duncan228
05-20-2010, 03:26 PM
Lakers-Celtics Finals Has a Different Feel Than ’08—And That’s a Good Thing (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=tsn-lakerscelticsfinalsh)
SportingNews
After two games apiece, it seems reasonably predictable that the Celtics and Lakers will meet in the NBA Finals for the second time in the last three seasons. Sure, the Magic are good enough to make a comeback, and the Suns’ defense could mysteriously reappear, but the situations in both series seem rather clear.
The Celtics are playing their best defense since their championship run two years ago, and after winning both games in Orlando they sit comfortably in the driver’s seat of the series. It’d take quite a collapse for them to miss out on the Finals.
The Lakers aren’t in quite the same firm control, since both their wins have come at home, but the Suns’ defense has been so poor in this series that it’s difficult to imagine how they could come out on top. Perhaps that effort will manifest itself, but you wouldn’t want hold your breath.
Assuming everything holds to form, we’d be left with a Lakers/Celtics Finals, the matchup that set the basketball world ablaze two years ago. It’s the league’s marquee rivalry, historically, and was viewed in 2008 as a series that could reignite excitement in the NBA for the casual fan. So why aren’t people once again overflowing with excitement over this likely series?
Well, the circumstances have changed. Whereas the 2008 Celtics and Lakers were new Finals entrants with the potential to create a longstanding rivalry, the current squads read more like veteran teams picking up wins in a professional manner rather than league saviors. They’re no longer symbols of a golden era, simply basketball teams trying to win a championship.
How did things change? For the Celtics, it’s been a matter of time and injury. The 2008 team was all about the Big Three restoring glory to the most successful team in league history. In the minds of the media and the Boston fanbase, they weren’t just playing for themselves, but also for the reputation of an entire region. I always considered that to be an overblown notion, but it had huge appeal for the league and its corporate partners. It was the return of a dynasty.
Not everything went according to plan. The Celtics were top contenders to come out of the East for much of last season, but Kevin Garnett’s knee injury killed those hopes. Then, this season, the team seemed like also-rans right up until they began to dominate the playoffs with their rejuvenated defense. Add the fact that Rajon Rondo has taken on a bigger role with the team, and this season’s team stands as its own entity, apart from the 2008 squad, even as most of the personnel has remained the same. They’ve overcome obstacles, not simply materialized over a summer to raise another banner in the Garden. They have their own history apart from that of their franchise.
The 2008 Lakers functioned in a manner similar to their counterparts in the East, with Pau Gasol coming aboard in midseason to turn a mid-tier playoff team into a true contender. Gasol was less his own player that season (and last, for that matter) than a new piece for Kobe Bryant, someone who could help Mamba prove he could win a championship without Shaquille O’Neal. Until L.A. beat Orlando in the Finals last season, that was the journey that defined the team. Every media story focused on Kobe’s quest to prove he could do it alone, even if that meant having several All-Star caliber teammates along with him. All that mattered was that he could win without Shaq.
That storyline is dead. Discussion of the team this year has focused more on the frontcourt than on Kobe—in the eyes of the media, they’re a complete team rather than one man and the players who can help him reach his goal. Gasol has gotten his due credit as a force in the paint, and everyone from Lamar Odom to Ron Artest to Andrew Bynum has stood out in their own way.
For both the Celtics and Lakers, the weight of historical expectations has given way to basketball as its played on the court. For the NBA, that might not be the best outcome—while the TV ratings will still probably be pretty good, this matchup won’t be quite the same event that it was in 2008.
On the other hand, we are now getting the chance to appreciate these teams beyond the prepackaged stories. Both squads exist in the media as they do on the court. We’re allowed to appreciate Rondo’s arrival on the national stage for what it is, and we can focus on Gasol’s immense skill in the post without having to relate it to Kobe’s career arc. Basketball is the focus, not the easy plotlines. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
SportingNews
After two games apiece, it seems reasonably predictable that the Celtics and Lakers will meet in the NBA Finals for the second time in the last three seasons. Sure, the Magic are good enough to make a comeback, and the Suns’ defense could mysteriously reappear, but the situations in both series seem rather clear.
The Celtics are playing their best defense since their championship run two years ago, and after winning both games in Orlando they sit comfortably in the driver’s seat of the series. It’d take quite a collapse for them to miss out on the Finals.
The Lakers aren’t in quite the same firm control, since both their wins have come at home, but the Suns’ defense has been so poor in this series that it’s difficult to imagine how they could come out on top. Perhaps that effort will manifest itself, but you wouldn’t want hold your breath.
Assuming everything holds to form, we’d be left with a Lakers/Celtics Finals, the matchup that set the basketball world ablaze two years ago. It’s the league’s marquee rivalry, historically, and was viewed in 2008 as a series that could reignite excitement in the NBA for the casual fan. So why aren’t people once again overflowing with excitement over this likely series?
Well, the circumstances have changed. Whereas the 2008 Celtics and Lakers were new Finals entrants with the potential to create a longstanding rivalry, the current squads read more like veteran teams picking up wins in a professional manner rather than league saviors. They’re no longer symbols of a golden era, simply basketball teams trying to win a championship.
How did things change? For the Celtics, it’s been a matter of time and injury. The 2008 team was all about the Big Three restoring glory to the most successful team in league history. In the minds of the media and the Boston fanbase, they weren’t just playing for themselves, but also for the reputation of an entire region. I always considered that to be an overblown notion, but it had huge appeal for the league and its corporate partners. It was the return of a dynasty.
Not everything went according to plan. The Celtics were top contenders to come out of the East for much of last season, but Kevin Garnett’s knee injury killed those hopes. Then, this season, the team seemed like also-rans right up until they began to dominate the playoffs with their rejuvenated defense. Add the fact that Rajon Rondo has taken on a bigger role with the team, and this season’s team stands as its own entity, apart from the 2008 squad, even as most of the personnel has remained the same. They’ve overcome obstacles, not simply materialized over a summer to raise another banner in the Garden. They have their own history apart from that of their franchise.
The 2008 Lakers functioned in a manner similar to their counterparts in the East, with Pau Gasol coming aboard in midseason to turn a mid-tier playoff team into a true contender. Gasol was less his own player that season (and last, for that matter) than a new piece for Kobe Bryant, someone who could help Mamba prove he could win a championship without Shaquille O’Neal. Until L.A. beat Orlando in the Finals last season, that was the journey that defined the team. Every media story focused on Kobe’s quest to prove he could do it alone, even if that meant having several All-Star caliber teammates along with him. All that mattered was that he could win without Shaq.
That storyline is dead. Discussion of the team this year has focused more on the frontcourt than on Kobe—in the eyes of the media, they’re a complete team rather than one man and the players who can help him reach his goal. Gasol has gotten his due credit as a force in the paint, and everyone from Lamar Odom to Ron Artest to Andrew Bynum has stood out in their own way.
For both the Celtics and Lakers, the weight of historical expectations has given way to basketball as its played on the court. For the NBA, that might not be the best outcome—while the TV ratings will still probably be pretty good, this matchup won’t be quite the same event that it was in 2008.
On the other hand, we are now getting the chance to appreciate these teams beyond the prepackaged stories. Both squads exist in the media as they do on the court. We’re allowed to appreciate Rondo’s arrival on the national stage for what it is, and we can focus on Gasol’s immense skill in the post without having to relate it to Kobe’s career arc. Basketball is the focus, not the easy plotlines. I wouldn’t have it any other way.