Tonight was a tough test for the Celtics. Boston had little time to rest after winning a big game on the road in Cleveland last night. Celtics were back in Boston tonight to host the Portland Trailblazers. To start the game, Wesley Matthews drained a 3 pointer to give the Blazers an early lead, and they held on to the lead till the remaining minutes in the first half.

The Celtics shot 60% from the field in the first half. With Boston shooting that well, they should have been up by 20 points. Instead the Celtics were down in the game because they kept turning the ball over. The Blazers scored off of the turnovers and Matthews and Andre Miller led the way. But despite being down by 11 points in the 2nd quarter, the Celtics climbed back into the game with the help of two 3 pointers from Paul Pierce. At the end of the first half, the Celtics were down 49-48.

In the 3rd quarter, completely different story. The Celtics took care of the basketball and started to play Celtic basketball.  Paul Pierce was on fire tonight. When the team needed a big shot, Pierce delivered. Pierce would lead all scorers with 28 points. Celtics took the lead half way thru the 3rd and extended the lead in the 4th quarter. The Celtics went on lock down for most of the 2nd half.

With 5 minutes left, KG extended the lead to 16 points, their largest lead of the game. It looked like the Celtics were going to cruise to another win, but they forgot they actually had to play bball for the last 5 minutes. The Blazers went on a 15-0 run to end the game and I was definitely getting worried they would give this game away. With 10 seconds left, Pierce found Allen from 3 point land. Allen was having a terrible night shooting, but superstars deliver when the team needs it most. Allen shot 3-12 from the field and 1-6 from 3 point land, but the only 3 pointer he hit was the most important. With the game on the line, Allen drained the shot and would send Portland packing. Celtics won their 5 straight and improve to 14-4 on the season, tied with Orlando as the best team in the East.

Tonight marked the 200th game the Big Three have played together. Though KG andAllen played long careers with other teams, they will forever be remembered for their time in Boston. The Big Three has proven to be a winning combination. The Big Three have won 75% of their games together. I still have memories of the dark ages when the Celtics were starting guys like Vin Baker and Raef LaFrentz.  Believe me when I say, I’m very thankful the Big Three came together and restored the Celtics franchise. They are into their 4th season together and all they’ve done is win. This year is no different. They look poised to make another run at a championship.

The Boston Celtics didn’t show up tonight. Kevin Durant sat out of the game with a sore ankle. Maybe the Celtics thought the Thunder would lay down without Durant, but that was not the case.

Early on I could tell it was going to be a long night for the Celts. They couldn’t get anything going offensively. Nobody was aggressive. The ball movement wasn’t there.  Too many guys standing around flat footed. Rajon Rondo despite a sore hamstring was able to push the ball up but he was the only one running. The Celtics are best when they are running the floor, but it wasn’t happening tonight.

As poor as the offense played, the defense was even worse. The Celtics had no answer for Russell Westbrook. Westbrook had a terrific game finishing with 31 points, 9-21 fgm-a. The Thunder offense went thru Westbrook and if he wasn’t hitting jumpshots, he was dishing to open guys and they were dropping the thunder.  Even when the defense made a good play, the Thunder still hit shots. At one point in the third quarter, Celtics had a steal on Westbrook but the ball found its way to Royal Ivey and he banked a desperation three pointer with the 24 second clock expiring. Are you kidding me? Just a bad night.

Even though the Celtics played so poorly tonight, they still had a chance to win the game in the 4th quarter. The Thunder started to miss some shots in the 4th and on the other side of the ball, the Celts were finding themselves on the free throw line, usually the perfect recipe to steal a game. The recipe only works if you actually hit the free throws. Celtics shot 17-27 from free throw line and were terrible at the line in the 4th. The Celtics despite everything going wrong, still had a chance to take the game into overtime. The Celtics had possession of the ball with the score 87-84 and 13 seconds left. Pierce found Delonte West in the corner from beyond the arc but West wasn’t able to knock it down. Game over.

Bad games happen. The important thing is how will the team respond. The Celtics host the Toronto Raptors on Sunday afternoon at 1pm. I hope they play angry and make up for their performance tonight.

Kevin Garnett injured his knee in the winter of 2009. The nagging knee injury kept Garnett out of the 2009 playoffs and limited his explosiveness during the regular season last year. Though the 2010 season is just starting, KG looks good. I’m talking real good.

Never mind KG’s stats, what are the eyes saying? My eyes are saying KG has regained his form. He looks like the man that won the defensive player of the year back in 2007-08 season. He has a skip in his step and been tenacious on D. KG’s will and determination never wavered during the injury, but his body betrayed him. He wasn’t physically able to do what his mind wanted him to do.  Finally, it appears his body is healthy enough to create the same havoc on defense he’s been known for ever since he entered the league.

We’ve all heard it before ‘defense wins championships’. Sounds cliche but its true. The success of the Celtics hinges on how well they play defense. For this reason, KG is still the most important player on the team. Garnett is a game changer. The Celtics have enough players that can score, but its not about scoring; its about getting stops. And getting stops is what KG is all about.

 The Celtics last season were one of the worst rebounding teams in the league. Hard to believe because they were one of the tallest. However, this season they are rebounding the ball well and that’s because of the play of KG. Something happened during the summer. Maybe its purely that KG’s knee had time to heal. Or maybe KG entered this season with a different mind set where he would not be denied on the glass. Whatever it is, KG is averaging over 10 rebounds a game including a 15 rebound game last night against Dallas, something he hasn’t done in years.

Even though Rajon Rondo is emerging as a leader on the team, I still believe this is KG’s team.  If the Celtics are going to compete in the east, it is a must they play great defense. And if Kevin Garnett can stay healthy this year, the Celtics can beat teams like the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic in the playoffs.

Kevin Garnett is in hot water this week due to a tweet by Piston’s forward Charlie Villanueva.  The Celtics went into Detroit and destroyed the Pistons on Tuesday night thanks in part to the play of Garnett.  KG scored 22 points that night and some of the points were shot over Villanueva. 

After the game, Villanueva tweeted ‘KG called me a cancer patient, I’m pissed because, u know how many people died from cancer, and he’s tossing it like it’s a joke.’ Another tweet by Villanueva said ‘I wouldn’t even trip about that, but a cancer patient, I know way 2 many people who passed away from it, and I have a special place 4 those.’ Villanueva went on to say ‘KG talks alot of crap, he’s prob never been in a fight, I would love to get in a ring with him, I will expose him.’ 

Pretty strong accusations and in the world we live in if someone tweets it, then it must be true.  Villanueva suffers from alopecia universalis, a skin disease that has caused him to lose his hair. If the comments are true, definitely inappropriate words to say.

Garnett’s response to the accusation, ‘My comment to Charlie Villanueva was in fact, ‘You are cancerous to your team and our league.’ I would never be insensitive to the brave struggle that cancer patients endure. I have lost loved ones to this deadly disease and have a family member currently undergoing treatment. I would never say anything that distasteful. The game of life is far bigger than the game of basketball.’ 

Whether KG called Villanueva a ‘cancer patient’ or not, it should have stayed on the court. If KG said those things to Villanueva, why did Villanueva feel the need to share it with the rest of the world? If you don’t like what the other guy is saying, then shut him up with your play. Block his shot; give him a hard foul; dunk on his head. Don’t tweet to the world about your hurt feelings. NBA is a grown man’s game and things are said in the heat of the battle. I’m sure Larry Bird and Michael Jordan said some hurtful things on the court.  Just ask Craig Ehlo. 

On WEEI’s Dennis and Callahan show, Coach Doc Rivers had this to say about the situation, ‘I’ve played the game, and I couldn’t imagine someone going to the press after the game because someone said something to you on the floor.’ Amen Rivers.

Call me a homer, but I believe KG. The guy certainly yaps a lot during a game, mostly at himself, but ’cancer patient’, that doesn’t sound like something KG would say. Now, if the comments had MFer every other word, then I might believe KG said them.

Boston Celtics vs. Miami Heat. Opening night of 2010-2011 season. Oh yeah Baby.

In case you were stranded on a desert island with John Locke, Jack, and Sawyer this summer,  Lebron made his decision on national TV and abandoned Cleveland for Miami and joined Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh. A new Big Three was formed. The original Big Three, Allen, Pierce, and KG, fell short in the NBA finals and were coming into this season with a renewed focus and a new teammate in Shaquille O’Neal. The NBA Powers that Be are obviously no fools. Brilliant marketing by the NBA to have one of the marquee teams in the NBA, the Celtics, kick off the season against the revamped Miami Heat. 

I have to be honest; I completely bought into the hype for this game. It’s ridiculous really because it’s only game 1 of the season and already one game felt like it will have playoff implications. It won’t but sure felt that way. Tonight, a rivalry was born. 

The Celtics were dominant in the first half. What a way to start the season. Team defense is what Celtic basketball is all about and it was on lock down tonight. The “mighty” Heat were held to 9 pts in the first quarter. That’s right, 9 points. The Celtics’ defense was fluid, constantly in motion, more often than not in the right place at the right time. They rebounded, blocked shots, drew charges, created turnovers. The Heat looked out of sync and confused. On the other side of the ball, the Celtics offense looked to Shaq down low and Ray Allen from downtown. The Celtics stretched their lead in the second quarter and finished the half leading 45 to 30. 

In the 3^rd quarter, Celtics led by as much as 19 points but then the Heat made an adjustment by having Lebron play the point and it worked. Lebron took over the game in the 3^rd and there was not much the Celtics could do about it, especially when the refs are refusing to call a charge on Lebron. On a fast break Lebron with a full head of steam, ran over Paul Pierce who clearly had position, instead the refs called a blocking foul. Very frustrating. The Celtics lost their focus on the offensive end and the Heat took advantage. The Heat finished the 3^rd quarter strong and at end of the 3^rd, the Celtics only led by 6 points, Boston 63 – Miami 57. 

In the 4^th quarter, both teams traded shots. Every time the Heat would get close, Paul Pierce answered right back with a big three pointer. Pierce would finish with 19 points, 11 in the 4^th quarter.  Lebron made a driving layup with 1:09 left cutting the lead to Boston 83 – Miami 80. Doubt crept into my mind. No way can the Celtics lose this game after playing so great in the first half. And the thought of Lebron, Wade, and Bosh celebrating a win was starting to make me nauseous. With the score 83-80 and the Celtics with the ball with under a minute left, the Celtics made the play of the night. With the 24 second clock dwindling down Pierce found Allen in the corner for a huge three. Even Ray Allen’s Mom jumped up after that three. 

The Celtics went on to win 88 to 80. Lot of positives to take away from this game. The Celtics held the Heat to 36% fg. Shaq played very well. The bench contributed. Pierce found his shot in the 4^th. Ray Allen shot great from three point range. Rajon Rondo finished with 17 assists. 

The Boston fans were chanting “Overrated” at the end of the game. As much as I would love to believe that to be true, the Heat are not overrated and will likely figure out their offense during the season. But, Boston sent a message tonight that they are not ready to hand over the Eastern Conference to the Heat without a fight.

  After the Boston Celtics lost game 7 of the NBA Finals to the LA Lakers, I thought it was time to rebuild the team. The Big Three plus One (Rondo) carried the Celtics all the way to the NBA Finals and unfortunately ran out of steam in the end. I wasn’t upset about the game 7 loss. How could I be? They were not supposed to make it that deep into the playoffs to begin with. They fought so hard to get to the Finals and when they got there, they fought even harder against a better team. They just fell one quarter short. 

 As I watched Kobe and the Lakers celebrate their back to back championships, I thought to myself “that’s the end of the Big Three”. Ray Allen was a free agent and would be signing with a different team. Kevin Garnett didn’t have the same explosiveness he had two years prior due to the knee injury. Half way thru the playoffs, Paul Pierce looked beat. The hall of famer wasn’t able to give the same reliable performance night after night. The Big Three looked tired and old. And to top it all off, Coach Doc Rivers was retiring. It was a wonderful 3 years where the Big three restored the Celtic franchise, and I enjoyed every moment. But it was the end of an era. 

 Or so I thought.  

The Celtics had a very interesting off season. First the very surprising news, Coach Rivers agreed to come back for another season. This was big news because Rivers was very vocal about retiring. He wanted to be home more and have the flexibility to watch his kids play basketball. Coach Rivers staying would maintain stability in the franchise no matter what happened with players testing free agency.  

Then Pierce opted out of his contract. At the time, I thought maybe this was a good moment for the Celtics and Pierce to part ways and the Celtics would then have a chance to go after one of the big name free agents. However within days, Pierce agreed to a 4 year extension with the Celtics making sure he will retire a Boston Celtic.  

Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett would be coming back. Only one member of the Big Three was left to sign. Ray Allen I thought would definitely test the free agent waters, but instead Ray agreed to stay with the Celtics for 2 more seasons for less money.

 The starting 5 was in place with KG, Pierce, Allen, Rondo, and Perkins. However, Ainge knew Perk would be out for most of the regular season with a knee injury. Ainge had to find a suitable replacement for Perk because of Rasheed retiring. Instead of bringing in one center, he brought in two, the O’Neal brothers. Jermaine O’Neal agreed to take a mid level exception worth $5.7 million to come play for the Celtics. And the other O’Neal, oh…what’s his name…oh yeah…Shaqachusetts; agreed to a 2 year deal for only $1.4 million a year.

 I love both signings. Jermaine will give the Celtics rebounding ability and length and if he can find his shot again, that will be only icing on the cake. As for Shaqrock, no brainer. Celtics get a superstar with a ton of playoff and finals experience. Shaq is a veteran joining a team of veterans. Shaq knows his role with this team. And I love the deal for selfish reasons. Shaq is one funny dude so it will be a joy to watch Shaq on a regular basis.

 Ainge also added Delonte West and extended Nate Robinson. Nate provided a spark in the playoffs coming off the bench. Nate spent last year trying to figure out his role on the team. I hope he’s found one.  Bring energy off the bench and light it up from downtown. As for Delonte, he can score in spurts and is decent from beyond the arc. Both players should be a suitable enough to give Rondo a rest.

 The 2010-2011 Boston Celtics look good. The starters are of course good to go. The bench looks strong as well. They have depth at every position.  Marquis Daniels will hopefully be healthy for a full season. Big Baby Davis I expect will be more active on the offensive end this season. The biggest plus this team has in my opinion will be there height. They have three 7 footers starting the season and will have 4 when Perkins returns. Height wins championships. It’s what makes the Lakers so tough to beat. 

The Celtics will certainly have their work cut out for them in the Eastern Conference. The New Big Three down in Miami have high expectations and certainly have a championship caliber team. Orlando Magic is still a very good team. Atlanta Hawks have a young, talented team. And if the Knicks trade for Carmelo Anthony, they could be a contender as well.  

The one thing Boston has over the other teams in the East is experience. They are battle tested. They won a championship in 2008. In the 2009 playoffs, the Celtics without Kevin Garnett made it further than expected. Last season, they made it to the NBA Finals. These players know what it takes to win a championship. They know how to play together and rely on one another.

 The Boston Celtics host the Miami Heat on Tuesday. Though the game technically is just another game in the regular season, this game will have a playoff feel. The Old Big Three vs. The New Big Three. The Celtic players may be aging, but they will show on Tuesday night that they still got game.

My Dad, the Old Man as I like to call him, was transferred from Miami to the Boston area in the early 80’s. The job was one he couldn’t pass up. It was a hard move on the whole family; I was indifferent because I was too young to know any better. We left sunny Florida for Boston, a place where the weather can be 60 degrees and sunny one day and a blizzard the next. Florida is full of shiny, happy people. In contrast, the people of Boston are full of sarcasm and are brutally honest, but everyone from the area is a “brothah”. The Boston sports teams are “wicked good”. And at the time of our move, the Celtics were wicked good and Larry Bird was the mayor of Boston.

In the early 80’s, Miami had zero basketball. The Miami Heat didn’t exist. There was no DWade or Lebron. Kids weren’t playing pickup games in the streets. No one paid any attention to basketball. Boston on the other hand was the exact opposite. Bill Russell and company established a basketball dynasty in the 50’s and 60’s, winning 11 championships. Two more banners were added in the 70’s. Boston loved basketball and the Celtics, but the passion reached new heights when the “Hick from French Lick” arrived in 1979. After the arrival of Bird, every kid in Massachusetts with a driveway had a basketball hoop and black Converse sneakers. It was the beginning of the Bird era. Though the move from Miami to Boston might have been tough on the family at first, I’m very grateful for it because we moved to an area with a passion for life and sports. Basketball meant everything to me as a kid. Basketball is the sport that gave me and the Old Man a chance to bond. It was a sport we learned about together; a sport we loved together.

For Father’s Day this year, I gave a gift to my Old Man that was decades in the making. When I was in elementary school, I always wanted to go to the Basketball Hall of Fame. The Hall is located in Springfield, MA, about 2 hours from our house. The Old Man and I planned on going to the Hall but something would always come up. To make a long story short, we never went to the Hall. As I was thinking on what to get my Old Man for Father’s Day, I was looking back on my childhood, feeling nostalgic. What is the one thing that tied us together? The answer; Basketball. And what’s the one thing we haven’t done yet together? The Hall was calling. A couple of weeks ago, me and the Old Man finally went to the Basketball Hall of Fame and reminisced about the past.

Life gets busy sometimes, especially the older you get. It’s important to stop every once in a while and enjoy the simpler things in life. Enjoy the moment. Going to the Hall with my Old Man was one of those moments that you try to slow down as much as possible and just enjoy.

As soon as we entered the Hall, there was a basketball court with several baskets. The court was well maintained and the basketballs were official. Of course, me and the Old Man grabbed a ball and started shooting. Shooting around at the Hall with my Old Man reminded me of the times when my Old Man would come home from work after a long day and challenge me to a game of HORSE. We would play for one buck and we kept a tally on the fridge. I somehow would end up with the dollar even though, according to the official tally, I owed my Old Man about thousand bucks.

Here we are at the Hall shooting and we fall right back into our routines like it was 20 years ago. My Old Man was draining 10 foot jumpers from the side of the hoop, his favorite shot back then. He still had the range. Now, why 10 feet? 10 feet was the exact width on either side of the hoop in our driveway. As a child, I wanted to be Larry Bird just like every other kid in Boston. If Larry shoots 3’s, then I shoot 3’s. As a kid, I learned to shoot from downtown. I really didn’t have any other choice because I was always one of the smallest kids on the court anyway. It was either shoot from outside or drive the lane and get blocked. At the Hall, all my shots were from three point land. Unlike my Old Man, I lost my range a long time ago and hit maybe 2 out of 50.

After shooting around, we entered the exhibits. There was an exhibit devoted to the best player to ever play the game, Michael Jordan. I say Jordan is the best now, but back in those days there was no way I would admit Jordan was better than Bird. Saying Jordan was better than Bird was blasphemy and grounds for treason. But I’ve grown up and I can now say Jordan is the best ever. He carried the torch from Bird and Magic and brought the NBA to new heights. Plus, he was a superstar. The guy had is own brand of shoe. It was an event when the new Air Jordans came out. At the Hall, every generation of Air Jordans was on display. My personal favorite is the pair of Air Jordans III. They still look sharp.

Walking thru the Hall jogged memories and the Old Man and I swapped stories about back in the day. Stories like how my 5th grade coach would yell “Get a man, get a man” every time I was on defense. Or remembering when Bird scored 49 points against the Trailblazers when he was at the tail end of his career. I even admitted to the Old Man how anytime we played one on one he would travel, but I let him get away with it. He would take a step to his left and then step to his right without dribbling. It was his patented move. How could I call a travel on his patented move?

We talked about the years he coached me in junior high. Our team was called the Celtics but we sure didn’t play like them. He coached for two years and we won one game during that stretch. My buddy Smalley, Patriots blogger for this website, told me that everybody wanted to play on Mr. Wareham’s team despite our losing record. The Old Man had two rules, everybody plays and make sure you have fun. Even though we only won one game, it was the most fun either of us had playing basketball.

It was a great day at the Hall. The Old Man and I turned back the clock and relived some of the “wicked good” times we shared together. For a brief moment I felt like a kid again, just a son with his father.

Paul Pierce will be opting out of his contract with the Celtics and will become an unrestricted free agent. With questions revolving around the new CBA that may take affect after next season, this makes sense for Paul. NBA franchises are losing money and this will likely force a reduction in players’ salaries. If Pierce becomes UFA this off season, he increases his chances of securing a long term deal worth more money.

Pierce opting out may not be an awful thing for the Celtics. The Celtics are right up against the salary cap going into next season. If Ainge renounces the team’s rights to Paul, meaning the Celtics can not sign Paul to an extension, this will free up about $15 million in cap space. With the $15 million, the Celtics can go after some of the younger players from the great 2010 free agent class. And before everyone starts to get excited, there is no way Lebron or DWade are coming to Boston.

I love Pierce. Everyone in Boston loves Pierce. He’s been a loyal soldier and has given it his all for the Boston Celtics. But this is a great opportunity for the organization to get younger with Ray Allen also becoming an UFA tomorrow.

The New Big Three were so much fun to watch. They made it to the Finals twice and won one championship. The New Big Three restored the Celtics franchise. But as painful as it may be to see Pierce and Allen in another uniform, it’s time for the Celtics to break up the Big Three. In the 4th quarter in game 7 against the Lakers, the Big Three had nothing left in the tank. They had given it their all and unfortunately came up a little short. The 2010 playoffs was the last hoorah for the Big Three. Their will to win was so great that they put themselves one quarter away from another championship. I think this was their last opportunity together to win a championship. I don’t see them getting to the Finals next year with the same unit.

In the early 90’s, the Celtics held on to Bird, McHale, Parish with the hopes that the veterans could do damage in the playoffs and bring home another banner. It didn’t happen. Instead, injuries piled up and because they held on to the original Big Three for too long, it took a decade to rebuild. Ainge can not afford to repeat the same mistake. I would love to see either Joe Johnson or Amare Stoudemire in Boston, either one would be a good fit. I like Dirk Nowitski too. Dirk still has a lot of game left even though he entered the league at the same time as Pierce.

The Celtics need to get younger and they have an opportunity to do it now. It’s decision time for Ainge and the Celtics.

Ray Allen and Paul Pierce were a combined 5-25 from the field, 3-12 from beyond the arc, and finished with 17 points combined. They only hit 5 field goals, 3 of which were 3 pointers. The Celtics can not have two members of the Big Three only hit 5 shots and expect to win the game. Celtics lost 91-84. Lakers have regained home court advantage and lead the series 2-1.

Pierce made the declaration that the Celtics are not coming back to LA. If you make a statement like that Paul, you better back it up. Pierce picked up right where he left off in game 2, missing open shots and not attacking the rim. I thought Pierce would put it together for game 3. The team desperately needed him to step it up, but instead it was KG that answered the call. KG was magnificent from start to finish. KG adjusted his offense, becoming a post player against Gasol instead of settling for jumpers. The strategy worked as KG finished with 25 points.

Celtics started the game on fire, taking it to the Lakers defense and jumped to an early lead. Phil Jackson called an early timeout to stop the bleeding and it worked. Lakers regrouped and played great defense the remainder of the game. The Lakers finished with 7 blocks and out rebounded Boston 43-35 and its clear the height of the Lakers has made Boston tentative around the rim. Though Boston had more points in the paint than LA, most of the points were from the post play of KG or in transition. The Celtics are not driving to the hoop, but there are two good reasons why they are not, Bynum and Gasol. I’ve been really impressed with the play from both men and they are starting to impose their will on the Celtics. If Boston is going to win this series, they must find a way to get to the rim. That means Pierce needs to get involved in the offense somehow.

Ray Allen only finished with 2 points, 0-13 from the field. Though Allen had a terrible night shooting, I can’t knock him for his effort. He was running all over the court using screens well to get open looks, he was just missing shots. Such is the life of a shooter; one night you’re breaking records, next night you’re cold as ice. The Bench for the Celtics had a terrific second half and was the main reason why the Celtics erased a 17 point deficit. The Bench finished with 26 points combined and was great defensively. Both KG and Rondo had it going. So, why did the Celtics lose? Celtics lost because of the play of Paul Pierce, or I should say the lack of play. Pierce looked tired. Pierce was not demanding the ball and when he did have the ball, he looked like he didn’t know what to do with it. This is not the Pierce we saw against Orlando. The Celtics will not win the series if Pierce is not attacking the rim and getting to the free throw line.

Celtics have a chance to right the ship on Thursday night and tie the series. No time like the present. Celtics desperately need Pierce to step up and step up he will. Pierce will have a big game on Thursday. If he doesn’t, this will be a short series and Gasol and Odom will be hoisting up the O’Brien trophy. I know…it’s a sickening thought.

As always, Go C’s.

Celtics vs. Lakers. East Coast vs. West Coast. Team Defense vs. Showtime. Celtics have 17 championships, Lakers have 15. The two most successful franchises in the NBA will face off in the Finals for the 12th time. Boston has gotten the best of the Lakers in 9 out of 11 times they faced each other in the Finals, and I’m hoping Boston can make it 10.

After the Celtics beat Orlando at home in game 6, I officially became a Laker fan. I wanted a Celtic – Laker finals. Rooting for the Lakers in game 6 against the Suns felt a little wrong. They had a huge lead going into the fourth, but the Suns made a run. With the Suns on the verge of pulling off a great come from behind win, Kobe decided to take over the game and there was nothing the Suns could do about it. He was not going to be denied. Kobe made improbable shot after improbable shot and willed the Lakers to victory.

I have to admit, it was frightening to watch. I thought to myself, how the heck are the Celtics going to stop this guy in the 4th quarter? Well, the answer is …they can’t stop Kobe.

The Celtics will need to go back in time and use the same game plan Bill Russell used against Wilt Chamberlain. Wilt might have scored 40 points on the Celtics, but the Lakers still lost because the Celtics stopped the other 4 guys on the court. Team defense is once again the key to the series for Boston and they look up to the challenge. This is the best defense they’ve played as a whole unit since the last time the Celtics and Lakers played each other in the Finals 2 years ago. KG looks healthy and if he can defend like he’s capable of, the rest of the team will rally around him defensively.

NBA basketball is a game of matchups. The individual battles are what will win the series for either team. Let’s take a look at the key matchups by position.

Guards
Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen vs. Derek Fisher and Kobe Bryant. Advantage: Celtics.
Even though the Laker backcourt has the best player in the league, I still give the Celtics the edge. Fisher can not guard Rondo. And it’s been clear all season long and into the playoffs, if Rondo is successful, the team is successful. If Phil Jackson decides to switch and put Kobe on Rondo, then Fisher guards Ray Allen, again a mismatch for LA. Ray Allen will light it up on Fisher.

Forwards
Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett vs. Ron Artest and Pau Gasol. Advantage: Lakers
Pierce will get his offense, but with Artest guarding him he will not dominate the same way he did against Orlando. Artest is too physical. One of the big reasons why Artest was brought here was to defend against a player like Pierce. Artest will force Pierce to shoot from outside. Pierce may have to guard Kobe at times as well and this will affect his legs on the offensive end. Gasol is one of the best Bigs in the game. He can do it all on the offensive end. KG will be asked to do a lot defensively, but his main assignment will be to stop Gasol. There has been a lot of talk about Gasol and how soft he is, but he’s more physical now than in 2008 and was a big reason why LA won last year. As for KG’s offense, he must hit a majority of his jumpers from outside if the Celtics are going to win the series.

Center
Kendrick Perkins vs. Andrew Bynum. Advantage: Push
Bynum is still battling knee problems and this will limit his effectiveness. Perkins should have a good series but is one technical away from being suspended. History says he won’t be able to keep his cool for multiple games and will get a technical. If he gets suspended, it will certainly hurt the Celtics.

Bench
Which Lamar Odom will show up? If the focused Odom shows up every night, Advantage: Lakers
If Odom loses focus and Rasheed’s back is healthy enough, Advantage: Celtics.
The play of both Odom and Wallace can have a big impact on a game. Odom can do just about anything on the court. He can shoot from outside, can drive the lane, can get tip ins off of offensive rebounds, but he’s inconsistent. Wallace will have a big impact defensively and if his three pointer is going down, he can be a difference maker. As for the other members of the bench, both teams are pretty even with the exception of Big Baby. Davis can frustrate an opponent. He’s an energy guy that can rebound, draw a charge and hit open jumpers.

Bottom line, I think the Lakers have a slight advantage over the Celtics for this series. Lakers have home court, something they didn’t have in 2008. For the finals, the format will be 2-3-2. If this series goes more than 5 games, big advantage goes to the home team. If this series goes to a game 7, Lakers will be at home. The Lakers also have the best player on the planet, sorry Lebron but Kobe is better. Kobe looks better than ever in the playoffs this year and looks poised to earn his 5th championship.

But before we all crown Kobe and the Lakers champions, consider this, the starting 5 for the Celtics have yet to lose a playoff series together. That’s absolutely incredible. And consider the Celtics road to the Finals. The Celtics defeated Wade and the Heat, Lebron and the Cavs, and Howard and the Magic. Can they stop one more superstar during these playoffs? Celtics defeated the Cavs and Magic, two teams with the best record during the regular season. Celtics haven’t had home court since the Heat series and still won. This team has been here before and they are battle tested.

The end of the road is near and I’m hoping it will end with the Celtics earning their 18th championship. Banner 18. Just sounds good. And beating the Lakers would be icing on the cake.

Go Celtics.