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The guy who I might be admiring the most in this series between the LA Lakers and the Boston Celtics is the coach of the Celtics, Doc Rivers. Watching the Celtics during these entire playoffs, I feel like I’m learning more about the chess-like aspect of NBA basketball watching Rivers lead them through it.
I read Saturday how Kobe was frustrated ... or, “miserable” actually, was the word that he himself used, when talking about the Celtics and how they’re playing him. “That's what they do,” Bryant said. “They show up, disappear, show up, disappear. That's part of it.”
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sport...rticle1602137/ ... Interesting, no?
Talent for talent, I don’t think many would suggest that the Celtics have more than the Lakers do. And each of the other teams the Celtics have beaten during these playoffs had a big star player leading them. First there was Dwayne Wade and the Heat; then, they beat LeBron and the Cavs; next was Dwight Howard and the Magic - and now it’s Kobe and the Lakers.
When you say the Boston Celtics ... can you really say anyone’s name, first? The closest might be Paul Pierce and the Celtics, but that doesn’t sound right. Kevin Garnett? Maybe in a figure-head kind of way, but that doesn’t work, either. Really, it’s just the Boston Celtics ... the team. With a superb coach, who really, as far as I’m concerned, puts an end to the argument from those who puff out their chest, so all-knowingly - and often as not, arrogantly (why is there so often that hint or more, of arrogance with some of those know-it-alls we see here and there and their proclamations?) stating that the coach isn’t really all THAT important in the whole scheme of things. (Ok, I’m not being fair, here. Doug Smith often says the similar thing, but he doesn’t say it as a way to put his superiority complex out there on display. He just says it because he believes it.)
[As an aside, is it really necessary to do the whole ‘arrogance thing’? I for one, find it oddly disheartening to read a good point made -- or sometimes even, not ... but maybe made in a good way -- only to then sense that slice of arrogance, used sometimes to insult or demean someone with a differing opinion ... or sometimes, it’s just arrogance for the sake of arrogance. Seeing it often in comments in the comment section in papers like the Globe and Mail (most often, not the sports section), I wonder if it’s just considered a ‘style of the day’? Whatever it is, I always find it a bit ugly. Though I will admit that there are one or two who can pull it off, just because it’s done with a certain flair of humour. But anyway ... I digress.]
It’s easy to forget, but when you compare talent on the Celtics against talent on other teams, we should first remember that not so long ago, the Raptors - and us, their fans (maybe more us than the team) - were starting to actually lick their chops (our chops) as we were closing in on them - right before the All Star break.
Many will recall back around that time saying that the Celtics would be a preferred opponent in a playoff series. Don’t remember? Better look back then, ‘cause it’s true. In fairness however, that’s when the Raptors were starting to have a ‘legitimate’ look about them ... before Chris Bosh went to Dallas and came back to the team not being able to look them straight in the eye, ‘cause he’d decided during those last few days that he was leaving. (Ok, just my opinion or guess as to what happened there.)
But the Celtics, aging and seemingly dysfunctional for a portion of this past season, pulled it together when they had to, to get where they are now: one game from the NBA Championship.
And I’d say that the credit for much of their success has to go to Doc Rivers.
Before it’s all done, Phil Jackson might have something to say about this, himself, but ... hearing him say to his team last night about the Celtics that “this team loses more games in the fourth quarter than any team in the league. They know how to lose games, and they're showing us that now”
(also quoted in the G&M - http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sport...rticle1602874/ ) ... might be something he regrets being miked up for ... ‘cause if I were a part of the Celtics team, that’d be all the extra motivation and inspiration I’d need to go to L.A. and close this thing out.
Could be a great finish to what has been for me, a fascinating series.
I read Saturday how Kobe was frustrated ... or, “miserable” actually, was the word that he himself used, when talking about the Celtics and how they’re playing him. “That's what they do,” Bryant said. “They show up, disappear, show up, disappear. That's part of it.”
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sport...rticle1602137/ ... Interesting, no?
Talent for talent, I don’t think many would suggest that the Celtics have more than the Lakers do. And each of the other teams the Celtics have beaten during these playoffs had a big star player leading them. First there was Dwayne Wade and the Heat; then, they beat LeBron and the Cavs; next was Dwight Howard and the Magic - and now it’s Kobe and the Lakers.
When you say the Boston Celtics ... can you really say anyone’s name, first? The closest might be Paul Pierce and the Celtics, but that doesn’t sound right. Kevin Garnett? Maybe in a figure-head kind of way, but that doesn’t work, either. Really, it’s just the Boston Celtics ... the team. With a superb coach, who really, as far as I’m concerned, puts an end to the argument from those who puff out their chest, so all-knowingly - and often as not, arrogantly (why is there so often that hint or more, of arrogance with some of those know-it-alls we see here and there and their proclamations?) stating that the coach isn’t really all THAT important in the whole scheme of things. (Ok, I’m not being fair, here. Doug Smith often says the similar thing, but he doesn’t say it as a way to put his superiority complex out there on display. He just says it because he believes it.)
[As an aside, is it really necessary to do the whole ‘arrogance thing’? I for one, find it oddly disheartening to read a good point made -- or sometimes even, not ... but maybe made in a good way -- only to then sense that slice of arrogance, used sometimes to insult or demean someone with a differing opinion ... or sometimes, it’s just arrogance for the sake of arrogance. Seeing it often in comments in the comment section in papers like the Globe and Mail (most often, not the sports section), I wonder if it’s just considered a ‘style of the day’? Whatever it is, I always find it a bit ugly. Though I will admit that there are one or two who can pull it off, just because it’s done with a certain flair of humour. But anyway ... I digress.]
It’s easy to forget, but when you compare talent on the Celtics against talent on other teams, we should first remember that not so long ago, the Raptors - and us, their fans (maybe more us than the team) - were starting to actually lick their chops (our chops) as we were closing in on them - right before the All Star break.
Many will recall back around that time saying that the Celtics would be a preferred opponent in a playoff series. Don’t remember? Better look back then, ‘cause it’s true. In fairness however, that’s when the Raptors were starting to have a ‘legitimate’ look about them ... before Chris Bosh went to Dallas and came back to the team not being able to look them straight in the eye, ‘cause he’d decided during those last few days that he was leaving. (Ok, just my opinion or guess as to what happened there.)
But the Celtics, aging and seemingly dysfunctional for a portion of this past season, pulled it together when they had to, to get where they are now: one game from the NBA Championship.
And I’d say that the credit for much of their success has to go to Doc Rivers.
Before it’s all done, Phil Jackson might have something to say about this, himself, but ... hearing him say to his team last night about the Celtics that “this team loses more games in the fourth quarter than any team in the league. They know how to lose games, and they're showing us that now”
(also quoted in the G&M - http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sport...rticle1602874/ ) ... might be something he regrets being miked up for ... ‘cause if I were a part of the Celtics team, that’d be all the extra motivation and inspiration I’d need to go to L.A. and close this thing out.
Could be a great finish to what has been for me, a fascinating series.
). Now you add energy guys like Nate and Big Baby and you have a very motivated team that can upset Kobe and the Lakers.
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