Lakers with 15 points. Kobe Bryant had 9 turnovers in the game and only 11 points. In short the Lakers played sloppy, and the Thunder Capitalized.

The Lakers Are Doomed (this year)

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The Lakers have made a subtle but unmistakable shift this season that will make them unable to bring another championship to the city this year. I'd bet on the Clippers sans Marcus Camby to win it all this year before I'd bet on team Kobe. What did they do to scuttle their chances so thoroughly? The Lakers are practically coasting through the end of the regular reason with the intent of turning it on during the playoffs. We've seen time and again that this doesn't work; our most recent lesson came at the expense of Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. In the years when Jim Sorgi and Curtis Painter have closed out the season for Indy, the Colts have been unable to go the distance. The one time that the Colts had to fight at the end of the season and failed to secure a first-round bye, they did in fact hoist the Lombardi trophy. The Lakers are doing the exact same thing this season, and so they will fail to repeat in the Finals this year. In fact, they shouldn't even make it to the Finals because the Nuggets are well-equipped to defeat them in the West.

I Guess Congratulations is in Order - My 1st and Hopefully Last Kobe Article

Well at this point if you haven’t heard of the major Laker milestone that was reached last week you are probably either living under a rock or some shack out in the middle of Bumblef*** where there is no outside contact with media. In either case, you wouldn’t be reading this. So I would just like to give credit where credit is due. Even though I don't always see eye to eye with the guy, I have to give props since he has now solidified himself as one of the greatest if not the greatest Laker... COACH of all time. Yup not talking about Kobe, I'm talking about Phil Jackson. Phil Jackson just passed Pat Riley as the winningest coach in Laker history. Now he owns both win records for two for the most famed franchises in the game, the Lakers and the Bulls making him one of the greatest coaches in history. Kobe also hit a milestone as he passed Jerry West to become the leading scorer in Laker history. While this is a great milestone in its own right, this does not change where Kobe stands in even the Pantheon of Laker Greats .

There is no denying that Kobe is a hard-worker: He is at the gym before anybody and will probably be the last one to leave. He's got a killer instinct that is unrivaled. He has both the understanding of the game and the drive that has allowed him evolve into the most complete player in the game today. He's had the wisdom to recognize his age and alter his game in a way that has probably extended his career at least 2-3 years but there is just something inherently off-putting about the guy. I think it has gotten to the point that it would be hard for me to give props to Kobe for anything just because of who he is in his regular life. This is the same guy behind the handshake deal to get Shaq out of LA, the same guy that cheated on his wife, and the same guy that takes pot shots at teammates at a moment's notice. The one time Kobe decided to be a team player is the last time the Lakers were able to win the NBA title so really the team is at the whim of whichever way he decides to play the game. Will Kobe play the role of Bill Russell, an unselfish legend willing to do everything necessary in order to secure the win for the team. Or will he go the way of Wilt Chamberlain, a legend in his own right, but unwilling to sacrifice his own stats for the good of his team, thus causing him to only win 2 NBA titles to Russell's 11. If Pau Gasol's comments are any indicator then I'm leaning toward the latter. Maybe it's not fair to incorporate someone's personality into a judgement of one's career but if I am a GM starting a team and I could pick from any of the Laker greats, Kobe isn't even top 3...

1. Magic Johnson - One of the greatest offensive innovators in the game who had a knack for not only athletically confounding his opponents, but also made the teammates around him better. He redefined the point guard position with his unique combination of size, creativity, vision, and just overall "smoothness" on the court. He won 5 NBA titles and 3 MVP awards and probably would have had more if not for his early retirement. Most people agree that Magic was not just a nickname, it was truly the only way to describe what that man would do on the court.

2. Kareem Abdul Jabbar - With his athleticism and size he was almost unguardable by many of the outmatched centers in the league during his career. He really changed the nature of the position with his unique skill set. The NBA's all time leading scorer as well as 2nd in blocked shots and 4th in rebounding. He is a 6 time MVP and a 6 time NBA Champion (5 with Lakers)

3. Jerry West - 2nd all time for the Lakers in scoring, Averaged a 4th best in NBA history 27.0 points per game and a 2nd best (behind Jordan) 29.1 ppg in the playoffs. That's without the help of the three point line and had to share the majority of his points with another legend of the time, Elgin Baylor. He was an All Star for all 14 seasons he played, and though he won only 1 NBA title it might have had something to do with going up against Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics constantly...

4. Kobe Bryant (The only reason Wilt himself was not put here ahead of Kobe is because he wasn't with the team long enough.)

Honorable Mention: Elgin Baylor and Shaquille O'Neal

Elegy for the Boston Celtics

After watching the Lakers-Celtics nailbiter this past Sunday, I started to write about the Lakers’ dominance and the near inevitability of a championship repeat this season. Unfortunately, I wrote too slowly, they lost to Memphis and I had to reevaluate the real quality of the Lakers’ latest wins. Of their last 10, the Lakers have won 7 games. Five of those wins have been against sub-0.500 teams, four against sub-0.400. All three losses have been to (probably) playoff-bound teams. Take away the Celtics game (because Boston gave it away), and the Lakers have only 1 win against a quality team in the last two weeks. All of that is to say that I can’t guarantee we’ll even see the Lakers in the Finals this year.

I am pretty sure, though, that Boston won’t get far in the postseason if it doesn’t make significant changes. For one, they need to acknowledge that Kevin Garnett with one good knee is not the same defensive stalwart we saw in the 07-08 season. They could even take a page out of Pop’s Playbook and sit him when the C’s have back-to-back games. Not only would this help him rest for big games, it would allow Perkins and Big Baby Uno Uno to mature and develop talent that will be central to the Celtics long after Garnett’s knee gives out for the last time. Second, Boston needs a way to get Ray Ray back on track; maybe he’s been shaving his head at 4:23 instead of 4:15 but he’s not the same clutch shooter we’ve seen for the last two years. Finally, the Celtics must establish a role for Rondo where he fits best. On Sunday, he led Boston in scoring and shot a respectable 9-16, but the Celtics will continue to post sub-90-point games as long as Rondo is the scoring leader. Instead, Rondo must become an undisputed leader on the floor, and in some respects he has. Averaging 1.5 assists per game more than last season, he is becoming a highly effective game manager. However, as long as Pierce, Allen and Garnett are the “Big Three,” Rondo will be playing fourth fiddle to them in many ways. All of these facts have driven me to one inescapable conclusion; the Celtics’ older leaders must basically be reduced to role-players in order for them to have a reasonable chance of success this season. I’m not sure what hurts more; saying that the All-Stars need to step back or knowing that there’s no way it will happen this season. If there is a silver lining to this, it’s only that Boston may come to this conclusion in the offseason (especially given Allen and Garnett’s expiring contracts). Until then, consider this my lament of what could have been for the Celtics.