2008 NBA Finals: Lakers vs. Celtics

[Carnival 0]

Congrats to KG, but I think Ray Allen is a POS.

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT????

 

That man should have been the Finals MVP.

[The Niggardly King 0]

Yeah, no way Jesus is a piece of shit

[Warriorfan 0]

Kobe is the new Jordan huh, he wasn't even Harold Miner in the Finals. The Lakers performance in game 6 was beyond pathetic and I'm glad I didn't bother to watch. The only solace I can take out of the 2008 Finals is that I hate all things Boston even more and now I hate The Lakers for allowing Boston to add to their championship tally.

[-DeN- 0]

That was wierd.

 

"Almost 22 points a game averaged..." and he pauses so people can boo him?

 

"Truth" chant. At first Stern thought it was just more booing, but you could see him say "oh, Truth".

 

 

That's Cedric Maxwell ('81 Finals MVP) that does the radio calls. He's absolutely insane and I love listening to him call games.

 

I concur:

 

"He got him in the Pop, Pop, Popcorn Popper...

 

...Quack Quack!!!".

 

 

On top of all that insight, I'd just like to add that I love Rondo's game. The Celtics as constituted now (even while probably losing Posey, and to a lesser extent Brown and Casell) have a championship contention shelf life of at best a couple years, but I'm hopeful long-term.

 

He's nifty.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus 0]

[Guest]

I know everyone's saying that the Lakers will be all right next year, but they showed absolutely NO physical presence in this series save for stretches in games 3 and 5. That doesn't bode well for them since what should be the top teams in the East in '09 (Boston, Detroit, Cleveland, etc.) are physical teams. Bynum should help, but Pau Gasol absolutely wilted like a flower in this series and they really, really need to move Odom somewhere else.

Bynum's easily a top five center and one of the more physical players (with actual talent, that is, not a scrub like Danny Fortson) in the league. How does adding a player like that not help the Lakers in the areas in which they failed this series?

 

They couldn't rebound. Couldn't block shots. Couldn't stop penetration. Weren't physical on offense. Bynum instantly gives a giant boost in all four of those areas. Their failures were entirely on defense and in the paint. Not anywhere else. You guys shouldn't forget that Gasol isn't a natural center, and Odom isn't a true powerforward. Those guys are easily beaten physically.

 

With Bynum available, Gasol's going to be able to play off of him. Best of all, there's not a single player on the court that can get doubled with Bynum, Gasol, and Kobe on the court. Not possible. Matchup heaven.

 

Odom is a non-factor. He'll be moved out, so we'll never see how he plays with Bynum and Gasol. The Lakers should look to grab Artest with the MLE, if he opts out. Re-sign Sasha, let Turiaf go. With the luxury tax, they'd be paying nearly 20 million for the both of them. Can't do that. When moving Odom, I don't know what the hell the Lakers should get. A big off the bench for sure. After that, I've got no idea.

[Mr. S£im Citrus 0]

You know what tickles me about this Finals series? Seeing Pierce named Finals MVP. Why? Because it leads me to look back on the 1998 draft, and realize that, not only did nine teams pass on Pierce (none of those nine teams won a championship in the last ten years, I might add), but at least one team thought that Raef LaFrentz was going to be the better pro between the two, coming out of Kansas.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Congrats to KG, but I think Ray Allen is a POS.

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT????

 

That man should have been the Finals MVP.

I'm not doubting his ability, I just don't like the guy. The only respectable guy on the C's is Pierce, and even then he was part of the "trade me or find me some better players" crew, just as bad as KG, Allen, and for that matter, Kobe. KG was the only one who didn't make as much of a media spectacle of the three, though, and I like how much tenacity Pierce showed throughout this series.

[Mr. S£im Citrus 0]

Okay, I'll bite: what's not to like about Ray Allen?

[Ripper 0]

I know everyone's saying that the Lakers will be all right next year, but they showed absolutely NO physical presence in this series save for stretches in games 3 and 5. That doesn't bode well for them since what should be the top teams in the East in '09 (Boston, Detroit, Cleveland, etc.) are physical teams. Bynum should help, but Pau Gasol absolutely wilted like a flower in this series and they really, really need to move Odom somewhere else.

Bynum's easily a top five center and one of the more physical players (with actual talent, that is, not a scrub like Danny Fortson) in the league. How does adding a player like that not help the Lakers in the areas in which they failed this series?

 

They couldn't rebound. Couldn't block shots. Couldn't stop penetration. Weren't physical on offense. Bynum instantly gives a giant boost in all four of those areas. Their failures were entirely on defense and in the paint. Not anywhere else. You guys shouldn't forget that Gasol isn't a natural center, and Odom isn't a true powerforward. Those guys are easily beaten physically.

 

With Bynum available, Gasol's going to be able to play off of him. Best of all, there's not a single player on the court that can get doubled with Bynum, Gasol, and Kobe on the court. Not possible. Matchup heaven.

 

Odom is a non-factor. He'll be moved out, so we'll never see how he plays with Bynum and Gasol. The Lakers should look to grab Artest with the MLE, if he opts out. Re-sign Sasha, let Turiaf go. With the luxury tax, they'd be paying nearly 20 million for the both of them. Can't do that. When moving Odom, I don't know what the hell the Lakers should get. A big off the bench for sure. After that, I've got no idea.

 

 

Look, I like Bynum. I THINK that there is a chance he could be really really good.

 

HOWEVER.

 

Whats with all the assumptions that he is going to be a top Center in the league because he played well for less than half of a season? That sure is a small ass sample.

 

Plus, I still don' tthink the Gasol/Bynum front court will work honestly. you are better off with one or the other + Odem, unless you get a knock down shooter at the 3 that can also slash....not many of those around...I guess James Posey fits the bill.

 

 

[MFer 0]

So does this Finals put Pierce and/or Allen into the Hall of Fame? I've tended to think that both were "Hall of Very Good" guys before, and that they were lumped into a group with about 4-5 other current players, but their Finals (entire playoffs in Pierce's case) performances may sway some voters.

[KingPK 0]

I think they were both in (or very close) before this. Now they are definitely in and #34 is going to the rafters in a few years.

[Ripper 0]

I like the fact that Pierce and that Fackin bum Wahka have rings now.

[The Niggardly King 0]

Odom is a non-factor. He'll be moved out, so we'll never see how he plays with Bynum and Gasol. The Lakers should look to grab Artest with the MLE, if he opts out. Re-sign Sasha, let Turiaf go. With the luxury tax, they'd be paying nearly 20 million for the both of them. Can't do that. When moving Odom, I don't know what the hell the Lakers should get. A big off the bench for sure. After that, I've got no idea.

 

I was big on letting Odom go... but in thinking... do they really want Radmanovich to be starting small forward? Cuz that's what exactly is going to happen.

 

And there's now way Sasha is getting resigned with the Lakers salary. I can seriously see a few teams being stupid enough to offer him something in the 6-8 million range. I see Turiaf staying.

[The Niggardly King 0]

I don't like KG personally... find him to be a douche... but fuck it was awesome to see that celebration of his.

[godthedog 0]

my guess is that this lakers team furiously blows itself up for not winning the finals, like they did in 2004. and that it takes another 3 years before kobe gets to the finals again.

 

also: wasn't lakers-pistons game 5 the last game doc rivers called play-by-play on before he started coaching the celtics? or am i remembering that wrong?

[The Niggardly King 0]

And I really hate how this is supposed to be the greatest rivalry in all of sports... fuck that, one team getting the shit kicked out of them consistently isn't quite a rivalry.

[Steviekick 0]

my guess is that this lakers team furiously blows itself up for not winning the finals, like they did in 2004. and that it takes another 3 years before kobe gets to the finals again.

 

also: wasn't lakers-pistons game 5 the last game doc rivers called play-by-play on before he started coaching the celtics? or am i remembering that wrong?

 

I think you might be wrong. I thought Doc worked for TNT sports.

[KingPK 0]

Nope, he was on the ABC team.

[Damaramu 0]

Those bitches at the mall didn't have any Celtics championship stuff.

 

I ordered it off the NBA.com store. I couldn't decide between the Pierce MVP shirt and the Celtics shirt with all the banners, I went with the banner shirt in the end.

[Guest Jesus Freaks on Coke]

Paul Pierce can't be a Hall of Famer. He wasn't even a Hall of Famer before this. Does the Basketball HOF just let anybody in or what?

 

I don't really care about this Celtics championship. The Celtics were mediocre, then they got three mercenaries in one offseason, and they were expected to win, and then they did. I don't think amazing happened here.

[Damaramu 0]

Three mercenaries? Pierce was already on the team.

[nl5xsk1 0]

Paul Pierce can't be a Hall of Famer. He wasn't even a Hall of Famer before this. Does the Basketball HOF just let anybody in or what?

Makes no sense, Czech. He wasn't one before, but then led a team to a championship and was named MVP. So while I agree that he wasn't a HOF'er before, I don't see how that's relevant to him being one now. Lots of players "earn" their HOF-candidacy based on a single postseason. Having said that, I'd agree that he's borderline (at best) at this point - but the likelihood of going in increased a lot because of the last month or so of basketball.

 

The Celtics were mediocre

 

False, the Celtics were pitiful, amongst the worst in the league. "Mediocre" would be a stretch.

 

then they got three mercenaries in one offseason

Allen, Garnett, and who? And it's not like it's easy to pick up "mercenaries" - they gave up most of their young talent to acquire those players. They didn't just overpay for them, they traded assets for assets.

 

and they were expected to win, and then they did. I don't think amazing happened here.

"Expected to win"?!? They were underdogs going into the championship round, and in most (if not all) of the games. Doesn't sound like they were expected to win to me. I think a lot of people were expecting them to do what the Lakers did when they loaded up with Malone & Payton: get there and not win.

[KingPK 0]

I'm just tuning out Czech's schtick at this point.

[Guest Jesus Freaks on Coke]

What are the criteria for the Basketball Hall of Fame? Prove to me that Paul Pierce is a transcendent professional basketball player. He's good. He's not a legend, and all the Bill Simmons columns in the world won't change that.*

 

*I hope

[Mr. S£im Citrus 0]

Paul Pierce can't be a Hall of Famer. He wasn't even a Hall of Famer before this.

Steve Nash wasn't Hall of Fame material... until he became so.

[Damaramu 0]

Paul Pierce can't be a Hall of Famer. He wasn't even a Hall of Famer before this.

Steve Nash wasn't Hall of Fame material... until he became so.

 

Yeah but Steve Nash seems to spark intense debate when brought up.

 

The other night a guy on ESPN radio was saying Pierce wasn't a top 10 player in the NBA, then he listed his top 6 and he had Nash at like No. 5. Then there's other people that will swear up and down Nash isn't even a top 25 player.

 

I have a feeling Pierce may be heading down that road now.

[Mr. S£im Citrus 0]

What are the criteria for the Basketball Hall of Fame? Prove to me that Paul Pierce is a transcendent professional basketball player.

A transcendental player? Like KC Jones?

 

basketballreference has a fairly reliable HOF monitor; it has Pierce with a 120 rating, with 135 + as probably HOFers. Pierce's current number does not appear to take his Finals MVP into account.

[Guest Jesus Freaks on Coke]

Phil Jackson seems pretty transcendental. I bet he's read Walden more than once.

 

I think Paul Pierce is a really good player who had a really good postseason at the same time that he had a really good team around him, but he's hardly a legend of the game. I've heard people say that the Basketball Hall of Fame is too cluttered and could use some purgings. I want to take a look at that. You could make that case for all four, actually, though the only real gripe with unworthy enshrinements in Cooperstown is when that one guy on the Veterans' Committee stuck a bunch of shitty Cardinal teammates in there. Other than that and keeping Ron Santo out, baseball gets it right.

 

They inducted the 1966 Texas Western championship team? As a team? Sham induction. Go retire #1 for the fans while you're at it.

 

Pete Maravich? Meh. Probably not.

 

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus 0]

You know, it amuses me to read on some forums people bitching about Garnett, and saying that he rode Pierce's coattails to a championship, and then come here and read you basically saying that Pierce isn't that good.