Just had to rerun this one from 2008. When the Lakers play the Celtics everything is inflated: Winning is way better and losing is far worse. Hopefully with Bynum (sort of) playing and Artest to stop Paul Pierce the outcome will be different this time.
Go Lakers!
—-
I hardly watch any sports on TV, which saves me tons of time. I can honestly say I don’t miss it much. But I will have to tune into some of the Lakers / Celtics NBA Finals this year (aside from a few games where I have conflicts with family things).
It brings back many memories – bad (Boston beating Milwaukee in 1974 when Kareem played there), really bad (LA choking and losing to Boston in 1984), really good (LA beating Boston in 1987, plus their other championships), and the absolute all-time best: Beating the Celtics in Boston in 1985.
Kareem was unbelievable. 38 years old and still dominating the game from beginning to end.
Best Boston-LA Finals moment ever: watching Magic sink that running hook shot from the foul line in 1987.
Oh yeah, that one was sweet!
People actually watch basketball? I don’t get it.
[GLARES AT NEIL]
I was named in honour of Kevin McHale. (He was the “strong Celtic.” My name is Celtic and means “strong.” So the ‘rents got all excited when they looked up my name in a baby book; at that point, it went from being a possibility to my appellation.)
D’oh! You, uh, may not want to watch the YouTube then. It is theoretically possible that Mr. McHale fouls out at some point.
I will say that he was an outstanding player (When he wasn’t busy clothes-lining Kurt Rambis in 1984. Not that I’m bitter.)
Best Final Ever.
2007 Soccer Gold Cup Final between U.S. and Mexico. Mexico lost (sniff) but it was a great game.
I can think of six Finals I liked better and they each include one Michael Jeffrey Jordan. Number 23. Best player ever. Couldn’t handle the curve ball, though.
ugh, how can you like the Lakers? Go Celtics!
It was pretty awesome in 2008, I think it was Game 1 when Paul Pierce came back when they thought he would be out of the game. An injury I’m sure Laker’s fans thought was staged.
As a Bulls fan, I can’t get too excited about either the Lakers or the Celtics. I used to favor the Celtics more than the Lakers, or to put it another way, disliked them less. Now, hoever, I can’t stand the Celtics, particularly the over-the-top emoting by Garnett and Perkins, the over-hyping of Rondo (sickening—Derrick Rose is far superior with the possible exception of the defensive side), and now, Lil’ Nate needs to get over himself. In short, they lack class and frankly, for all the guns aren’t really that good. I think Orlando showed how to beat them but then went back to playing stupidly in the final game. (Dwight Howard—totally over-rated).
As for the Lakers, Bryant is surely on par with Jordans, Johnsons and Birds of the past, no doubt about it, and he doesn’t seem to make me sick like he used to as a young punk. Though Artest seems like he’s better suited to be another low-class personality of the Boston team, all in all, I find the Lakers less obnoxious. But they’ll need more than Kobe and Gasol playing well to win. Fischer will be ready. How ’bout Odum? We’ll see.
Right now, the Hawks are up 1-0 in the Cup. That’s the main thing.
Good analysis. What I hear you saying is that you think the Lakers are super awesome and will definitely beat the evil Celtics.
Sorry for the delay in posting. For some reason your last two comments got caught in the sp*m filter. No idea why.