I expected the Celts to win because they are the better team, but I never expected a blowout in game 6. Congrats to residents of Boston. You guys are on a roll: Pats, Celts, and Sox.
Yes, this takes away the sting of the ill fated "perfect season" Super Bowl loss. I always thought the NBA was the hardest league to build a winning team with the salary cap and ridiculous contracts that you just can't get out of. At least in the NFL, you can cut dead weight since the contracts aren't guranteed. But the Celtics did the unthinkable. They went from being the 2nd worst team in the league last season to NBA CHAMPS!!! Thanks in large part to Seattle and Minnesota. Kevin McHale deserves another ring for trading Kevin Garnett for Al Jefferson, some role players, and some more players who will never amount to anything. He completely changed the dynamic of the Boston Celtics. They were a HORRIBLE defensive team for years and years and lacked an inside presence since the glory days of Dino Radja (joke!). This year they were the BEST DEFENSIVE team in the NBA and that was clearly illustrated in the finals. Kobe and the Lakers looked lost for all but about 5 quarters or so in the finals. Everyone was screaming about how Ray Allen was all of a sudden over the hill. Well I guess not. He played fantastic ball in the finals. And everyone said how he was just a shooter and almost a liability on defense. Well, he more than held his own on the defensive end this season. The James Posey signing was perfect (by the way I believe he's a free agent this year so some team will be getting themselves a great player). And most of all I'm the most happy for Paul Pierce. I've been a huge Pierce fan ever since the Celtics drafted him 10th overall in 1998 after guys like Olowakandi, LaFrentz, Tractor Traylor, Jason Williams, and Larry Hughes. He's gone through a lot in his time in Boston from the stabbing to the bad teams, he stayed loyal to the team the whole way.
We've seen plenty of teams built to win championships fail miserably in recent years. Not this time. Mission accomplished.
And one last thing. All year I had to listen to how much better the Western Conference was and how all the great teams were out West and how the East was like a mid-major conference in the NCAA's. I forget who it was, maybe Van Gundy who said last night that although this was a banner year for the Western Conference the TWO BEST TEAMS all along played in the Eastern Conference, the Pistons and the Celtics. The Lakers were just no match for the Celtics and I think the Pistons would've beaten them too. They were just WAY too SOFT up front. They were a below average defensive team and the triangle offense was completely ineffective. The West may be flashy and high scoring. But the Pistons, Celtics, and even Cavs played a different style. A much tougher, defensive minded game. Lakers are young though, they should be back, especially if Bynum returns full strength. They need some toughness though. As much of an ass he is, Ron Artest would make that team loads better IF he could keep his attitude in check. That's a big IF though. James Posey would help them out too, though I hope he doesn't go there. Not sure what their cap situation is, I'm sure James has played himself into a pretty decent contract next year, probably as a starter on a lesser team even though he's best suited as a 6th man on a good team.
Anyhow
Let's Go Celtics!!!
2008 NBA CHAMPIONS!!!
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