With the way the Eastern and Western Conference Finals are going, it looks more and more like a Boston-Los Angeles affair for the 2010 NBA title. A renewal of rivalry vows.
Why? Let’s have the merry men in green first. We have expected their butts to be skewered by LeBron James and his Cavaliers but the opposite happened. The Celtics, despite their stars nearing extinction, have shown much hunger and the desire to win games.
Orlando only has Dwight Howard, Vince Carter and Jameer Nelson showing brilliance.
Rashard Lewis, Mikael Pietrus, JJ Reddick and Matt Barnes are inconsistent.
Critics, including this deadline beater, have written off Kevin Garnett’s chances of another Finals appearance because of his assorted knee and foot injuries. Paul Pierce had his share of maladies that I have even discounted their appearance in the playoffs.
Hello Rajon Rondo. Admittedly, KG, Pierce and Ray Allen are the heart and soul of the Celtics but Rondo runs the show. Shooters in green are happily content going to their favorite spots knowing that number nine almost always finds them.
The big three will want to nail a ticket to the finals knowing fully well that this could be their last run together as a unit. They only have a year, two the most, of good playing years left and while the odds are with them, they better make something good out of it.
The support crew has been impressive lately. Even Rasheed Wallace has checked his temper and contributed significantly. Kendrick Perkins, Glen Davis and Tony Allen had been consistent. If only the Big Baby can get rid of his butter fingers, they would have a stronger inside presence.
This eight-man rotation is doing well for Coach Doc Rivers.
In the Pacific, the battle is Men versus Boys. Phoenix is undersized compared to Los Angeles. Amare Stoudemire is only human and he can’t do it all in the middle.
Come to think of it, the Suns never had a “middle” in the first place.
Yes, Andrew Bynum is limping with a torn miniscus or something in his knee but Coach Phil Jackson has been very calculating in the way he puts Bynum in the game and has given good results. He had 10-plus points and maybe 6 or 7 rebounds in their Game 2 win yesterday.
Kobe is Kobe is Kobe. Enough said. Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom and Ron Artest minus the attitude are becoming fun to watch. The three guards - Derek Fisher, Shannon Brown and Jordan Farmar can explode if given the chance. Throw in Luke Walton and Sasha Vujacic to the blend and you have a potent cocktail mix.
This could be Kobe’s final run to glory. Why? Let’s face it, injuries have taken their toll on his body and he can’t play on with the same vigor day in and day out.
He has reached the apex of his career and he has to go out in style, with a very big bang. If Kobe can’t carry the Lakers to the Finals this time, next year will be very iffy.
We all like tradition and this Celtic-Laker rivalry is traditionally classic. Bill
Russell and Wilt Chamberlain battling for rebounds; Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Robert Parrish exchanging skyhooks; Larry Bird and Magic Johnson with their jaw-dropping plays, and now Kobe, Pau, Odom, KG, Pierce and Allen. Ahh, I love this game!
bobbytoohotty@lycos.com