Celebratory music is in order. I hope this song was playing in their locker room after the victory, but somehow I doubt it:
Kidding aside, this was an excellent series for those of you who stayed up to watch the mayhem. Don't ask me why, but late last night I woke up and had the following thought: this series has revolved around a series of pairs or numbers equalling two. For example, the series featured:
- Two of the best coaches in the league today.
- Two of the best players in the league
- Two double digit deficits erased by the Lakers (or two collapses by the Spurs)
- Dynamic duos on both teams
- 2 wins by each team during the regular season (Lakers won two against the Spurs; Spurs won two against the Lakers)
- Two fouls that should have been called at the end of a crucial game (No foul on Kobe and no Foul on Barry)
- Two years, two separate times the Lakers have played the Celts and Pistons, respectively
Patterns are weird and have absolutely no significance here, so I won't belabor the point. But I think you get the picture: two's have an added meaning as the Finals begin to take form.
Anyway. The Lakers are nasty and will either face the Celtics or the Pistons for the Finals. Either series will be fun to watch, but in all honesty, I'd prefer to see the Celtics. Here is why:
1. For the past two years, the Celtics have had a better record against the Lakes than the Detroit. I actually can't remember the last time the Lakers beat the Celtics with or without KG.
2. Kobe scores fewer points against the Celtics (see above). Also see the Celtics defense. Watching Kobe overcome the Celtic's defense would be epic and worth the price of admission if he could pull it off and win.
3. A Lakers-Pistons would be boring as hell and would end in 4 games. The Lakers would basically put Detroit through a track meet, take advantage of their youth and energy, and score in transition like crazy. Those factors make Detroit a possible blow-out candidate. No one wants to see that.
4. Conversely, a Celtics-Lakers would be fun to watch because both teams like to score in transition. And as the Detroit-Celtics series has proven, the Celtics can't play very good transition defense. That means the Lakers would have a field day if the Celtic's didn't turn around their defense here. Transition scoring games are also fun to watch because the scoring can high very quickly.
5. A Lakers-Celtics Finals would be an awesome throwback series. Imagine all the clips ABC would show of Magic and Bird. Two of the league's most storied franchises battling it out for the championship of a lifetime...sweet.
6. I'd like to see either KG get a title or Bryant win one without Shaq. Like Kobe or not, that would put him up there with Jordan as one of the best players of all time. I'd also like to see KG step it up in the 4th quarter during one of these games in order to silence his Boston critics. Is anyone else from Boston except Nick angry at Bob Ryan or Simmons for calling this guy out? KG is probably the biggest reason why the Celtics are playing for a Finals birth right now! Assholes.
I know a lot of people hate Kobe Bryant or wish the Spurs were going to the Finals. Too bad. A Celtics-Lakers Finals will blow ratings through the roof and bring back a lot of fans who left the sports in the early 2000's.
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