My Christmas dinner was a hot-dog and Coke this year. Usually this would be a sad and lonely statement, but thankfully, my old man got his hands on some amazing tickets. This year's Christmas was an extremely eventful day in the world of basketball, and I was privileged enough to witness the Lakers/Celtics game in person. I can say, without a doubt, this was the most fun I've ever had at a basketball game, at any level. I will try to summarize it briefly, as in depth analysis of the 48 minutes can be found everywhere else.
"Boston sucks! Boston sucks! Boston sucks!"
The crowd was insane the entire game, and I was apart of the insanity. The game was a great, a gritty performance from start to finish. Neither team played extremely well, but every player was focused and ready from the moment they came out for their pregame routines. The first half went back and forth, basically Kobe and Garnett going punch for punch. While Garnett was probably the best player on the floor all game, well, it wasn't enough.
Kobe lead the way in the first half, and the Lakers team defense lead the way in the second half. Pau Gasol, tentative and passive for 40 or so minutes of the game literally came out of his shell the last five minutes of the fourth quarter. Along with Bynum I think they blocked a combined 4 shots in the last few minutes, leading to stops and fast break points. They finished the game on a 13-2 run, with a great 3-point play by Gasol and finished up by an emphatic dunk by Ariza. I am not giving this game justice, as the energy in the arena is something people rarely find themselves a part of. I was skeptical going into this game, but about half-way through I realized there was no fighting it.
Now, as a Laker fan, I could go off and rant about how they should now be considered the best team in the league....but I won't, because I don't believe that. The thing is this: the Lakers needed this game ten-times more than the Celtics. Also, the Lakers didn't really prove they are "tough", as they didn't dominate in the paint. Bynums presence proved useful, but I was hoping to see a physically dominating front-court from the Lakers, and we didn't see that. Sure, I am being quite harsh on the team. But I enjoy watching this team, and people need to be skeptical to realize how a team can improve. I will give them credit though, as they did step up their defense in the 4th quarter. They simply shut down Ray Allen and Pierce in the final 12 minutes, leaving only Garnett to try and save the day. If only the Lakers could play that kind of smothering, turnover forcing defense 48 minutes a game against every single team......
So Boston's 19 game winning streak has ended, but try not to read "too much" into this game. Yes, the Lakers and Pau should gain quite a bit of confidence from it, but the Celtics are still the best team in the league. Just a Lakers fan trying to be honest....sorry guys. Of course, I just have to be objective, and when the Lakers stroll through the finals this year and get the title I will crown them kings. But until then I shall stay analytical and skeptical of their every move.
No comments:
Post a Comment