The 2008 NBA Finals Preview

PRESENTS

VERSUS

This year’s NBA Finals will revive memories of classic battles between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. Memories of Bill Russel vs Jerry West and Magic Johnson versus Larry Bird will come back to those who has witnessed their greatness. NBA’s biggest stage has waited for 21 years to once again witness a battle between two teams who have so much pride and tradition in them

In the history of NBA Finals, the Celtics and the Lakers will face each other for the 11th time this year. Celtics have won the first 8 meetings while the Lakers has taken the last two. Of the 10 championships between them, 5 championships went the distance and the Celtics won all of them.

This year, history doesn’t matter. The only remnants of those fierce battle can be seen on the banners hanging over the court. This year’s cast is composed of new faces. This year, both teams are hungry to win the championship and are raring to leave their mark in the history of NBA.

Los Angeles Lakers’ and 2008 Season MVP Kobe Bryant has been raring to go back in the NBA Finals after losing to the Detroit Pistons in 2004. That last trip to the finals also signaled the last day of the Lakers Dynasty. The team was practically disbanded with Shaq O’Neal being traded to the Heat and the rest of the supporting cast left Los Angeles. Kobe was surrounded by new faces. Faces that somehow spelled D-O-O-M for the Lakers. For three consecutive seasons, Kobe has the face of frustration. No one knew how frustrated Kobe was until his recorded conversation dissing his teammates were leaked out last year during off-season. Everybody was expecting to see Kobe Bryant in a different uniform this season but that did not happen. Kobe played his best and played hurt. What kept Kobe Bryant from playing is that he saw his teammates, the same ones who he ripped, heeded to his call and are playing better. Then one day, Lady Luck or any other mystical being has smiled and Kobe and delivered him Pau Gasol. The Lakers got Pau Gasol by trading loose change. It can be considered a freebie. It could have been an orchestrated trade putting all the other teams at a disadvantage but I still give props to Mitch Kupchak for making this trade happen. After the season has ended, after all the drama and issues that has happened, the Lakers came out on top of the Western Conference.

The Lakers playoff battles seem to be easier as they dispatch teams fast (but well fought). They took down the Carmelo Anthony, Allen Iverson and the rest of the Denver Nuggets via sweep. Next they battled Utah Jazz and ended the series in 6 games. Finally, they defeated the defending NBA Champions San Antonio spurs in 5 games. The Lakers just showed complete dominance over the Western Conference all throughout the playoffs and that brought Kobe and the rest of the Los Angeles Lakers back to the NBA Finals.

Boston Celtics on the other hand was also at lost during the off-season. Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers were both being asked to step down from their own responsibilities. The Celtics were so miserable the previous season that they got the NBA second worst record. Unfortunately for them no mystical being smiled at them on draft lottery as they went down just picking 5th over-all on draft day after having the biggest chance of getting the number one draft pick. Criticisms never stopped for the once mighty and proud Celtics organization.

Danny Ainge made a big trade on draft day acquiring Ray Allen and rights to Glen Davis from the Seattle Supersonics trading away their 5th over-all pick (Jeff Green), Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West. This trade gave hope to those who support the green and white. A few days later, Danny Ainge made another big trade by trading seven of their players for one man. That one man is Kevin Garnett. All those supporters of the Celtics who were in hibernation suddenly came out of their caves and are ecstatic for having a new Big Three wearing the Celtics uniform. Some doubted that their chemistry will be off and they will be only competitive next season but the Big Three composed of Garnett, Allen and Pierce prove them wrong and snatched the NBA best record this season.

The playoff battle of the Celtics were not as smooth sailing as the Lakers. The first round was the biggest surprise of all. The Atlanta Hawks were able to push the series to the limit even though all analysts and common sense have count them out in four games. Game 7 of that series showed the veteran side of the Celtics as they humiliated the Hawks by finishing them off 99-65. The Celtics faced next the defending Eastern Conference Champion Cleveland Cavaliers. The series seem to be a photocopy of the first round. The series could have gone both ways. LeBron James could have beaten the Boston Celtics had the rest of the Cavaliers played their hearts out. Boston once again won this series but sports a 0-6 record on the road. This seem to be a lethal info as they face next the Detroit Pistons. In this series, the Celtics lost for the first time at home but they also won their first road game and owned the Detroit Pistons 4 games to 2.

The two teams started the season on the same page and now both teams are at the end of their campaign together. Whoever will win this championship will have one hell of a season to remember. A season they will tell their grandchildren as if it was a fairy tale because it will be a fairy tale ending for both teams.

Who will win the champiosnhip? Celtics or Laker? Who cares! If you’re not a fan of any of the two then I suggest that you sit back, relax, and enjoy the fiercest championship battle you will ever see with both teams having one thing in mind…

THE LARRY O’BRIEN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY

-Shooter’s Bounce

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I might actually have a prediction next time as I will try to break down each head-to-head match-up between the Celtics and the Lakers.