Our Turn

Finally, our turn! My generation got to see something special the other night with the Celtics winning the NBA championship. I wrote about this in one of my first posts, the fact that I had heard so many great things about the past but never experienced anything for myself in terms of basketball. Basketball was my first love as a kid. It was the sport I was best at growing up. I collected cards, played the video games, and really followed it the most. Yet the Celtics were always at the basement of the NBA. Everything changed this past summer and into this season. Now I have my own memories.


Celtics 131 and Lakers 92. Banner number 17 will be raised next year! Let me say that again 131-92. I still cannot believe that game last night. The Lakers showed signs of life early when Kobe Bryant looked on his way to redeeming his legacy after a subpar finals performance. Unfortunatley for Kobe the task was insurmountable considering his supporting cast and his opponent.

This game was perfection. Using a cinematic analogy (as always) it was what I expect the new Batman movie to be like. I was at a party watching it and could not believe the way the Lakers folded. They folded terribly. I was drinking, but holding off on victory shots until we would have the game in hand. Lets put it this way I was hammered by mid-3rd quater. The fact that the Lakers blew the 24 point lead in game 4 was embarrsing. Then the Lakers managed to squander a 19 point deficit by halftime in game 5 before eventually prevailing anyways. Even though these two games would have been a blackmark on the Lakers and Kobe Bryant; I actually think they would have saved-face more if they had lost game 5 rather then coming back here and putting on that display at the Garden.

Looking back at this series we will see the emergence of Paul Pierce and his legacy will forever be expediented through this postseason. He drops 41 on Cleveland during game 7 to put us in the Conference Finals. Game 6 in Detriot he was called for a foul on a terrible call and instead of losing control (like he would have in the past), he gathers himself and leads the comeback to plumett the C's into the finals.

Then in the finals he has a series of memorable games. The "Willis Reed" game 1, where Pierce has to be helped to the locker-room after getting injured and comes back to drop two HUGE 3 pointers on the Lakers. (By the way there is NO WAY Pierce faked this injury. Pierce was once stabbed 11 times at a night club, nearly died, and came back to play a PRESEASON game in 2 weeks later. Really? We are going to question his toughness and drive? The fact that many media figureheads even suggested this is a joke. The guy got hurt and maybe he over-reacted, but he was scared and there is nothing wrong with that. Simba leaves his home for 10 years before coming back to take his thrown and yet the Lion King is never questioned. Haku Mumatta Baby..). Pierce thoroughly outplayed Kobe Bryant. He shut down Kobe in the game 4 comeback. In game 5 Pierce was the only Celtic to show up dropping 38 on the Lakers only to lose. In game 6, Pierce scored 17 along with 10 assists and facilitated the offense. Earning Pierce the MVP for the series and a place in the hearts of New Englanders for life. I think "The Truth's" number 34 could grace the rafters in Boston one day after this performance.

KG will now also never have the question marks about his fortitude in big games. His 300 type 3 point play just before half-time in a word was----rediculous. He got to the middle of the paint and litterally double clutched the ball with one hand and HUCKED it off the backboard and in. I am not even sure if hucked is the right adjective. Spiked? Look at this video on youtube. The 1:22 mark shows the aforementioned play. Bottom line though watching the highlight reel: He was like a Spartan--ready for destiny and fierce to the point where he needs to think about therapy or something. I will admit that KG had some bad games in the finals. (particulary game 5, where the C's needed Garnett to play big minutes due to Kendrick Perkins being out of the lineup. Garnett was subdued to early foul trouble, never got into the game, and finally missed two clutch free throws in the final two minutes that would have tied the game at 95) However when the Celts needed him the most he was there. He took responsibility and heightened his game when it counted.

Ray Allen--where have you been all playoffs. With exception of a few good games against Detroit in the Conference Finals, Ray Allen had been a shadow of himself during the postseason. I mean people were scared when Ray took shots. This is Ray Allen for heaven's sake. One of the best "pure" shooters of all time. And we are holding our breathe every time he takes a shot like it is Joey from the Real World going out to the bars. However in the finals, Allen was the most consistent player. He was not the MVP, but Ray did not have a BAD game during the whole series. He guarded Kobe for the most part and hit 22 three pointers in the finals alone. His 7 three pointers in Game 6 were the dagger the Celtics needed to deliver. Because of Allen's performance the Celtics found themselves to be well on their way to BANNER 17.

Many critics thought Allen could be washed up, but Allen showed up much like Rocky against Mason "The Line Dixon." In that movie the Itailian Staillion was being judged by the media after a computer simulation stated that Balboa could be the reigning champion in his HAYDAY and of course Rocky decides to take the fight causing much scrutiny. Rocky then shows up and almost beats the champion much to the shock of the crowd. I feel like "coverage" for that bout was much of the same for Ray Allen throughout the playoffs. Many figureheads though Sugar Ray was done playing well, but Allen pulled through and delivered in the finals. (Does this analogy really work? At this point you know I have to use at least one Rocky analogy in my posts. I love Rocky and I love Sports- they coincide to well to NOT go there. But in this case Rocky was like 67 fighting Dixon who looks like he is 33 tops. Ray Allen is 32 and definatley aging, but the fact that the media destryoed him during the Cavs series is so odd. He still could shoot and I am happy Sugar Ray came back strong and proved everyone wrong. Note: I love how rocky almost beats Dixon in this moive--really realistic. Oh Sly anything to earn another paycheck..)

Another thing we learned from the comeback game and last nights BEATING of L.A. (we did not beat l.a.; we BEAT L.A.) is that Kobe is not Jordan. I think it was an unfair comparison. Everyone was looking for the next M.J. as soon as he left and Kobe came into the league right around that time. He quickly became a great player. Then the Shaq thing happened and Kobe wanted to accept the challenge of winning it without the Diesel. To me this was not arrogant or ignorant. In fact, it was actually impressive. I congratulate Kobe for wanting to do it his way and coming very close. It is not completely his fault the Lakers lost. They ran into the buzzsaw known as the Boston Celtics, but his airness even at his worst would never let his team blow a 24 point lead at home or get embarrassed by 39 in the finals. End of discussion. Jordan would have never let it happen and there will never be another Jordan.

The thing that gets me about this championship over any of the other championships in this amazing decade of Boston sports is that it was so unexpected. I mean really think about where we were last year. Second worst record in the league, 5th pick in the draft, a disgruntled Paul Pierce, and so much frustration built up from past endeavors that failed. Danny Ainge defied everyone by bringing in Ray Allen. No one really thought this was a great move at the time. But it was what we needed to attract Kevin Garnett (who originally would not come to Boston). I mean really think about it when comparing it to the other sports and our championships....

The Red Sox amazing comeback in '04 (down 3-0 to the Yankees and making history) was certainly not expected because of the HUGE whole they had dug themselves. But think about it this way- if you were to tell me that the Sox would win the World Series in '04 at the end of '03 I would not be shocked. We were one Grady Little mistake from getting to the World Series in '03. This would not have been completely out of the realm of the possiblity. The Patriots win in '01 was certainly not expected and if you asked me after the 2000 season I would have thought you were crazy. HOWEVER, it is the NFL- the league is all about parody. Teams go from awful to in the playoffs every year or vice versa. Plus once a team is in the playoffs there is a chance, because it is one and done so the better team does not always win (UGGGGH this last Super Bowl, I commend the G-Men, but lets be honest the Pats were the better team). Plus the NFL allows teams to cut players and has non-guarenttee contracts- meaning mistakes can be made and a franchise can recover (as long as they manage their salary cap and make good choices in the Draft). None of the repeats for either the Sox or Pats could be perceived as shocking.

However the NBA is completely different. Contracts are tough and lock teams down financially. For example, Vin Baker was an ALCOHOLIC that literally was not playing anymore for the Celtics but his salary still counted towards our cap. In addition, trades are extremely difficult to pull off because the salaries have to match. Furthermore it is tough to take the luxury tax hit that is charged if ownership does committ (the sport's popularity is not nearly as high as baseball. The Sox can take the hit. They make the difference up easily in their revenue and always compete. Thats why the salarly cap is a virtual joke in baseball. The Sox and Yankees do not compete on the same financial playing field as the Kansas City Royals. Baseball is not a monopoly, there are still aberations like the '07 Rookies, but there are certainly conglomerates that have a legitimate competitive advantage every year because of their markets. Eventually I will write a full length post on this). Either way THIS is why the Celtics winning the title seems SO SURREAL.

A final point about basketball and the Celtics in general. I know that the 80's were the haydays and teamwork was more prevalent. I know today's game is a lot of one on one stuff and at times trying to watch. HOWEVER, we cannot just ignore the good stuff in today's game. The players are stronger, faster, and overall better atheletes. Sure the attitudes and lack of defense get annoying as well---but there is some good in today's game. That is what makes this Celtics championship so amazing. They do play defense, they do legimately care about winning and each other, and they have passion. They did things this year that were simply breathtaking--I think they saved basketball to some degree. There success can only make the league more appealing because of the market they are in (Boston LOVES sports) and the way they go about the game. This was our turn to revel in a team's success and I am proud to have witnessed the time we whopped L.A. by 39.