Meh, this is gonna be a tough one for the Celtics to pull off ... But hey, since the team was fighting for the number one pick just a year ago (and people were thinking that even a trip to the conference finals would have been a tremendous success at the start of the season), I'm simply going to sit back and enjoy the ride (watching on a brand new HD television no less).
I think the Lakers win one in Boston, then 2 in LA, then one in Boston.
LAKERS IN SIX
I've already spent all morning collecting old Lakers/Celtics graphics from around the web and I am really looking forward to all of the cool retro video packages and old guy interviews I'm sure ESPN & ABC will be churning out this week. Thank God payday was yesterday, I got a ton of Lakers shit to buy this weekend.
I have a bad feeling about this. A whole chunk of people are calling the Lakers the favorite in this series, which worries me big time. Hell, even Bill Simmons is calling this one for the Lakers. Last time this happened, it was the '04 Finals and everyone (except, oddly enough, people on this board) was predicting a Lakers win. What happened then? Lakers were swept in four.
Originally posted by It's FalseI have a bad feeling about this. A whole chunk of people are calling the Lakers the favorite in this series, which worries me big time. Hell, even Bill Simmons is calling this one for the Lakers. Last time this happened, it was the '04 Finals and everyone (except, oddly enough, people on this board) was predicting a Lakers win. What happened then? Lakers were swept in four.
I smell a whammy.
But I still say Lakers in 7.
I'm as guilty as everyone else about it, but the Lakers won Game 2 of the '04 Finals to lose in 5. For those frustrated Kings fans, remember, Pollard is on the Celtics payroll. Anyway Stuart Scott could get dumped and Brent Musburger takes his rightful place hosting the NBA Finals? I'll settle for the Stuart Scott getting dumped part. Jackson is not passing Red on the titles list against the Celtics. Pierce usually has huge games out in LA in his career, so I'll say split the first 2, Celtics take 3 and 5 in LA and win the series in 6.
Originally posted by piemanI am going with the homer pick and select Celtics in 7.
I really want to do same, I really do. Especially in fact of the Celtics stomping out the Lakers in both games this season and holding the advantage in the finals, 9-2. But the last time I had someone in a sports finale who actually won was with the Steelers in 06, so my choices have been incredibly shitty.
Ah, what the hell, I really want to see Garnett over Kobe in 7, just to keep that whiner from being rewarded.
Originally posted by RecklessEricQuick (and possibly stupid) question: Why on earth do they change the format for the playoffs just for the finals? 2-2-1-1-1 goes to 2-3-2? Why?
League office takes over the arrangements for the Finals rather than the home team, thus for logistic reasons they changed it after 1984, when they had had 7 of the previous 8 Finals contested between teams on the eastern seaboard against teams on the pacific coast. I prefer 2-2-1-1-1 because in that instance the team with the home court advantage never falls behind if serve isn't broken, and because I'll never doubt the Celtics would have won in '85 if Game 5 was in Boston instead of LA.
"I was gonna take the deal, right up until the point where I remembered how much I was looking forward to flinging an angry housecat in someone's soft and unprotected face." --Belkar Bitterleaf; The Order of the Stick
Fan of the Indianapolis Colts (Super Bowl XLI Champions), Indiana Pacers and Washington Nationals
Certified RFMC Member-- Ask To See My Credentials!
Originally posted by It's FalseLast time this happened, it was the '04 Finals and everyone (except, oddly enough, people on this board) was predicting a Lakers win.
Not quite everyone.
Originally posted by It's FalseWhat happened then? Lakers were swept in four.
Haha. But I like it that you remember it that way.
I predict one of the teams will win a few boring games followed by everyone turning to NBA TV to watch the games from the 80s in their entirety because ABC keeps interrupting them on their channel with the vastly inferior 2008 redux.
Lakers in 6 mostly because Ray Allen will have a horrendous series. The Lakers will put Kobe on him to keep Kobe fresh offensively and will put Odom on Pierce - which will give Pierce spurts of fits. Garnett always fails to show up in the crunch and with Kobe offering late game help to Odom on Pierce and Allen not able to hit a J, the Lakers will roll. Celtics will take games 1 and 4. Lakers will take games 2, 3, 5 and 6.
Of course, if the NBA wants to milk the series for 7 games for ratings, the Celtics will win game 6 by shooting 67 foul shots to LAs 12, but then LA will come back and take it in 7.
"Marriage is like that show Everybody Loves Raymond, but its not funny. All the problems are the same, but you know instead of all the funny, pithy dialogue, everybody is really pissed off and tense. Marriage is like a tense, unfunny version of 'Everybody Loves Raymond', only it doesn't last 22 minutes. It lasts forever."
Originally posted by ekedolphinWow, Celtics came very close to blowing Game 2, didn't they?
The Lakers blew it long before the Celts almost did, letting a total nobody like Leon Powe run wild on them throughout the game. That was just ridiculous.
When the Celtics play defense, they play well. When they fall asleep on defense, they are very beatable. Considering they didn't trust Cassell to come in with a 20+ point lead going into the 4th quarter, is that a sign Eddie House gets brought back into the mix? Still seems like Bizarro World seeing Kareem doing the Celtics pre and post game show.
Originally posted by It's Falsea total nobody like Leon Powe
Now now, I wouldn't exactly call Powe a nobody, that's a tad harsh ... Remember, if he hadn't suffered from injury problems in college, he probably would have been a lottery pick when he was drafted.
He's very good at what he does, and should have a long career in the pros when all is said and done ...
Originally posted by redsoxnationConsidering they didn't trust Cassell to come in with a 20+ point lead going into the 4th quarter
Cassell had a sprained wrist (hoopsworld.com) ... which is kind of sad that the only way Doc's not giving him minutes is if he's injured (oh man, that fallaway jumpshot over - Kobe, I think it was - that hit nothing but air was painful to watch).
Originally posted by It's Falsea total nobody like Leon Powe
Now now, I wouldn't exactly call Powe a nobody, that's a tad harsh ... Remember, if he hadn't suffered from injury problems in college, he probably would have been a lottery pick when he was drafted.
I really wanted them to maintain the massive lead so I could work in a "POWEnd" joke, but that clumsy-ass finish was pretty embarrassing. Oh well, it's a win!
Living in L.A. and rooting for the Celtics is dangerous business. 21 years ago, I would have hated myself, but that was before I married into a pro-Celtics family.
I'm torn though, because this is one of the most enjoyable teams the Lakers have had in years. Maybe someday I can get over my somewhat illogical Kobe hate.
Thread ahead: Suns hire coaching staff; names include Bill Cartwright, Dan Majerle Next thread: Grizzlies' Navaro returns to Spain Previous thread: Hawks coach Mike Woodson given two-year extension