Back To The Future: Celtics vs. Lakers
Start listening to some Keep Me Hanging By Kim Wilde and watching Beverly Hills Cop II.
Why do I mention those? They where the number 1 song and number 1 movie the last time we had a Celtics vs. Lakers final.
Tonight, down the stretch, the Celtics just wanted it more. The lasting image of the game for me will be Posey's steal; after that, Detroit and its fans seemed resigned to the fact that the game was over.
Overall, it was a long strange trip back to the finals for the C's. 21 years that included true tragedies, bad luck, and at times a poorly run organization. Now thanks to Ainge ( and Kevin McHale) The retooled Celtics are back in the finals. I have to give credit to the much maligned Doc Rivers who drove me nuts at times, but still managed to get us here. The playoff run so far has been an odd one, but all that is behind us now.
While KG is going to the big national story, more then anyone else I feel Happy For Paul Pierce today because he was here for the crappy years. There are going to be many stories about the finals, and the history of it is just provides a nice back drop. For me this series is all about 2 players: Kobe Bryant who has the longest tenure of any current player on 1 team trying to get on the list of elite all-time NBA greats vs. Paul Pierce who has the third longest tenure of any current player on 1 team (Duncan is #2) trying to get the recognition as one of the great players of his generation and one of the all-time Celtics greats.
Why do I mention those? They where the number 1 song and number 1 movie the last time we had a Celtics vs. Lakers final.
Tonight, down the stretch, the Celtics just wanted it more. The lasting image of the game for me will be Posey's steal; after that, Detroit and its fans seemed resigned to the fact that the game was over.
Overall, it was a long strange trip back to the finals for the C's. 21 years that included true tragedies, bad luck, and at times a poorly run organization. Now thanks to Ainge ( and Kevin McHale) The retooled Celtics are back in the finals. I have to give credit to the much maligned Doc Rivers who drove me nuts at times, but still managed to get us here. The playoff run so far has been an odd one, but all that is behind us now.
While KG is going to the big national story, more then anyone else I feel Happy For Paul Pierce today because he was here for the crappy years. There are going to be many stories about the finals, and the history of it is just provides a nice back drop. For me this series is all about 2 players: Kobe Bryant who has the longest tenure of any current player on 1 team trying to get on the list of elite all-time NBA greats vs. Paul Pierce who has the third longest tenure of any current player on 1 team (Duncan is #2) trying to get the recognition as one of the great players of his generation and one of the all-time Celtics greats.
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