The Boston Celtics just won the NBA Finals with one of the most dominant performances in a closeout game in any sport ever.
The final tally had the Celtics winning by 39 points, just shy of the all-time record for winning margin in any Finals game. The Chicago Bulls beat the Utah Jazz by 42 in Game Three of the 1998 Finals (a game in which Utah was held to the then-lowest scoring output of any team in the shot clock era).
Paul Pierce just won the Finals MVP award after his tenth season, fitting for the man who slipped so famously to the tenth pick in the draft. He was outstanding in the Finals, getting to the line at will and playing with incredible poise throughout.
The best part of any championship, though, is watching the long-time veterans who finally broke through. For Boston, that was Ray Allen (26 points on 12 field goal and 3 free throw attempts) and Kevin Garnett (26 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, three steals, and a block), both of whom turned back the clock with vintage performances. It was awesome to see them play so well, especially Garnett, who played poorly in Game Five and has received so much criticism in his career (some from me). Now instead he'll be remembered for his ferocity, intensity, and consistent team mindset. It was a relief that Allen continued shooting so well even after getting poked in the eye.
As far as the game itself, the most impressive part was how Boston never let off the gas. No matter how big a blowout is, there's always a moment when the loser starts making it interesting...except for tonight. Sometimes teams with leads that huge even lose. As a Nuggets fan, I learned not to relax when the team blew a 70-34 lead to the Jazz once in the late-'90s. But tonight I never had reason to doubt, and though the bench cleared out, the intensity didn't. The Celtics dominated completely. They got it done as a team, though several other individuals had memorable nights (like Rajon Rondo's 21 points, seven rebounds, eight assists, and six steals, or James Posey's "You KNOW these are going in" three-pointers).
Mike Breen just said the Lakers are a young team and will be back next year. (I know the league has already decided next year's Finals matchup, I just didn't know they'd announced it.) I'm not so sure about their returning to the Finals, especially the way their star played his way out of the "best player in the league" discussion. (Of course, he didn't really, but like KG says, "Anything's possible!")
And I can't wait to read the Sports Guy tomorrow. What a terrific game!
Comments
The Celtics were just a dominant team throughout the Finals, and they played with a kind of coherence and passion that makes me think they will be right back in the thick of the championship hunt next year. That team is so well constructed, with a perfect balance of stars and role players.
The Lakers are completely done. They managed to catch lightning in a bottle this year with a few guys playing above their level and the sheer luck of offloading Kwame Brown for an all-star. But now they have been exposed, and every other team knows how to neutralize them - which is to say, every other team now gets that Kobe will try, but fail, to carry the team if you goad him into it.
One of my favorite parts of the game was when Kobe got schooled off the dribble by Eddie House in the fourth quarter. Eddie House?! It's not like he's known for his ball handling skills.
I was really happy for Doc Rivers. That was awesome to see Pierce give him a gatorade bath spilling red gatorade all over the court while their was still time on the clock. Classic.
It will be interesting to see how the Lakers react to this loss. Phil said they would need to add some different players if they want to get back to the finals next year hinting that they needed to get tougher on the interior. Gasol was exposed as a weak interior defender who doesn't like to bang bodies at all. Perhaps having Bynum back will help, but I personally thought he was a little overrated before his injury and definitely unproven still.
I agree that it looks like the Celtics will be back, but who knows. It won't be easy. I do think that team has a great roster.
I think the Lakers were lucky to get to the Finals this year, but they should be better next year with the return of Bynum, though not like a ton better. I don't think they're the West favorites necessarily, but some of the other teams (Spurs, Mavs, Suns) are getting old, while others (Jazz, Hornets) may still be too young. I don't think they're finished because teams should have known to challenge Kobe to go one-on-one for years by now.
The Gatorade thing was a little premature, but shoot, Dwyane Wade was sizing the Celtics for rings at halftime. But the way they were playing it didn't much matter.
Overall I agree with you on Bynum...wasn't Kobe mocking the guy like a year ago? (Not that it's rare for Kobe to mock a guy, but still...) And is he really a powerful defender? The other problem for the Lakers is that while they need some good inside muscle, good players in that mold aren't exactly freely available. So we'll see what they can even get.