Lakers Vs. Celtics (Who's going to win?)

MitchAlvarez says on Jun 1, 2008, 07:44:

Lakers in 6

"Ingrid callate la jeta!! Stay in France"

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Medellin Traveler says on Jun 1, 2008, 08:05:

I would LOVE to see Keven Garnett and the Boston Celtics WIN!

It's a tough call right now, it could go either way, but it's going to be hard to beat Kobe Byrant and Phil Jackson, too much experience. But than again, the Celtics beat Tim Duncan and the championship Spurs.

In any case, it should be an exciting series.

Now, all I have to do is find someplace where I can watch the NBA finals, since I don't own a TV.

"Huevos Rancheros en Medellin, No Quiero Taco Bell." - www.medellintraveler.com

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peteyw says on Jun 1, 2008, 10:13:

I would also love to see Garnett with a ring, but NOT with a CELTICS jersey on!

However, unless he has a career ending injury its almost certain he'll get a ring in Boston. Not this year; their bench is too weak and the Lakers are too talented and too deep and have a far, far superior coach.

This is the Lakers year. And next year's Lakers will be even better with the healthy return of Bynum

However, give the Celtics an effective off-season of deal making to get three things:
1) a veteran backup point guard with some legs (sorry, Cassel is about done, he has just one good playoff game left in him and that will probably be a game 4 or 5 effort ala Brent Barry),

2) a back up swing man who plays excellent D and can shoot the three

3) and finally, a stronger defensive presence in the middle to spell Perkins.

Those three pickups and that team will be really dangerous. Garnett should get a ring or two before his time is done. He won't wind up like Karl Malone.

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goin_south says on Jun 1, 2008, 17:38:

MT: "But than again, the Celtics beat Tim Duncan and the championship Spurs."


MT... where have you been watchin the games?
Last I checked, ... Kobe & Ko. just did......beat the Spurs.

(Or, have one of my colombianos nuevos en casa been slippin something dillusionary in my water???) (no creo.)

Where do we go from here?

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goin_south says on Jun 1, 2008, 17:41:

on the other thread, I say - along with Mitch A. - much as I don't like it: L.A. in 6 or 7.

Don't forget: The Networks need the money (i.e.... Celtics/Lakers!). Or, it would have likely turned out differently in that game 6, I think it was, where Barry was almost blatantly fouled beyond the three point line with little or no time left in Regulation and a one or two point difference. I think he would have sunk 2 of 3 to win the game, and likely changed the outcome. This whole thing is set up, already... by the NBA the TV.

Where do we go from here?

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Medellin Traveler says on Jun 1, 2008, 17:49:

going_south,

You're right, my bad, it goes to show that I can't do three/four things at once, brainfreeze, but I can't help myself sometimes.

"Huevos Rancheros en Medellin, No Quiero Taco Bell." - www.medellintraveler.com

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goin_south says on Jun 1, 2008, 17:54:

KOBE BRYANT.

HE'S no michael jordan.
but, for now... HE IS DE MAN.

And, that's coming from a Spurs Fan

Where do we go from here?

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CatGirl says on Jun 1, 2008, 22:29:

Lakers.

Love and Time: the only two things that cannot be bought, but only spent

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goin_south says on Jun 1, 2008, 23:48:

do we have to call them: Lagos de los Angeles?

Where do we go from here?

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christobeldawg says on Jun 2, 2008, 07:55:

The Celtics are going to need to call on the powers of Bill Russell and Hondo.

admittedly, arriving can feel great too

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peteyw says on Jun 2, 2008, 11:37:

The Celtics would do better to hire a medium to reach out to Red Auerbach. To win this series they'll need some otherworldly intervention.

Or call that cook in the Sacramento hotel and have him make Kobe another salmonella burger for his trip to Boston.

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peteyw says on Jun 2, 2008, 11:44:

Anyone want to talk about how the re-emergence of the Celtics creates yet another reason of many reasons why Lebron James will never win a ring if he stays in Cleveland?

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El Polo says on Jun 2, 2008, 12:31:

Celtics in 7 with both teams winning one road game a piece

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El Polo says on Jun 2, 2008, 13:41:

"Anyone want to talk about how the re-emergence of the Celtics creates yet another reason of many reasons why Lebron James will never win a ring if he stays in Cleveland?"

Knicks are supposed to be clearing up cap-room for his expected 2010 free agency. Lebron is a yankee fan too

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22789556

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peteyw says on Jun 2, 2008, 16:17:

The Knicks would be crazy not to go after James with both guns; I' d love to see him on my Bulls.

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goin_south says on Jun 3, 2008, 05:52:

Who will win GAME #1?
It is in Boston, no?

Where do we go from here?

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El Polo says on Jun 3, 2008, 09:00:

first game goes to the celtics, let see how my prediction skills go, haha

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goin_south says on Jun 3, 2008, 11:15:

me?
I'm goin against the grain of the play-offs.
K.B. in a one point win at the Garden.

Where do we go from here?

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El Polo says on Jun 3, 2008, 11:24:

if I was a betting man, ide bet a round at juancho pub! haha it's only 1.200 a costenita beer :) chit that almost a dollar now :(

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peteyw says on Jun 5, 2008, 07:41:

Tonights the night! The journey to the ring begins. I'm still backing the LaLa Landers.

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christobeldawg says on Jun 5, 2008, 20:34:

88-82 Celtics, 4:29 left in game 1

admittedly, arriving can feel great too

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christobeldawg says on Jun 5, 2008, 20:52:

Celts win game 1.

admittedly, arriving can feel great too

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goin_south says on Jun 6, 2008, 00:01:

okay; I meant ... "Kobe & Ko." by one... in game two.

Where do we go from here?

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peteyw says on Jun 6, 2008, 15:42:

Did anyone else here notice something really weird in that game last night?

Third period, the game had been close all night, Kobe's beginning to heat up, Gasol's getting it going thanks to Kobe's brilliant passing, the Lakers are playing good D and passing the ball while the Celts are hanging tough...then Pierce goes down and is carted off.

From that moment forward, it was like a hat of doom fell on the Lakers. Instead of the Celtics losing focus because Pierce was down and possibly out, it was the Lakers who lost their focus instead. Kobe couldn't make a shot the rest of the night, even after Pierce returned; Gasol couldn't make a dunk or layup anymore; everyone made bad passes; the whole team was out of sync.

It was like Pierce going down let the wind out of the Lakers' sails. It wasn't the Celtics that beat them it was like a bad karma beat em. Strangest thing I've seen in basketball in awhile.

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Lcacique says on Jun 8, 2008, 21:58:

2 zip...

Hoy se nota en la floresta un ambiente de alegría. ¡Y el rumor de ranchería es mas dulce y sabe a fiesta!

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christobeldawg says on Jun 9, 2008, 23:11:

well, it appears now, that the Celtics are going to win, even without Red Auerbach and Bill Russell and Larry Bird, must be some sort of celtic charm goin on. I mean, they were horrible last year, and the Atlanta Hawks are horrible every year, but no way they would have come out and done this, ever, and yet the Celts, they must be feeding on the glories of the past.

admittedly, arriving can feel great too

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Lcacique says on Jun 9, 2008, 23:44:

Well...let's see. A few subpar games in the playoffs and everyone forgets who had the best record this year. Granted they play in the East Coast. What was their record against the Lakers in the regular season? Last year the Celtics didn't have KG or Allen, and the turnaround, while amazing in some respects, was predicted.

The way I see it. There is not a man on any NBA court as possessed as KG. The man is hungry. The three stars on Boston have yet to break open those bottles of champagne and not that they have been invited to the dance, it'll be difficult to keep them away from the liquor cabinet. Kobe (I'm not a fan, though I respect his talent) certainly wants to win a championship to prove that he can do so without Shaq (Shaq's already got his without Kobe), but he's got a huge mountain to climb now. The Lakers are definitely capable of a heroic comeback (they've got a greater arsenal of offensive firepower), but they are going to have to slay the three-headed monster. KG/Pierce/Allen all know that this is their greatest opportunity whereas Kobe and the Lakers are likely to have a bright future with their relatively young talent.

Classic games await us in LA...I wouldn't be surprised if Odom commits a very physical foul akin to McHales against Rambis back in the day.

Hoy se nota en la floresta un ambiente de alegría. ¡Y el rumor de ranchería es mas dulce y sabe a fiesta!

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Lcacique says on Jun 9, 2008, 23:47:

Mchale's foul changed the series and rattled the Lakers who were poised to take a commanding lead. They ended up losing the series.



People always say that the game is more physical today. BS. Nobody was ejected here and there wasn't even a technical foul handed out for the clothesline. Rambis got two free throws...nada más.

Hoy se nota en la floresta un ambiente de alegría. ¡Y el rumor de ranchería es mas dulce y sabe a fiesta!

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christobeldawg says on Jun 9, 2008, 23:49:

if the Lakers win the next game, things will become very interesting.

admittedly, arriving can feel great too

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Lcacique says on Jun 10, 2008, 00:00:

There is already bad blood between Kobe and Ray Allen.

In addition, Odom is not the brightest of players and he has been known to commit some ridiculous fouls. For example, his flagrant foul against Ray Allen during the regular season:



Jackson called his boys soft (not quite as bad as when, previous to Mchale's clothesline, Bird said the Celtics where playing like a bunch of girls). No team likes to hear that kind of comment. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out in LA...

Hoy se nota en la floresta un ambiente de alegría. ¡Y el rumor de ranchería es mas dulce y sabe a fiesta!

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peteyw says on Jun 10, 2008, 10:44:

Not a whinner, but that last game was the worst officiated finals game I have ever seen in 30 years of watching NBA finals (and I've watched nearly every game of every finals). That was a disgrace.

I'm not saying this because I predicted the Lakers to win; I'm a Bulls fan and Lakers or Celtics does nothing for me. I speak as a fan of basketball of the game of basketball, it was hard to watch.

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Lcacique says on Jun 10, 2008, 12:51:

Really? Hum...I have watched quite a few myself and I would not make such a dramatic claim. Were there bad calls? Absolutely. Kobe's second foul (when he posted up Allen barely grazing him with his off arm) was ridiculous. And we could mention other questionable calls or no calls. But the worst officiated game in NBA finals...

The announcers mentioned how Kobe got to the line "x amount of times" against the Jazz. Duh...The Jazz were at the top of the league in fouls committed and they foul anyone that comes near the lane. The Celtics did an excellent job of not fouling shooters and that was the big difference that created the free throw discrepancy (the Lakers were called for 28 fouls and the Celtics were called for 21: that is not a huge difference. Again, the Celtics intelligently stayed away from fouling shooters). Throughout game two the Lakers looked rather lethargic on defense...instead of moving their feet they were grabbing and slapping as the Celtics knifed through the key to the basket. Look at the coast to coast play made by Powe (whose game bares no resemblance to Dr. J, David Thompson, Michael Jordan, or even Barkley or Kemp for that matter): at least three yellow jerseys back on "d" and they simply watch him run from 3/4's court eating a sandwich as he makes his way right down the lane to throw it down with nobody stepping up to guard him = pathetic.

I have no dog in the fight either, but I have to laugh at your comments peteyw...the first game you claim that Boston won because God's rays shined down on them after Pierce went down with the injury and now they won because of the officiating. It does not sound like you are whining, it sounds like you are making excuses...

I'm not counting the Lakers out. I am actually surprised at how poorly they have played and yet the games have been close. They should be extremely motivated for today's game.

Hoy se nota en la floresta un ambiente de alegría. ¡Y el rumor de ranchería es mas dulce y sabe a fiesta!

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peteyw says on Jun 11, 2008, 12:05:

Sorry to disagree. Watch the tape of that game and you'll see that the refs were the ones who didn't call fouls when the Lakers shooters were mugged. It was the refs who called fouls whenever the Lakers breathed too heavily on the Celtics' shooters. I've been around, I understand the NBA and don't mind refs giving the home team calls, that's to be expected, but the loopsidedness and obviousness of the foul calling was in the finals was a disgrace.

I never claimed that "God's rays shined down" after Pierce went down and that's why Boston won the first game. What I said was after Pierce went down, the Lakers went flat and it was very weird because normally when a team loses their big gun, its not the opposing team that loses their focus in that situation. And I didn't say that Boston won because of officiating in game two, what I said was it was the worst officiated finals game I've ever seen. We'll never know who would have won if the officiating had been more balanced.

As for Powe, him shooting more free throws in just 14 minutes of play than the entire Lakers team did the entire game, would make me stay away from him whenever he had the ball too. Heck, the refs are gonna call you if you lightly touch this 'almost rookie' so you back off the guy and he goes coast-to-coast. You see his stats last night in LA? with refs calling a more balanced game Powe was back to his reality.

And lastly, I'll repeat what I said ealier. While I think the Lakers will take it, I am a Bulls fan and have no love for Boston and couldn't care less about the Lakers. If I had to go with my heart, I would have choosen the Celtics only because I want Garnett to have a ring. Seeing as how Garnett and I both grew up in the same neighborhood and he went to the local High School; I'd go with the home town boy and root for the Celtics. But I'm not using my heart, feelings or sensations. I'm just a neutral b-ball fan watching the games and calling it like I see it.

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Lcacique says on Jun 11, 2008, 13:14:

Well, I have also been around awhile, and after watching game 2 a second time I stand by everything I said. Were there some missed calls that benefited the Celtics? Sure. There were also no calls that benefited the Lakers. 28 fouls to 21 fouls is not a huge discrepancy.

Kobe is a pre-madonna as can be seen clearly last night. As you point out, the Lakers got tons of calls in their favor and still Kobe throws his arms around pouting like a child. It is always hilarious when a player of his caliber, who is afforded the benefit of the doubt on EVERY play, reacts in such an immature manner despite the fact that the call was OBVIOUS. A hilarious example from game 2 was when he cut towards the basket, stopped at the corner of the key, elevated for the jumper and the ball flew out of bounds. Kobe flipped out on the refs as if he got hacked...what does the replay show? Nobody came within six inches of his entire body. Now, why complain on such an obvious turnover? Damn it is embarrassing to turn the ball over like that, but it's even more embarrassing to when a player trys to pass the mistake off on the refs.

And the whole team follows his lead: Gasol, Radmanovic, Farmar, Vujacic all crack me up in this respect.

The first half was a replica of the game in Boston, but reversed. Nevertheless, you didn't see the Celtics acting like a bunch of children. And again, there were missed calls for both teams...huge/obvious no calls. That's basketball.

The Lakers lost games 1 and (especially) 2 because of sporadic play. They were sporadic in game three as well. Frankly, I thought they would have been more impressive in front of the home crowd (especially since Pierce and Garnett were essentially nonfactors). Like I said before, they have a great arsenal of offensive firepower, yet they look pretty stagnant...They had a great opportunity to make a statement lastnight and I am shocked that they didn't capitalize on it.

Hoy se nota en la floresta un ambiente de alegría. ¡Y el rumor de ranchería es mas dulce y sabe a fiesta!

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Lcacique says on Jun 11, 2008, 13:15:

p.s. peteyw: I respect your point of view, there is no need to apologize.

Hoy se nota en la floresta un ambiente de alegría. ¡Y el rumor de ranchería es mas dulce y sabe a fiesta!

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peteyw says on Jun 11, 2008, 15:52:

I respect yours also Lcacique.

You're right, the Lakers were lackluster last night;, but still pulled it out. That game was not the deciding game to me, the Lakers were going to win last night no matter what. Game 4 will tell the tale, if the Lakers can not win in a dominant fashion, (not by score neccessarily, but by dominant play); then we know they are doomed. If they win with another lackluster effort at home then I don't see them winning a single game in Boston.

And its time for the Lakers to lay some wood, this playoff series won't even get started for the Lakers until someone on that team hard fouls Garnett and Pierce. Where's Bill Lambier? Maybe he can give Luke and Pau and quick lesson in the "pop and flop".

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christobeldawg says on Jun 12, 2008, 20:45:

92-89 Celtics, 24 seconds left...

admittedly, arriving can feel great too

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christobeldawg says on Jun 12, 2008, 20:47:

96-91, with 14 seconds left...and to think, the Lakers haven't lost at home since March.

admittedly, arriving can feel great too

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christobeldawg says on Jun 12, 2008, 20:53:

a remarkable comeback, and on the road. Am I talking to myself, did noone else see this?
this is like being married, trying to tell the wife about an unbelievable game, and she is like, "ok, did you take the trash out?"

admittedly, arriving can feel great too

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billyb says on Jun 12, 2008, 21:47:

so did you take the trash out yet? Go celts, what a collapse in second half.

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christobeldawg says on Jun 12, 2008, 22:02:

finally, another guy with less than half a brain to share the game with. Hand me a beer will ya BillyB?

admittedly, arriving can feel great too

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billyb says on Jun 12, 2008, 22:10:

It just occured to me that if you and I post at the same time, we can almost muster one full brain and come up with a semi-intelligent comment, of course nothing as all knowing as our good friend Loid.

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christobeldawg says on Jun 12, 2008, 22:14:

gringoloid, I am not getting in the middle of you and billyb's relationship problems jaja, but if you are truly all knowing, I have a couple of more down to earth, and stock market questions, to get some advice from you on.

admittedly, arriving can feel great too

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billyb says on Jun 12, 2008, 22:19:

Cdawg, don't throw your money away on the market, don't you know it's all just a diabolical zionist plot?

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christobeldawg says on Jun 12, 2008, 22:26:

feels like it lately

admittedly, arriving can feel great too

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goin_south says on Jun 12, 2008, 22:41:

If you guys still want to talk 'Purple & Gold'... guess it's time for Tiger Baseball in Omaha,...hahaha,.,.!

Where do we go from here?

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Lcacique says on Jun 13, 2008, 14:57:

Stagnant and sporadic...

Hoy se nota en la floresta un ambiente de alegría. ¡Y el rumor de ranchería es mas dulce y sabe a fiesta!

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Lcacique says on Jun 18, 2008, 19:53:

I believe they got spanked...

Hoy se nota en la floresta un ambiente de alegría. ¡Y el rumor de ranchería es mas dulce y sabe a fiesta!

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christobeldawg says on Jun 18, 2008, 21:12:

now if only we could play the Bejing olympics on the parquet floors of the Garden.
very impressive, and dominant performance for the the Celtics.

admittedly, arriving can feel great too

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