Q & A with the Enemy: Previewing Lakers-Celtics Game Seven
by wondahbap on Jun 16, 2010 7:04 PM PDT
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Yesterday, I did a Q & A with Steve Weinman, of TrueHoop's D-League Digest, who just happens to be a lifelong Celtics fans and writer for CelticsBlog. Although he had the misfortune of being born into a Celtics-rooting home, he's still a pretty cool guy and quite knowledgeable when it comes to basketball, especially about those chumps in green. So, I decided to pick his brain for his thoughts on Game Seven. ( Oh, and he's bleeds Dodger Blue. Does that help some? Maybe after Thursday...) You can view my answers to his questions here.
Wondahbap: Obviously, the big story going into Game Seven is Kendrick Perkins' injury. I always thought his presence was one of, if not the most, crucial aspect to the Celtics' defense against the Lakers. What can the Celtics do to overcome his absence?
Weinman: There is no question that losing Perk is a major blow (which is not some excuse-in-advance for Game Seven or an implied claim that Game Six, an out-and-out disaster from the green perspective no matter who was on the floor, would have gone all that differently without him). He has been the team's most consistent low-post defensive presence throughout the year, and particularly against a team with the Lakers' size, the Celts need all the bulk they can get....
More after the Jump...
That said, this Celts team has gotten it done by committee throughout the postseason, and the green will need the same to hold true to take care of business in Game Seven. It's not so much about any one player having a monster game as it is getting solid minutes across the board from Rasheed Wallace, Glen Davis and whoever Doc Rivers elects to use as his fourth big, be it Brian Scalabrine or Shelden Williams. To my eye, Wallace has been the team's most effective defender against Pau Gasol (his work in the second half of Game Four comes to mind in particular). The Infuriated Infant has given the Celtics solid energy off the bench, but he's been inconsistent, posting fine offensive performances in Games Three and Four and going scoreless since. If the Celts can avoid foul trouble and get a little bit from bigs two through four and something more resembling a turn-back-the-clock game from the elephant sitting in the corner of the room in this discussion (you know, the future HoF power forward whose performances have been all over the map), I think they'll have a reasonable shot to pull this one out in spite of Perk's absence.
Weinman: Stranger things have happened. But I don't have much else to add to that. The Lakers have terrific size in their frontcourt, and Bynum and Gasol were causing problems while the Celts were at full strength. Can't help to lose your center. Speaking of losing centers, however, I have no idea what to expect from Bynum health-wise at this point, and if he's limited physically (which I have no desire to see), that would be a notable step toward evening the scales.
Weinman: As I mentioned earlier, Rasheed has done a good job with Pau in this series. During the Celtics' bench-sparked run in the fourth quarter of Game Four, Wallace's work against Gasol on the block defensively kept him on the floor despite another rough night shooting the ball. While I don't know how thrilled I am about KG taking Bynum at this point (if Bynum is anywhere close to healthy, he just has more strength), I think we'll see a lot of Wallace taking Gasol. Further, if Bynum is limited, Garnett is definitely the better match-up for Odom than Wallace would be.
Offensively, Rasheed's presence is... weird. Here's a guy who shot 28.3% from the three-point line in the regular season, posted a 50.4% true shooting mark during the year and has been better but not spectacular in the playoffs at 35.3% and 53.6% on those figures, respectively (and he's 4-for-17 on threes in this Finals) - but he still unquestionably requires attention that Perk doesn't. There's the obvious point that even as poorly as he has shot from deep over the duration of the season and through this series, he still has three-point range and can't be completely ignored. But of potentially even greater value (if he would just commit to going to the block) is that he's far more capable of creating his own shot inside than Perk is. If Wallace posts up, his length and craftiness give him the ability to cause trouble with his fade to the baseline and stand-up bank from the wings as well as a couple of moves going toward the middle of the paint.
Of the many things about this Celtics team that have baffled me all year, Rasheed Wallace is close to the top of the list. I was ready to run him out of town by the early spring, and while I'm still not sure that feeling has completely changed, he's also had important flashes of value this postseason. I have no idea what to expect from him or how it affects this team in Game Seven. I hope he plays well.
Weinman: I really liked what we saw from Shelden Williams in the opportunities he got early in the season before the Pugnacious Papoose (Big Baby) returned from injury. Thought he showed himself capable of contributing both on the glass and defensively, and there were times this throughout the season when I would have liked to see more of him, especially because I thought he was more the victim of circumstance and the numbers game than actually playing his way out of the rotation. That said, he hasn't been a regular part of the in-game activities for several months now, and that makes the results on Tuesday and at the end of the first half of Game Two less than surprising. While I expected him to look better than he did in his limited minutes, the time without game action takes a toll. If the Celts' bigs can stay out of foul trouble, it's hard to see him getting any significant run in Game Seven, and at this point, I'd have a hard time faulting Doc for that.
Weinman: It's absolutely Rajon Rondo, although getting him established has more to do with the defense than the offense. The Celtics' 22nd ranking in pace this season is more a testament to the fact that when they end up resetting into halfcourt sets, they don't take a lot of quick shots. It doesn't mean that they don't like to run. The Celts flourish offensively when they get stops, get the ball to Rondo (although he starts his own share of breaks by collecting the boards himself) and push in transition. Given his speed, it's no great insight on my part to say that he's most dangerous in the open court, and once he gets defenders on their heels in odd-man rushes, the Celtics' offense jumps a notch - or several. Once Rondo gets to the rim a couple of times, it's going to be that much easier for Ray Allen and Paul Pierce to get space from the outside and Kevin Garnett to start making catches wide open from the elbows extended. Further, when the Celtics run, Rondo ends up creating easy transition lay-ins for his teammates, and each of the big three could benefit from a couple of easy look at the outset, especially given how each have struggled at times this series.
I'm all aboard the Rondo train when it comes to his importance to this offense, though it bears noting that any team with even a slightly unreliable free throw shooter as primary ball-handler is playing with fire, much less a point guard who has gone 4-for-17 from the alleged charity stripe in this series. Still, an active and effective Rondo could make the greatest positive difference on his teammates in this game.
Bill Simmons: Uniquely polarizing
Weinman: There are way too many divergent views among Celts fans for me to feel comfortable speaking for anyone other than myself on this one, so I'll cop out on the "most Celtics fans" part, but I'll try for this Celtics fan: It's amazing what an underachieving regular season will do for your perspective. At the beginning of the year, I expected the Celtics to be one of the league's two best teams, and if you told me that the Lakers and Celtics would be playing in a seventh game for the title, that wouldn't have been much of a shock - or a problem. Of course, I want to see the Celtics win this game. Badly. But going into the season? There are 30 teams in the league. One of them goes home champion each year. As a fan, if you're going to believe that the season is a complete failure any year that doesn't end in a title, you're going to spend a lot of time moping around.
But by the time early April rolled around, all evidence pointed to Cleveland and Orlando being clearly better in the East and Atlanta probably causing major match-up problems for the Celtics. Out west, the Lakers...and possibly everyone else...looked like they could be a problem. Getting to watch this team turn it up over the last two months has been a special experience, and I'm thrilled to have been along for the ride. I'm a big believer that the championship is the ultimate ends-justifies-the-means (off-court misconduct excepted) for performance over the course of a long season. Win, and I expect a lot of people to see the whole of 2009-10 in a different light. Win or lose, I'm still proud of what this team has accomplished during this postseason run and happy that I got to experience four rounds of mostly excellent basketball. But you won't see as many folks ready to forget some of the missteps of the regular season. Maybe that's not fair. But when you have guys talking about 70-plus wins at the season's outset, and when you come out with as many complete no-shows as this team did against clearly inferior competition this season (even with the health issues taken into account), particularly on its home floor, well, tough nuggies when it comes to what's fair. This team earned the beating it took from its critics during the regular season, and that made the bar to vanquish the frustrations of the regular schedule that much higher. So it goes. I hope that made some kind of sense.
Wondahbap: Your predictions for Game 7?
Sadly, I am not much of a subscriber to the theories of the IntangiblesMetrics community (one can only imagine where Derek Fisher ranks in Grit Produced), so I'll channel my inner Ken Tremendous (come on, who else sorely misses FJM?) and say that I think the team that plays better offense and defense and in effect scores more points, well, I think that team will have a super-decent chance to win.
Sorry, couldn't resist. Honestly, that goofiness aside, I don't have a clue how it goes tonight, and I couldn't be happier about it. It's Game 7 of the Finals between two great teams who also happen to represent the league's two most storied franchises. Seriously, what could be better? Regardless of what happens tonight, it will be worth remembering how excited you felt leading up to this game. I know I will.
Of course, there's no way I'm not picking the Celts, so just for prognostication's sake, I'll say the green wins, 93-86. I picked those numbers off the top of my head. There is no hidden meaning. I promise. Good luck, thanks a ton to Rob and the crew here at SSR for having me aboard, and go Celts.
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DAMN IT!
Queensbridge. Littlerock.
"Derek Fisher shouldn't be allowed to shoot unless theres fewer than one second on the shot clock" - Kelly Dwyer
You had a nice run but i take my place atop the comments at this time
I would like to thank the little people, my momz and Pops and Wonda cuz without him creating this post i wouldnt have got to fulfill my greatest ambition as an SS&R member. Thank you all!
IM 1ST BABY!!
I only need 2 words for my sig now....."FUCK BOSTON"
You're First Baby?
I think that’s Malia Obama.
"Prejudice not founded on reason cannot be removed by argument." - Samuel Johnson
I'mma let you finish, but Falcon had the best 1st comment of all time!
Queensbridge. Littlerock.
"Derek Fisher shouldn't be allowed to shoot unless theres fewer than one second on the shot clock" - Kelly Dwyer
by bluexfalcon on Jun 16, 2010 7:20 PM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
Good stuff Wondahbap
I always enjoy reading your twitter updates, you’re a funny dude.
Keep up the good work.
Let’s Go Lakers!
Queensbridge. Littlerock.
"Derek Fisher shouldn't be allowed to shoot unless theres fewer than one second on the shot clock" - Kelly Dwyer
boston is going to come out with more energy
we have to match that and play like the champions we are!
garnett, wallace, big baby, whoever. gasol, odom, artest and bynum (if he can) have got to have MONSTER games!
Wallace is a mystery
But the one thing we can all expect is for him to get fouls. He’s gotten them in bunches with limited minutes so i fully expect him to be in foul trouble early. Also with no Perk i think the Lakers will control the boards pretty much the same way they did in game 6..
For some reason i think this game is gonna be anti-climatic and not the close game everyone is expecting….With that being said i see the Lakers winning comfortably. Not quite the game 6 blowout but a 10-15 point win. there it is. You heard it here 1st
I only need 2 words for my sig now....."FUCK BOSTON"
Should we expect Boston will use a 3 Big man rotation like we do?
It’s the last game, so I don’t think it’s a stretch giving KG extended minutes. Wallace has played as a starter for much of his career like Odom, so I highly doubt it would be any kind of problem to give him bigger minutes.
Perks is probably the Boston’s most consistent low post defender, but having wallace & garnett absorb his minutes are definitely not downgrades. As mentioned in previous threads, if Wallace actually played big minutes and develops a rhythm, it could even be worse for us because Wallace actually provides an offensive presence. Lakers definitely shouldn’t take it feel any more relaxed.
that's exactly what i mean
with wallace on the court, we have to make sure he doesn’t see any open oppertunites.
by lakerlover2by4 on Jun 16, 2010 7:27 PM PDT up reply actions
Rasheed is older....
and if his back starts to act up due to increased minutes….it may be worse for the C’s. Sure he used to be a starter but unlike LO…Sheed is at the end of his career. He may be effective for the first 3 quarters but if he plays heavy minutes, he will fade in the fourth quarter.
if he can give them 36 solid minutes, that's pretty good.
plus, with the adrenaline of game 7, he probably won’t even feel it.
Think Sheed can actually stay out of foul trouble to even come close to playing 30+ minutes?
Increased minutes = increased Fouls for Sheed.. Him getting tired wont even matter cuz i doubt he’ll be able to stay on the floor long enough
I only need 2 words for my sig now....."FUCK BOSTON"
you'd never know...
i wouldn’t want to risk it anyways. if we prepare for the worst…we won’t shocked :)
Also, Wallace doesn't keep himself in peak shape.
If he gets big minutes, his legs could really start to go and we all know what that does to someone’s shot.
I think when people are being funny, they are actually being serious and when people are being serious, it's actually really funny.
by Rich Langford on Jun 17, 2010 12:25 AM PDT up reply actions
And can he stay away from 2 more Techs?
by bigdeal1188 on Jun 17, 2010 12:30 AM PDT up reply actions
This impacts ...
Boston’s bench more than their starters. Sheed/Davis eating up Perk’s minutes means that they’re not going to be the infusion of energy that they’ve been pretty much fueled by in their wins over LA.
And Shelden Williams? Well… as Ryen Russillo said on the NBA Today podcast:
The rim does a good job of defending Williams…
The half-crazed ramblings of a Lakers fanatic living in Japan...
I laughed at Kelly Dwyer's comment on why Paul Pierce might be nervous...
Paul Pierce? Ron Artest is crazy. You’re one step-back jumper from seeing him steal your shoe and never being heard from again.
The half-crazed ramblings of a Lakers fanatic living in Japan...
I laughed at a few of those, pretty funny.
Queensbridge. Littlerock.
"Derek Fisher shouldn't be allowed to shoot unless theres fewer than one second on the shot clock" - Kelly Dwyer
Just stopping by..
to say congrats on Game Six. Your guys absolutely smothered us. Fantastic display on both offense and defense.
Aussie Girl, Celtics Fan.
perkin lost
with perkin lost i expect celtic to play a swarming defense in the paint. the outside jumper should be available for the laker most of the times, it is up to ron and fisher shooting 3.the celtic still has the big 3 or the big 4 they still able to go on offense as normal. odd maker give laker -7.
Amazin how the narrative of the series could change from
The Celtics turned away a superstar in each series (Wade, Lebron, Howard, Kobe)
to
The only guy they couldn’t stop was Kobe.
pleasepleasepleasepleeeeeez
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
What'd I say wrong?
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
by Gil Meriken on Jun 16, 2010 10:21 PM PDT up reply actions
Nothing, your post was showing up twice when I posted.
Now the second one is gone.
"Prejudice not founded on reason cannot be removed by argument." - Samuel Johnson
OIC
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
by Gil Meriken on Jun 17, 2010 10:16 AM PDT up reply actions
I was thinking the same thing Gil.
Either way, I think it should be this to an extent. I am so tired of the Kobe bashing in the media. Boston’s defense makes people look bad. Christ, look what people were saying about Lebron, he was disinterested etc…. and then they are going to slam Kobe for taking to many shots and not getting his team involved in game 5? What a load of crap. That was an epic performance and it was already clear no one else on the team had it going at that point.
I think when people are being funny, they are actually being serious and when people are being serious, it's actually really funny.
by Rich Langford on Jun 17, 2010 12:30 AM PDT up reply actions
i think
that the lakers should not be complacent enough knowing that Perkins will not be around to defend and rebound. The Cs will surely be pumped and ready. Lakers need to step up also and match that intensity. they don’t need to play lax. this is the last game. they need to give it their best shot.
Bryant will be in his seventh NBA finals in search of his fifth championship — five more than regular season MVP LeBron James, who can only sit and watch.
absolutely
this is Pau’s and Lamars game. They need to dominate the boards and assure that big baby and rondo can’t sneak in for offensive rebounds. If Pau, Lamar, and Andrew can control the paint on defense I have a feeling Kobe will take care of the rest :)
The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist.
And if the bench brings it like they did last game...
forgetaboutit
I think when people are being funny, they are actually being serious and when people are being serious, it's actually really funny.
by Rich Langford on Jun 17, 2010 12:32 AM PDT up reply actions
really hope our guys wont get over-confident
coz perkins is out
Bryant will be in his seventh NBA finals in search of his fifth championship — five more than regular season MVP LeBron James, who can only sit and watch.
I had the same fear.
Combine Perkins being out with the fact that they are at home and coming off of a blow out and I hope this doesn’t add up to them easing off of the throttle mentally in any way.
I think when people are being funny, they are actually being serious and when people are being serious, it's actually really funny.
by Rich Langford on Jun 17, 2010 3:32 AM PDT up reply actions
i thought of something today
what if both the lakers and mexico win tomorrow. gonna be crazy in east LA…
This is what I want tomorrow.
Queensbridge. Littlerock.
"Derek Fisher shouldn't be allowed to shoot unless theres fewer than one second on the shot clock" - Kelly Dwyer
by bluexfalcon on Jun 16, 2010 10:48 PM PDT up reply actions
Tomorrow will be fun, that's for sure.
They want power. We want respect...
by SenorChuckles on Jun 17, 2010 12:09 AM PDT up reply actions
and the Dodgers are headed to Boston for Manny’s first return to the scene of the crime this weekend.
by bigdeal1188 on Jun 17, 2010 12:34 AM PDT up reply actions
That sound you hear is Bill Simmons' head exploding.
Or does that happen tonight?
I'm here to talk about the past.
there was a Lakers/C's historical on ESPN
that totally sucked compared to your post on the same subject, 67MARQUEZ
I want to see Manny take one deep, I’d love to see the look on sox fans.
They want power. We want respect...
by SenorChuckles on Jun 17, 2010 10:17 AM PDT up reply actions
The Lakers have so much more to lose in this game than Boston does
I hope they realize everything that is on the line for them. This game has the potential to bury not only their entire season, but their last championship as well if they lose. Lakers need to bring the exact attitude they brought last night.
The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist.
I've noticed you talk to yourself a couple times, now...
What’s up with that?
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure."
http://www.silverscreenandroll.com/ - Visit, and be loved. Troll, and die a painful death. =]]
Questions? Queries? Comments? Concerns? Expletive-filled inflammatory trolling? Contact me at saurav.a.das.1994@gmail.com
by Saurav A. Das on Jun 17, 2010 6:16 AM PDT up reply actions
LOL. It started as a joke on the A's site.
To the point where the natives starting calling me “Good” and “Evil”- even in person. Now I think it’s become a part of me. I’m willing to pay for therapy to make it stop. I’d hate to scare anyone here.
I'm here to talk about the past.
One of our posters has a split personality, male & female.
You’re good.
"Prejudice not founded on reason cannot be removed by argument." - Samuel Johnson
Well isn't that just kinky.
So anyway, Good Me is the one who posts normal comments, Evil Me only replies to Good Me, and it’s usually something well, evil. (More like mean, but hey, I am not the one to name us.)
And yes, I actually took time to explain that.
What really sucks is today is my day to run the baseball thread, and it’s a morning game to boot (better than 6pm, I suppose), which is kind of difficult during work. (Then again, I’m posting now, so um, never mind). But mainly I have hoops on my mind today and I am afraid that might carry over to my recap.
I'm here to talk about the past.
lmao
Queensbridge. Littlerock.
"Derek Fisher shouldn't be allowed to shoot unless theres fewer than one second on the shot clock" - Kelly Dwyer
Id like to share my quote of the day from a pistons' fan
Doc needs to win a few more with less hall of famers until he gets put on that pedestal. That being said, I think he’s a great motivator for these Celtic teams. He speaks douchebag and they understand him clearly and follow his lead on how to be a dick
not endorsing it but i think it was funny.
Our goal is to win the championship, not just the first game
-KG's recent nightmare
by Madz on Jun 16, 2010 10:00 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Hmm won't comment on that
But in a related note, did you see Tony Allen pulling on Kobe’s arm, right before Kobe got t’d up?
You think that’s the first time he’s gotten away with that type of move? That’s cheap, cheap, it’s not even veteran-savvy Fish-or-Ray-Allen-dirty, can’t believe the ref didn’t see that.
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
by Gil Meriken on Jun 16, 2010 10:34 PM PDT up reply actions
yea i couldn't believe Allen got away with it so close to the ref
but I’ve seen Sheed doing it to Pau before.
Our goal is to win the championship, not just the first game
-KG's recent nightmare
And this is why...
The Pistons won’t be competing any time soon.
GameTime!
by Celtics18and19 on Jun 17, 2010 12:32 AM PDT up reply actions
ehh
the Pistons had their run of a good 3 years with a championship as well. They just need to get their front office in check. I mean who really signs Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva hoping that their the keys to the franchise and the future.
Joe Dumars does
That was what he was saving all that cap space for?
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
big baby predicts a boston championship
"the man who created a legend; the legend who resurrected a franchise."
i'm fine with him talking
let’s see how he plays tomorrow.
by lakerlover2by4 on Jun 16, 2010 10:49 PM PDT up reply actions
it's nothing
Bynum said Lakers would win also, it’s what they are supposed to say so it’s cool
There are basic Fundamentals that are needed to move forward in this game. Always keep your guard up at all times to avoid being caught in a trap. Overcome the fouls that will be committed against you REBOUND AND PRESS ON. ADJUST to the Limelight: ALL-STAR PLAYERS ARE ALWAYS THE CENTER OF ATTENTION. Know what your role is and play your position. Find a game plan and execute it. REMEMBER YOU ONLY GET OUT OF THE GAME WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT.
dog fight!
Dog fight, dogs fight!!!!!! a couple of rotweillers, and old greyhound and an annoying little chihuahua against a pitbull, a newly acquired rotweiller, a limpy great dane, a skilled damnation and a magnificent crossbreed dobermamba. This is for all the bones!!! Let’s get it on……….
damnation?
"the man who created a legend; the legend who resurrected a franchise."
by chaucer on Jun 16, 2010 10:23 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Easy Michael Vick...
I think when people are being funny, they are actually being serious and when people are being serious, it's actually really funny.
by Rich Langford on Jun 17, 2010 12:33 AM PDT up reply actions
Game 7
No Perkins but Celtics should be fine and Lakers should play their hearts out no matter who starts. Celtics are fine because Wallace brings the offense that Perkins doen’t so thats a positive and it makes Boston have only one weak link in Rondo however it changing the flow of how Celtics have been doing things and its tough to adjust to such a change in a short time with one last big game which should cause some confusion through out the game for Boston which are all positives for Lakers if they can capitalize on Celtics miscues. Should be a fight early then I expect one team to lay down the hammer and be crusing in the 4th to victory.
There are basic Fundamentals that are needed to move forward in this game. Always keep your guard up at all times to avoid being caught in a trap. Overcome the fouls that will be committed against you REBOUND AND PRESS ON. ADJUST to the Limelight: ALL-STAR PLAYERS ARE ALWAYS THE CENTER OF ATTENTION. Know what your role is and play your position. Find a game plan and execute it. REMEMBER YOU ONLY GET OUT OF THE GAME WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT.
we should be able to win the rebounding game tomorrow
whoever gets the most rebounds wins game 7
by lakerlover2by4 on Jun 16, 2010 10:51 PM PDT up reply actions
this might be a dark joke
but someone sent this to me:
FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS: Viewing will be Thurs. June 17th, 6 pm. The cremation will be at The Staples Center, 111 S. Figueroa Los Angeles, Ca. 90015. Special invited guests include K. Bryant, D. Fisher, R. Artest, P. Gasol, L. Odom, S. Brown, and many more! We ask that u wear Purple and Gold.RIP Boston Celtics… U will NOT be missed, but always remembered!
"Just by the aura of D.J. Mbenga being there, the shot missed."
by shaqfor3 on Jun 16, 2010 10:27 PM PDT reply actions 4 recs
ouch, cold
Billy Mac: "Lamar, can you see yourself actually getting in the (boxing) ring"?
Lamar Odom: "No. My face is too pretty."
I really really hope I see Fisher in a public announcement on TV
Saying “Please, celebrate responsibly”
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
by Gil Meriken on Jun 16, 2010 10:27 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
it would be funny if they air the older one with Rick Fox and Glen Rice
"Just by the aura of D.J. Mbenga being there, the shot missed."
Rick Fox is looking very Moses lately. Let's hope he's a basketball prophet.
"Winning takes talent; to repeat takes character." - John Wooden
Thou shall not steal.
Except on the court. Then by all means, pilfer like a mad man. But be sure to get some points off it.
I'm here to talk about the past.
You mean basketball, right?
"Prejudice not founded on reason cannot be removed by argument." - Samuel Johnson
by SoCalGal on Jun 17, 2010 11:15 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Ive heard otherwise
"I work my ass off every day in practice. How many other guys can say the same thing? Not many. I'm fighting against becoming soft. That's the worse thing you can say to a basketball player." - Dennis Rodman
"When life slips you a Jeffrey, stroke the furry walls." - Aldous Snow
by LakersFoEva on Jun 17, 2010 12:03 PM PDT up reply actions
Cinderella?
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
by Gil Meriken on Jun 16, 2010 10:35 PM PDT up reply actions
eh
I was gonna guess Alice in Wonderland.
"Just by the aura of D.J. Mbenga being there, the shot missed."
hmm...in keeping with your dog obsession I'll say "The Shaggy Dog"
"Winning takes talent; to repeat takes character." - John Wooden
lolwut
Queensbridge. Littlerock.
"Derek Fisher shouldn't be allowed to shoot unless theres fewer than one second on the shot clock" - Kelly Dwyer
by bluexfalcon on Jun 16, 2010 10:49 PM PDT up reply actions
HOLY SHIT
Derek Fisher dunk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTNzmhleVD4
Go to 0:35 in this clip
"Just by the aura of D.J. Mbenga being there, the shot missed."
We BEASTED that year.
Queensbridge. Littlerock.
"Derek Fisher shouldn't be allowed to shoot unless theres fewer than one second on the shot clock" - Kelly Dwyer
by bluexfalcon on Jun 16, 2010 10:52 PM PDT up reply actions
imagine if at some point in game 7
he tried to dunk?
the crowd would go apeshit…
"Just by the aura of D.J. Mbenga being there, the shot missed."
lol, I would go crazy.
Queensbridge. Littlerock.
"Derek Fisher shouldn't be allowed to shoot unless theres fewer than one second on the shot clock" - Kelly Dwyer
by bluexfalcon on Jun 16, 2010 10:55 PM PDT up reply actions
Hell Yeah
I actually wagered with my colleagues that I’ll treat them 10 boxes of pizza IF Kobe wins the game on a last second shot :)
Game 7 Baby!
Time to unleash Mbenga and suit up Morrison for his 35 points off the bench. =)
Lakers need to rebound like they did in Game 6. I don’t expect another performance from the bench like that though, so the starters need to play smart with fluid ball movement and get back on D quickly and effectively. If the Mamba and Big Bird play well on both ends, if Ron-Ron Redemption can pester Pierce, if Bynum can take advantage of his size in limited minutes, and if Lamar get a matchup with ‘Sheed guarding him, I like our chances. Weather the emotional storm the Celtics are sure to come out with early. I’m predicting this one ends with Kobe hitting a last second shot to break the tie, giving the Lakers their 16th Banner.
Go Lakers!
In a few hours ... we'll get our revenge.!!!
We live in a free country and anyone can say whatever they wants, in fact, according to a SportsNation survey the 56% of US / World wants to see the Celtics winning the 2010 NBA Finals, but anyway, in a few hours … we’ll get our revenge.!!!
by JACK YA on Jun 17, 2010 1:37 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
i dont celebrate too
hate to count chickens before they hatch….but
i am praying and hoping we get to celebrate
Bryant will be in his seventh NBA finals in search of his fifth championship — five more than regular season MVP LeBron James, who can only sit and watch.
I am not sure i have it in me to watch the game...
but I will try and I hope lakers take a lead in the first quarter and then I might be able to watch the whole game!
you should watch the game
i couldnt
Bryant will be in his seventh NBA finals in search of his fifth championship — five more than regular season MVP LeBron James, who can only sit and watch.
just watching game 6 in youtube right now
Bryant will be in his seventh NBA finals in search of his fifth championship — five more than regular season MVP LeBron James, who can only sit and watch.
yea but you guys are lucky
you can watch it live…i cant
Bryant will be in his seventh NBA finals in search of his fifth championship — five more than regular season MVP LeBron James, who can only sit and watch.
i work
during the night shifts, how do you think i feel man. i hear it on the radio. Its not the same thing watching on tv or watching it live. just not the same
by SoReal_Laker on Jun 17, 2010 2:06 AM PDT up reply actions
me too
i work swing shift. and miss every laker game except on weekends. i listen to every game from my phone though.
by lakers are trouble on Jun 17, 2010 2:38 AM PDT up reply actions
i just follow the game
here in SS&R and in yahoo sports play by play…i cant watch the game coz of firewalls
Bryant will be in his seventh NBA finals in search of his fifth championship — five more than regular season MVP LeBron James, who can only sit and watch.
ugggg
rondo sporting huge bandage during media time in practice. says cut is “nothing, just one of the many calls the refs missed”…what a bitch. if the refs favor the celtics……..UGH
Stern should...
say: We saw the play and there was no foul on ron but you fouled him. So you are fined $40,000 and lakers shoot 2 free throws to start game 7. lol
he also exaggerated the number of stitches it required....
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure."
http://www.silverscreenandroll.com/ - Visit, and be loved. Troll, and die a painful death. =]]
Questions? Queries? Comments? Concerns? Expletive-filled inflammatory trolling? Contact me at saurav.a.das.1994@gmail.com
by Saurav A. Das on Jun 17, 2010 5:28 AM PDT up reply actions
i don't get why the even put a bandage on him
vaseline will close up the wound better and it takes just as short of a time without risking coming off. I mean I bit through my tongue in a game and all they did was take me out for a minute put some stuff on it to stop the bleeding and boom bam playing in 5 min. Although, I guess at the time they were kinda getting blown out so they wanted to hurry up and get him back in.
a dangerous estimate
i am a celtic fan., i congratulate u guys for playing good basketball in game 6., but i think that its not good to underestimate rasheed.,., even though its only one year since he joined the celtics., he is still a celtic., you wuldnt want to repeat the bill russel blow out game during the 70’s
Except
Sheed wasn’t, isn’t, and will never be the equivalent of Bill Russell. No one’s underestimating him, but we’re not going to overestimate him and say he’ll be unstoppable down low. If he keeps his act together and plays good defense and accepts the calls that are made, he’ll be a positive impact on the game like he was at the end of game 4. That being said, any sort of foul trouble and then its goodbye Sheed hello BBD and Shelden Williams trying to guard Pau Gasol and Odom. It can be done, but its definitely not to your advantage to be down Perkins at all.
Game 7...niece's graduation...Game 7...niece's...
Fine. I’ll go. But the minute they say her name, I’m outta there. She’ll understand, right?
I'm here to talk about the past.
Depends.
Is she a sports fan? And does she know you well?
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure."
http://www.silverscreenandroll.com/ - Visit, and be loved. Troll, and die a painful death. =]]
Questions? Queries? Comments? Concerns? Expletive-filled inflammatory trolling? Contact me at saurav.a.das.1994@gmail.com
by Saurav A. Das on Jun 17, 2010 6:17 AM PDT up reply actions
She's not die-hard by any stretch and made a comment about the Lakers stealing her thunder.
Brat. We’re pretty close, but then I am close to all my nephew and nieces. She’ll get over it though. Her dad (my brother) is the reason I became a Laker fan.
I'm here to talk about the past.
Way off topic
But I have to admit these sports-themed covered strawberries are pretty cool-looking:
I'm here to talk about the past.
Yeah, I got that suggestion on my page. WTF are they thinking?
"Prejudice not founded on reason cannot be removed by argument." - Samuel Johnson
gotta wonder about the Cavs.
they are letting a 25 year-old hold their entire franchise hostage. Even if that 25 year-old is LBJ, this whole deal makes me a little queasy—and I like James less by the day.
It's hard for me to like him any less than I already do, but I get your point.
It’s ridiculous that even a coach would base his decision on whether or not the dude is gonna be playing there. Turning $30 mil based on nothing concrete. How’s he gonna feel when LeBron decides to stay?
"Prejudice not founded on reason cannot be removed by argument." - Samuel Johnson
Not really in this case
If Byron Scott turned it down I would’ve been like wow, ridiculous. Tom Izzo had so much to lose and he wouldn’t want to be the Nick Saban of the NBA. I wouldn’t have wanted his first foray into the NBA to be on a team with Antawn Jamison, Mo Williams, and Anderson Varejao. Its a more than underwhelming core. Sure, they’d win 30 plus games depending on who this other person is that they inevitably sign, but it wasn’t that great of a situation for him unless he was coming in to something good because thats what he was leaving.
LeBron's not leaving.
"Prejudice not founded on reason cannot be removed by argument." - Samuel Johnson
gotta love Izzo--
…turning down 30 mill sounds psycho, but in the context of keeping 12-15 mil, and your sanity, and your self-respect? “Thanks, but no thanks—Tommy.” I like it.
I am a pessimistic sort by nature...
But I’m trying not to be for tonight. I mean if the Lakers came out intense and focused with their backs against the wall in game 6, why would they not do the same (and even more so) in game 7? Okay, okay, I suppose that’s true. But I guess what I’m worried about is the acclimation Boston may have made in the last couple days. They will not lay an egg in game 7 — that I will guarantee. And so my worry comes from the fact that the Celtics will step it up; the burden will be on the Lakers to respond.
That said, if the Lakers play with the same level of execution on both ends of the court as they did in game 6, we win this game irrespective of Boston’s effort and level of play.
I’ll make the following a key: Artest and Odom will have to combine for 20+ pts and 12+ boards for the Lakers to win. Nuff’ said. Fill your hand, KB and Fish!!!
Hmmm, actually the key with be the first quarter
The winner of Q1 is 6-0 in this series.
well this will be fun
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by bestbostonsports on Jun 17, 2010 7:15 AM PDT reply actions
Like Luke Walton says in blog.. NO RETREAT..NO SURRENDER ..GO LAKERS
I get so scared when the lakers play and i did not want to watch the game 7 but my friend who is celtics fan convinced me to watch it so it is going to be fun at the end of the game…lol
We are over here in Paris and the game is at 3 am so as long as the lakers win, i will be alright going to work on friday otherwise….
Lake Show
comes out fast – Boston only shoots 38% – Rasheed gets a T – baby eats more snot Lakers Cruise! Lamar has a big game – KOBE named MVP.. See ya at the parade..
okay that’s what i’m hoping for but i like our chances…
"Success is never final, Failure is never fatal. It's Courage that count's"
John Wooden.....
is Jeffrey Osborne
singing the National Anthem tonight?
"Success is never final, Failure is never fatal. It's Courage that count's"
John Wooden.....
As long as it's not Anita Baker, we're good.
"Prejudice not founded on reason cannot be removed by argument." - Samuel Johnson
It's Christina again!!!
She worked wonders for game 6, after all…
Exceptional voice, but she might have dragged it on a little too much.
I’d vote for someone else, but I guess maybe the Lakers want to ride her for as long as they can. Wait…
I'm here to talk about the past.
what about
Carl lewis? LOL
"Success is never final, Failure is never fatal. It's Courage that count's"
John Wooden.....
Good morning Laker Fans
Celtics fan here. Probably for the last time, win or lose. Don’t want to come here and gloat if Boston wins, nor do I want to show up and feel worse if they lose. So I offer preemptory congratulations on a series well-played. Either team would make a worthy champion.
Can you believe it’s come to this? We could be looking at a modern classic tonight.
Why do I feel like the media is trying to pull a reverse jinx with all the Lakers win talk?
It’s like they are gritting their teeth when they say it.
"Winning takes talent; to repeat takes character." - John Wooden
Its all about
the last minute of each quarter. Watch the point differential at the end of the first and second to see which team is more focused. The beginning of the game is about energy, but game sevens are about who has their eyes on the prize. In the games we’ve won we closed out quarters really well. In game 5 we let Boston sneak closer at the end of the 1st and 2nd, letting them take positive energy into the Doc pep talks. We want them down on themselves when they go to sit down.
it's simple really
whichever team wins the first q and the rebounds will win the game. Let’s just hope it’s us.
Our goal is to win the championship, not just the first game
-KG's recent nightmare
finishing quarters is huge, no doubt. Just win the boards, Lakers;
clean the glass and the golden guacamole bowl is ours…
As a Celtics fan watching many games this year
I will be very very surprised if Wallace can play effectively for long minutes in game 7 and he needs to for the Celtics to have a good chance. He has been horribly inconsistent in both the regular season and the playoffs (though better in the playoffs). Now he is also injured. At best he is foul prone and he will have Gasol and/or Bynum doing their best to get him in early trouble. Perkins is one of the best low post defenders in the NBA and he will be sorely missed. I feel almost sick having to hope that Wallace gets hot from the 3 point line to have a good chance. The irony of that is his inside moves are really good and reliable and if he would pound it inside more good things could happen. But for some reason he seems to think he is Ray Allen regardless of the shooting average.
Oh well. I don’t like the Celtics chances obviously. But stranger things have all happened. Who would have predicted Fisher becoming Bryant in game 3 and Perkins being gone early in game 6 and 7 via Bynum’s load on his back rather than an ill timed technical closing him out of game 7. So we will see. This series has been rather unpredictable.
by Celtics_fan_in_cali on Jun 17, 2010 2:45 PM PDT reply actions
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