The better team won. Simply put, the Celtics were too much for the Lakers. Kobe, Pau, and Odom were all handled in the Finals.
Reading around, on various NBA discussion forums, all types of questions, second-guessing, and disappointment have plagued Laker fans. Kobe, ofcourse, being the main target of criticism. I’ve had my own questions about the way the Lakers played, so by no means am I going to take the holier than thou approach. But I do have a few of my own answers to some of the questions raised.
Where was the intensity for the Lakers in this series?
I’ve actually wondered about this as well. Watching the games, whenever the Lakers were losing by a wide margin, it just seemed as if they were pretty nonchalant about it, in-game at least. Let’s be real, when you’re watching a game, you’re looking for someone to actually create an offensive or defensive foul that sends a message to the other team. Alternating between the game and the online forums though, you’d think the fans were more emotionally caught up in the games than the actual players were, and that is a lesson. At the end of the day, championship or not, everyone needs to remember that it is just a game. Most players just seem to understand that more than the fans do (at least in the event of a loss). That doesn’t mean that people don’t work hard at it or that it isn’t how people put food on the table. It’s just fans really do not need to be more upset about losses than the players are. You come to learn that watching series’ like this year’s finals.
If the Cavs were able to take their series to 7 games, does that mean Lebron is better than Kobe?
Let me start this off by saying that I truly dislike comparing players. In basketball, fans have to understand that different players have different styles and must do different things in different situations. There are too many variables in the game to truly try to compare players, even on stats. Kobe, in my opinion, is still the better all around basketball player. Lebron however, is the more difficult matchup for the Boston Celtics.
I refer to Lebron as being somewhat of a bulldozer in that he can get anywhere on the floor, and no one can really stop him. It’s the way that he’s built. His jumpshot and his free throws, however, are parts of his game that still need some more work (although they have come a long way up to this point).
Kobe is the more scientifically artistic player. He can also get anywhere on the floor, just not forcibly. Instead, he maneuvers himself into those positions. He has a post-up game, a perimeter game, and the ability to split the defense, drive through the lane, and score over known shot blockers. Against a team like Boston, however, that’s built with an excellent ability to defend against that type of player, his gracefulness, or lack of explosion in the half court, is his most damaging flaw.
What about the comparisons between Kobe and MJ?
To be honest, I’m glad that those comparisons will be put to rest, at least for the moment. I think Kobe does his best work when he’s doubted. To some, this Finals performance will put a mark on his resume, at least temporarily, and you can’t really be mad at anyone for thinking that, after losing a Game 6 by 39 points.
Will Bynum even make much of a difference?
I believe he will. One thing I’ve noticed with basketball fans is that, although we remember a whole lot, we tend to forget our fair share also. Bynum, in my opinion, is a notch below a Dwight Howard, defensively and a notch above Dwight offensively. I say Howard in this situation because they’re similarly aged and Dwight has truly been a dominant big man in the NBA this past year. When you put that ranking into perspective about Andrew and realize that he’s:
1. Not very soft of a player
2. Has Kobe on his team
3. Was second in the league in dunks behind Howard
4. Is being coached by Kareem Abdul Jabbar
5. Helped the Lakers to the top spot in the Western Conference before Gasol even got there
You begin to realize that he does make a huge difference. A lineup of,
PG - Derek Fisher
SG - Kobe Bryant
SF - Lamar Odom
PF - Pau Gasol (who will completely understand the offense/defense by then)
C - Andrew Bynum
knowing that the Lakers were able to make it to the Finals and win two games without Bynum, really isn’t anything to scoff at. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Lakers are back and better in the finals next year.
On another note, after watching game 6, I couldn’t help but wonder how the Lakers would’ve played if Shaq was still there. I always get that nostalgic feeling when watching them play. Imagining that Rick Fox, Devean George, Brian Shaw, Ron Harper, Robert Horry, Shaq, and even Samaki Walker, are still on the team. ‘03-’04 was like a bad ending to an otherwise interesting story. Hopefully Shaq makes it to the All-Star game this coming year, even if he’s subbing in for Yao. I just hope I get to see Shaq and Kobe playing on one team one last time before he retires. Fellow allstar voters, let’s make that happen.
For now, Boston can celebrate their 17th championship. They earned it. Ray Allen played consistently throughout the finals, Garnett came up big when they needed him, Paul Pierce played his heart out for that Finals MVP trophy, and the rest of the Celtics got exactly what they deserved for the work they put in. Cherish it now, because next year, it may be a completely different story. Congratulations to the Boston Celtics, the 2008 NBA Champions.
