After a pretty lackluster NBA Playoffs, we have arrived at the NBA Finals which begin tonight and we are blessed with the best rivalry in all of professional basketball, the Boston Celtics versus the Los Angeles Lakers. Many people are excited for this series because even though, the Lakers have home court, many believe this series is up in the air. I thought of 10 things to consider when watching Game 1 and I think they all will be big factors.
10. Artest-Sheed- I talked about this earlier this week but how great is it that we have two biggest ticking time bombs playing each other for the NBA Finals? Not to mention, the hatred that stems from all of the talk of the rivalry is sure to get them fired up. I am praying for a Sheed-Artest brawl because we haven't seen a good professional sports fight in awhile and it would be just awesome. Also if the WWE were smart, they would bring on Artest and Sheed a la Rodman/Malone for WCW to have them fight in a tag-team match for July's PPV... I can only dream.
9. Phil vs. Doc- An interesting coaching match up because in reality, Phil has all the titles so he is immediately heralded as this great coach. I personally think he is pretty good but right now, I think he lets Kobe Bryant control and dictate the game more than he even let Jordan do on the court. But I think he does a great job with adjustments in-game and after the game, also he is fantastic finding match ups that work for the Lakers. Rivers is sort of the same way letting his players run things and he has been improving on making in-game decision. Also a guy who deserves a ton credit is the defensive mastermind Tom Thibodeau and helps Rivers with the defensive end. I do not believe one game will be decided by "x coach out coached y coach."
8. Front Line Play- Pau Gasol was going to fit this top 10 but seriously, the front lines of each teams will be crucial in this series. I will continue thoughts on Lamar Odom later in the post but for Gasol and Andrew Bynum, they are in for a complete battle. I really think people are underplaying the fact Bynum probably will give the Lakers maybe 20 minutes at most. He will be getting beat up by Kendrick Perkins and Kevin Garnett continuously will be too much for him. In addition, I feel Garnett dials it up a notch for the Lakers for a variety of reasons and I expect a big series from KG.
7. Refs- I put the refs in the mix because this will be physical series. Nobody is getting an easy lay-up and the question will be how tight is the game going to be called? I hope they allow some physicality and as I called it last week, a happy medium of calls and non-calls. Unlike the coaching match up, I think the refs could contribute to swinging one of the games of the Finals. I will set the over/under on technical fouls at 7 and that Perkins gets suspended for one game for going over the limit.
6. Lamar Odom- The most intriguing man in the Finals because he is the Wesbter's definition of inconsistency. He will have a game where he goes off for 15 and 15 then disappear during the next game. The Lakers need Odom to be strong every game and not fall into a sugar low. When he is playing effectively, Los Angeles really seems to play that much better. Odom is the Lakers X factor in this series.
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5. Paul Pierce- A lot of people are talking about how Pierce could have a similar series like the one in Cleveland because he will be guarded by Ron Artest. To me, I think Pierce is crafty enough to score baskets against Artest and he loves playing at home in Los Angeles (born and raised). Pierce lived in the moment last time in 2008 with the 'wheelchair game' and his MVP performance. Pierce will do some things but to me, he will not be the biggest factor like in 08.
4. Bench play- Sadly, I am not talking about Brian Scalabrine but honestly, I believe whoever's bench plays the best will probably win the series. Who knows how good Big Baby Davis will be after his concussion, even though he played Game 6 you have to wonder. I am curious if Nate Robinson will be factor and if Tony Allen can recover from a sprained ankle. The Lakers bench of Jordan Farmar, Odom, Shannon Brown and Sasha Vujacic can all provide a spark for Los Angeles.
3. Rajon Rondo- He is now acclimated as the best Boston Celtic and people are worried about Rondo's back spasms, something he told the Associated Press that he was 'fine'. I have gushed about Rondo this playoffs about how incredible he has been throughout and especially in the Cleveland series. He will be utterly dangerous if fully healthy in this series because nobody can guard him on L.A. Maybe Kobe for a good amount of minutes but I do not believe he will be able to contain Rondo. If the Celtics win, I believe he will be the MVP of the NBA Finals.
2. Kobe Bryant- Other than Rondo, I have been all over Kobe and I do think he is playing on a level we haven't seen from him since his first NBA Finals run with Shaq, but this one is completely different. In the fourth quarter, nobody wants Kobe to have the ball and I have the feeling that Bryant will hit a shot every time he shoots the ball. If the Lakers were to win, Kobe would have his fifth title in seven tries and people will once again have to re-evaluate his legacy. It's stupid to even think of his legacy until his career is said and done. Kobe can deliver the Lakers a championship and if he loses, he will have a cloud of haze that like Magic Johnson hasn't got over the Boston hump. Another prediction here, Kobe will hit a game-winner or two in this series.
1. Prediction- I do not believe that one game will be a blowout. I think every game will be down to wire and yes, some games might involve a team pulling away in the final two minutes of a game. I have been wavering the whole week about how will actually win the series and I honestly believe it will be as close as they come in the NBA Finals. The Lakers will win it in seven games, I think they split the first four games and Boston will take Game 5 but the 2-3-2 format will benefit the Lakers as they come back to win the final two.
-Charlie.
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