Re: Does the new Donaghy info help the Celtics?
Thanks OSU. I made a score on the Celtics ML in this game, because i figured that the NBAe wanted to 'prove' that they don't fix games to get 7 game serieses.
Interestingly enough, this was the first game of this series that was officiated evenly, no 'hometown' calls....at least not blatantly. This seemed tit for tat, one for me, one for you.
When i saw the spread for Game 5 at Lakers -7, the little alarm went off in my head that said, "free money, bet Celtics again on the ML"
But, as time has gone on and we are on the eve of game 5, i did a lot of thinking and now i'm not so sure about this game. I don't know what to think at this point.
This is what we 'know' so far.
1) The Celtics are the far superior team, they can win at will. They can have Pierce limp off the court, they can have Rondo twist his ankle and miss practice, they can have Perkins leave the court in agony only to be 'magically fit and ready' for Game 5 and they can have a broken down Sam Cassel and a bunch of retreads go into Los Angeles and rip Kobe Bryant (yes, THAT Kobe) a new asshole.
2)Kobe Bryant and his guys can be down 15 and 20 points to Duncan, Ginobili and Parker and torch them like they are a 5 dollar whore and beat them so badly their ancestors assholes are burning in their graves yet they can't even sniff a team that was run out of town by the Atlanta Hawks THREE seperate times and has 3 players who are banged up and has played 6 more playoff games this playoff season.
3) Phil Jackson is a complete buffoon, none of what he did in the past matters as he's being thoroughly outcoached by Doc Rivers, who many consider a farse of a coach. Doc is 'schooling' the master in the most embarrassing ways, yet people wanted him fired after he got outcoached by some guy who coaches the Cavs who is also considered a terrible coach. Phil was great and took Popovich to school, but Doc Rivers is making him look like a retard.
4) The Celtics 2008 NBAe Champions shirts are already printed, the champagne is on ice, its just a matter of how much they win game 5 by.
5) Kobe Bryant scored 81 points in a game, is a first ballot hall of famer, multiple champion, compared by many favorably to His Airness, dominated first ballot HOFer Tim Duncan in the previous series, but when Sam Cassell and his bad back came into town, Kobe just forgot how to play basketball. It must be amnesia, right?
6) Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce have been the biggest chokers with zero championships between them and all of a sudden THEY, almost overnight, become clutch under pressure while multiple Champion Kobe Bryant just forgets how to play basketball under pressure... seemingly overnight.
I'll tell you one thing i noticed as the players were being introduced in LA for games 3 and 4 and that was the Celtics looked loose and the Lakers looked 'too tight'. There was no smiles, no jump-and-bump and no 'fun'..Lakers were too serious. They put too much pressure on themselves, they were too tight, they acted like the favorite should act.
Now, will they come out loose in game 5 with 'nothing to lose'? I think if the Lakers just play their game and just 'let it flow, fast and loose' they have a shot. They were just too tight and were trying to be too fancy...they didn't just 'shoot the ball' and have fun playing the game.
Anyone who is betting this game 5, i'd give you some advice. Wait until the pregame intro's to make your bet. Watch the Lakers come out of the tunnel. See if there is any 'fun' in the way they greet each other. See if there are any smiles or playful stuff, because it didn't happen in the first two games in LA.
I actually think the Lakers would have won game 2 in Boston if they would have gotten ANYTHING close to even foul calls. If LA wins one in Boston, things change. The NBAe whistled the Lakers out of game 2.
The Celtics came out of the tunnel in LA having fun, loosey goosey...it is going to be interesting to see lifetime also rans Pierce and Garnett and how much pressure they put on themselves to get this done. Lets see if THEY forget how to have fun and overthink this stuff like the Lakers did.
No team comes back from down 3-1...they keep stuffing that stat down our throats. Lakers have to make some changes. Do i think the Celtics will win the series? Yeah, i'm thinking they'll find a way....even if it takes 7 games.
Do i think they'll win game 5? I'm sort of leaning towards them closing this thing out, but it looks just TOO easy, so that, i'm leery.
Will i be betting Boston on the ML in game 5? yeah, i'll be betting something on them, but not as much as i originally planned on playing.
Will i be rooting for the Lakers even though i'll have an ML bet on Boston? You bet, i'd love to see this go back to Boston, so the good fans of the Celtics can see their heroes win this thing at home. You know, Boston fans deserve to see this store bought title won at home, don't you think?
I'd love to see the NBAe be the NBAe and give the Lakers all the calls to get this thing back to Boston. Fuck Donaghy, lets have a good series here, make it go 6 or 7.
