If the Celtics are going to win this thing, they're going to have to do something improbable. Hell… it's damn near impossible. Or so it seems.
They are either going to beat the Los Angeles Lakers in three straight games… or they'll beat Kobe, at home, in a Game 7.
The Lakers have only lost 3 games in a row once this year, and those were all road games (3/4 at Miami, 3/5 at Charlotte and 3/7 at Orlando). BUT, the Celtics have won 3 straight games in each of their 3 series so far in this playoff run. The Celtics have already won 6 of their 10 road playoff games and they've already won a game in LA. And that game was when the Lakers were playing well.
I know I've said momentum only lasts until the final buzzer. And I stand by that. But the Celtics and Lakers are in a different place. Pau Gasol is Pau Gasoft again. Lamar Odom has disappeared again. Andrew Bynum is hurt… again. The Celtics don't have momentum in this series, they have a clear advantage.
Rajon Rondo is the NBA's version of a pool shark… lulling you in with straightforward stuff before burning you with some impossible bank shot when you bet against him. Paul Pierce is heating up, burying those elbow jumpers and bulling his way to the hoop like we all remember. Kevin Garnett is once again Scorsese or Spielberg. He should win a Best Director award for the way he make that Celtics defense work. And the Celtics bench is getting contributions from a different player every night… forcing Phil Jackson to stick with his starters and run them into the ground.
What happens when Ray finds his stroke again?
These are suddenly two teams headed in opposite directions. It's entirely possible some home cooking can change the look of this Lakers team. They seem to be a different team in the comfy confines of Southern California. But I don't think home is enough for the Lakers to escape this time.
The Celtics know that tonight's the night. They're in the Lakers's heads now. Like a couple of dogs fighting, one has asserted its dominance. The Rottweiler has found its way on top of the German Shepard.
The Alpha Males are wearing green.
This ends tonight.
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