LA Won..What does that mean for Kobe?

Since he came into the league Kobe has been compared to Michael Jordan. I really don't like to compare people, but these guys are too similar to avoid it. Great scorers, great defenders, true winners, etc. I could go on forever, but I would rather not seeing as how I am tired as shit. Lets begin the comparing though.

Well MJ is the greatest scorer of all time. Kobe is a great scorer, but he isn't the greatest. Jordan averaged close to 50% shooting for his career and 30.1 ppg. Anyone who has even the slightest bit of knowledge about basketball knows how crazy this is. To hit half your shots and score 30 plus for a career would be unfathomable if Jordan never did it. Kobe on the other hand has never even shot 50% during any of his 14 seasons.

Both guys love to win. Kobe has been to the finals more times than Jordan, but Jordan is undefeated in the finals. I can't really knock Kobe for the loss to the Pistons in 04' because the Lakers were so disoriented at that time, but i can blame him for 08'. He came up small in games 4 and 6, which allowed Boston to win. On the other hand he did just win two in a row so that helps his case. I can't really give either guy an advantage in this category. We all know I want to give it to Michael, but I have to respect Kobe's desire to win and ability to do so. Both guys are true champs.

Defensively both guys are studs. I think MJ was a bit more intimidatory on the defensive end, but Kobe has worked his ass off to become a great defender (Mike did too for the record). I really don't know how to judge which was better at defense because they played against different competition; therefor this is another draw.

Now with all that I have said I find myself giving the edge to Jordan. In fact I don't think Kobe even comes close. I was just trying to hide my bias the whole time. Kobe's great, one of the greatest ever, but Michael Jordan is the best. Its like comparing Michael Jackson to Justin Timberlake, Usher, Chris Brown (pre-beating). All three of those guys are great singers and entertainers, but he was Michael f*cking Jackson. That's the exact same way I feel when i hear Kobe, LeBron or anyone else compared to Jordan. He's f*cking Michael Jordan. No one will ever be better. Naismith created basketball, and the planets aligned the right way to give us the greatest athlete ever.

Game 7, lets go!!!

So after a game like last night, I don't really need to say much.

LA strapped up Boston on defense. Boston missed three lay-ups to start the second half and possibly get back in the game and Perkins went down early.

LA just kicked Boston's ass up and down the court. Farmar and Brown even went off for great performances.  It was just a complete ass whooping, I cant even stress it anymore or say it any other way.

With Perkins out, Boston is in some trouble. KG, Big Baby, and Rasheed Wallace are going to have to play big. Perkins doesn't score much, but he does the dirty work. Look for Glen Davis to fill his role and play well.

As for LA, you have Kobe Bryant, at home, in a game 7. I think that's the most important factor in the game, but Boston may be able to counteract if Rondo can have a HUGE game. Only time will tell, it should be epic though.

Celts go up 3-2

The Celtics finally took control of the series. Last  night was a great game. Any true  basketball fan had to admire the way both teams played.

The Celtics found offense early in the first half with Paul Pierce. Each time down the court it seemed like they were running an ISO for Pierce and he delivered. Pierce looked unstoppable last night, especially in the first half. He was hitting jumper after jumper and looked unstoppable after a great step-back on Odom. 

At the end of two quarters the Celtics had a slight lead, but seemed to be in control. In the third quarter Kobe Bryant put on a show. I'm no Kobe fan, but he was amazing . He put up 19 points in the quarter and made some of the most difficult shots you'll see in an NBA game. The Celtics were able to weather the Kobe storm with great team play. While Kobe played great, his team played terribly.

To me the game really took a turn when the Celtics bench came in during the third. Tony Allen blocked the shit out of Pau Gasol on a lay-up attempt (Excuse my language). That play is one that I guarantee you will see 50 times more if the Celtics win the series.

During the fourth the Doc Rivers let his bench begin the quarter. They held the lead and did well enough to even build on it. At around the 8 minute mark Doc came back with his starters and they kept the lead for most of the quarter. However, with about two minutes left the Lakers mounted a small come back. Ron Artest even had a chance to close the lead to three points with about a minute left on the clock, but as he has done so many times this series, he missed. On the next play, Paul Pierce got his "Randy Moss and Tom Brady on," with a good catch over Fisher and a great pass to Rondo which sealed the deal.

The Celtics are going into LA with a chance to close out the series and win the franchise's 18th championship. Its going to be tough and I'm sure Kobe will play strong, but with Bynum hurt and the Lakers are going to be in trouble. If Pau can bounce back and the bench can play well they have a chance, not to mention its going to be hard to beat anyone three times in a row.

Boston Ties it Up

Last night was a great game, not a classic, but still a great game. The Celtics and Lakers brought out the best in each other I felt.

Early in the game it seemed as if LA had complete control. They weren't scoring much, but their transition defense was solid and they controlled the ball on offense. Boston, on the other hand, was looking rough. They had a number of missed lay-ups and a number of missed shots from the field. Their brightest moment in the first half was KG's buzzer beater before half.

In the second half i expected LA to continue what they were already doing, and they did to an extent. Kobe caught fire from downtown and it looked as if he was starting to have "one of those nights," but Boston was able to persevere. The big reason Boston was able to persevere you ask? Their bench. And more specifically Glen "Big Baby" Davis.

Davis was incredible last night. Their was no stopping him in the paint. He took it to Odom, he took it to Gasol, and he even through Kobe to the ground. Davis looked possessed out there. He was the leader of the Celtics team that essentially won the game. Along with Robinson, Wallace, and Tony Allen the Celtics bench was able to put the game away. Each player made key plays. Nate hit a clutch floater in the lane after a stupid technical foul he received. Rasheed put in a big 3-pointer after a stupid technical foul he received and Tony Allen did well against Kobe.

I give Doc Rivers a lot of credit for leaving his bench in. Most coaches in the league want to win or lose solely with their stars. Doc took a different approach though. He rode the hot hands and it was the right decision. Games like this establish trust within a team. Boston's starters and coaching staff probably feel a lot more comfortable today than they did yesterday and rightfully so. In LA's defense though, they weren't at full strength.

Andrew Bynum played only 12 minutes last night. Reports say his knee was swelled up more than it had in about a month. He was held to only 2 minutes in the entire second half, which put a lot of pressure on Gasol and Bryant. Without Bynum the Lakers aren't the same team. In fact, Kenny Smith called them "The Lakers of 2008 without Bynum," which is true. Bynum brings LA toughness on the boards and some easy buckets on offense. Bynum going down or not being healthy for the rest of the series could change things in a big way.

Going into game 5 I think Boston has a slight edge. They are going to be at home and they are going to be ready. The Lakers are going to be ready too,but with Bynum at anything less than 100% I am worried for them. Its impossible to count out any team with Kobe Bryant on it, but it can't just be him and Gasol. The Lakers are going to need a third scorer if Bynum can't do it. They had it in game 3 with Derek Fisher, but they didn't have it last night.

Keys for game 5: Lakers- Get Bynum healthy, be more physical, bench production.

Keys for game 5: Boston- Win the battle on the boards, tempo, big play from the bench.

Really Boston? You let D.Fish take it to you?

Well, I guess we all know what this is about. Derek Fisher, a man of many trades and few talents, took it to the Celtics last night in the 4th quarter. Now, I really dislike Derek Fisher as a player, but as a man I do respect him.

Anyway lets take it from the top. Boston came out hot and looked like they were going to run away with it. KG was going to work and making Pau look like Paula. Rajon was running the show and it looked good for Boston. Little did they know, LA came to play. The Lakers picked it up behind some key plays by Lamar Kardashian, or is it Odom? I forget, but anyway that guy really came through and did work for his team.

The game had few highlights as LA was in control throughout the second and third quarters. Boston made a few key plays in the 4th, but never made enough stops on defense or big plays on offense. Not to mention Derek Fisher scored 11 points in the fourth. When teams play the Lakers they expect Kobe to beat them. If anyone else does the job then you are truly screwed and last night it was not Kobe. Derek Fisher made play after play and was spectacular for LA.

On the other hand, Ray Allen played awful. After a night to remember in game 2, Allen posted a dud. He went 0-13 from the field. He was getting similar looks to those in game 2, but he was not capitalizing. It could have been that Derek Fisher played him a little bit tougher on screens and on the ball, but that is still no excuse.

If Boston wants to win they need their best players to all play well. The big 3 scored 42 points total and KG posted 25 of those. Basketball is a team game, but individuals can change the landscape of a series like Fisher did. If Boston plans on winning the series Pierce, Garnett, Allen, and Rondo all need to be on the same page. It cant be one-on-five.

For the Lakers to win, I say keep doing what you're doing. Last night wasn't even a good game yet they pulled it out. They played physical defense and made the big plays when they needed it.  Kobe is going to play better, Pau is going to play better, and Bynum is supposedly "Ready."

All I know is Boston better tighten up.

And Its Tied Up

So Ray Allen went Jesus Shuttlesworth on us last night. I find it funny every time he has a big game we all call him Jesus Shuttlesworth, which is actually Ray Allen playing a character, but whatever. Allen led Boston in the first half with 27 points, but LA kept it close due to some quarter ending heroics from Kobe.

Watching Kobe and Allen last night looked a little bit like Jordan vs Miller in 98'. I hate making comparisons, but it is what it is. The best player in the league and the best shooter in the league trying to win a game for their respective teams. Each player made plays, but ultimately neither of them were as important as Rajon Rondo.

Rondo made every key play down the stretch, not to mention he had a triple-double. His performance in game one was lackluster to say the least, but in game two he put on a show. The Lakers really had no answers for the man. They tried a giving him a few different looks on defense, but nothing worked. Even when they tried to play him for the drive he was still too quick for them.

At the end of the game Rondo made a key block and a key jumper, and yes I did say key jumper and Rondo in the same sentence, to close out the game.

KG and Pierce played poorly again last night so who knows how the Celtics will look when each player is playing to their full potential. On the other hand LA does not have too much to be depressed about. Bynum and Gasol both went for over 20 and held down the paint. If Boston can't correct that they are going to be in trouble and Kobe will not be in foul trouble in game 3.

At the end of the day Boston did what they had to do, which was get a win in LA. Now, they need to go back to Boston and not come back as Paul Pierce insisted. The odds of that happening are slim, but they better try. I can see Boston winning a game 6 in LA, but a game 7 would be tough. Either way these finals look like they are going to be great for fans and the NBA.


Side Note- Everyone heard this right?