How do we begin to break down this year's matchup? Conventional wisdom goes out the window because neither team has a boatload of postseason experience. Both teams have a combined 3 players with more than one Conference Final (Kobe Bryant, Derek Fischer, Sam Cassell). What most impresses me about these two teams is they get better the more games they play, especially the Lake Show. Each club has defeated more experienced and battle hardened teams to get to this point, and yet these finalists have decisively and effectively closed out their respective opponents...Let's break it down.
Point Guard
Rajon Rondo vs. Derek Fischer


Advantage: Lakers
Shooting Guard
Kobe Bryant vs. Ray Allen


uuuhhh...Just give it your best shot Jesus.
Advantage: Lakers
Small Forward
Paul Pierce vs. Luke Walton


Advantage: Celtics
Power Forward
Lamar Odom vs. Kevin Garnett


Advantage: Celtics
Center
Kendrick Perkins vs. Pau Gasol


Advantage: Lakers
Lakers Bench:

Doc Rivers, head coach of the Boston Celtics, really has to prepare his team for the Lakers' second unit. The challenge is they run. Like UNLV run, like Arkansas 92 run, like RUN-TMC run. Boston has faced slower teams with set, half-court offenses throughout their campaign and does not fair well in defensive transistion.
Vladamir Rodmanovic and Jordan Farmar must be accurate to help the Lakers hold Boston off late in the periods. Sasha Vujacic must do the same; further, defensively, he and Trevor Ariza will need to keep their eyes on live bodies like Leon Powe and James Posey.
In the previous series, Ronny Turiaf was effective because he stayed out of foul trouble and outhustled older opponents like Robert Horry. This time, he'll have to deal with PJ Brown...LOL!

What can I say about the Celtic Bench? No, really, I'm asking...The most consistent reserve has been PJ Brown...HELLO, he's the third oldest player in the league!
Seriously, these guys have got to play on a more consistent basis to match up with their West Coast counterparts. Sam Cassell has been a liability thus far for the C's...but then again, he won't have the defensive pressure of Lindsay Hunter on him...so he should be ok. Eddie House, nope; Tony Allen, non-existent; Glenn Davis, six fouls; Leon Powe...mmm, maybe; James Posey, hold the phone.
James Posey IS one of the reasons why Boston advanced past the Detroit Pistons. His hustle plays late in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals helped cement Celtic victory. James doesn't get rattled, and should give the Celtics that added umph needed to help them win games. Posey has the experience to prove it. He played a key role in Miami's 2006 championship run.
Bottom line is: Doc's going to have to demand a little bit more from these guys in order to overcome LA's second unit.
Advantage: Lakers
All in all, this should be a very exciting series. It's been over 20 years since these cities saw each other in the Finals, but what's most significant to me is, we've never wanted players to win so badly. Lots of folk are rooting for the Celtics because they want KG to get a ring, others have watched Paul Pierce for years and respect the turmoil he's dealt with in Boston. Then you have those who want Kobe to show all the haters that Shaquille O'Neal didn't just win by himself during those Laker runs in the early millennium.
LA may prove to be too much for Boston this series. Hope to Pistol Pete's socks that I'm wrong though, but I'm 0-2 on predictions thus far anyway.
D-Con
1 comment:
When does Luke Walton start? And Leon Powe barely plays. Your trating KG like he takes over games, he never has and never will. Odom may not be as fierce as Garnett but at least he wont play passive in the 4th quarter. Im not gonna call KG the "Big Ticket" how about we call him the "Big Giver" since he always passes the ball up at the end of games!
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