Congratulations Boston on your 2010 NBA Championship

[Ghazi]

It's all about matchups.

The matchup situation in '08 was vastly different than what it will be now in '10.

Assuming the Lakers get past the Suns, you can pretty much throw away all of the advantages the Celtics enjoyed in '08.

-No more HCA
-No more Radmanovich/Walton guarding Pierce. We now have Ron Artest who will make Pierce work hard for his points
-No more Posey on Kobe. Now you have the Allen brothers, who aren't nearly as intimidating
-KG is not the same '08 KG
-Bynum can counter Perkins in the paint
-Boston's bench is significantly worse and undersized compared to '08

The only positive difference I see is the improved play of Rajon Rondo. Will it be enough to offset all of the areas they got worse? I don't think so.

By this logic the Celtics should've lost to the Cavs... and quite frankly, I thought they would.

But Boston is crominant.

[Ghazi]

And who's going to score for the Lakers? Lost in the excitation about L.A.'s improved defense and the Perkins-stopper Bynum is the fact that their offensive efficiency has slipped dramatically over the past few years. It in fact is not "all about matchups," because Boston plays team defense very well. So no matter how bad a defender you believe Ray Allen to be, Bryant will not be scoring 40 points a game against Boston. Gasol's ability to focus is questionable. And the rest of the Lakers are the definition of unreliability.

As for the benches, Rasheed Wallace, Glen Davis, Tony Allen, and Nate Robinson do not compare unfavorably to James Posey, Leon Powe, Sam Cassell, and PJ Brown. Meanwhile the '08 Lakers trotted out Lamar Odom, Sasha Vujacic/Vlad Rad/Luke Walton, and Jordan Farmar; now they have Odom, Shannon Brown, and Farmar receiving almost all the bench minutes. I'm not seeing any bad matchups for the Celtics.

I'll agree with you about KG, and furthermore that Gasol is not the same as '08 Gasol, but all you have to do is be better than your opponent. The Lakers front line is big, but it's weak and it's soft. We'll see how they respond to Eastern Conference basketball.

Eastern Conference bball baby

I think a healthy Bucks team and the Bobcats would give the lakers fits.. and thats not discrediting the Lakers.

[thedong]

We stacked!

[21_Blessings]

And who's going to score for the Lakers? Lost in the excitation about L.A.'s improved defense and the Perkins-stopper Bynum is the fact that their offensive efficiency has slipped dramatically over the past few years.

This doesn't have much meaning in playoff basketball. You grind out your points during the post season since you have to work harder for each shot. This is why teams like Phoenix and Nellie Dallas get sent home every year. The Lakers have multiple post options and 3 big men that all finish well around the basket. #1 in paint points this post season. And using this example with the Lakers and not the Celtics is kinda funny.

Defense also breeds better offense. The Lakers didn't lose 08 finals with their offense. They could not get stops. Ron Artest chasing Pierce around will completely change the complexity of the series. Plus the fact that KG won't be able to roam freely all game when he's forced to man up Gasol for at least 20-25 min a game. Odom is also playing much better than he was 2 years ago, defense included. It's a confidence thing.

It in fact is not "all about matchups," because Boston plays team defense very well. So no matter how bad a defender you believe Ray Allen to be, Bryant will not be scoring 40 points a game against Boston. Gasol's ability to focus is questionable. And the rest of the Lakers are the definition of unreliability.

The Allen brothers a huge downgrade from Posey and Pierce. Kobe can easily post both Allens. Pierce and Posey were longer and bigger. Kobe in the mid-post can create much more freely than from the outer wing or top of the key.

Pierce, Allen and Rasheed are far from reliable this post season. All three have the tendency to disappear from games and if Sheed starts clanking 3's he won't even get burn.

As for the benches, Rasheed Wallace, Glen Davis, Tony Allen, and Nate Robinson do not compare unfavorably to James Posey, Leon Powe, Sam Cassell, and PJ Brown. Meanwhile the '08 Lakers trotted out Lamar Odom, Sasha Vujacic/Vlad Rad/Luke Walton, and Jordan Farmar; now they have Odom, Shannon Brown, and Farmar receiving almost all the bench minutes. I'm not seeing any bad matchups for the Celtics.

Posey and Powe were huge factors in the 08 finals (lol @ Powe shooting more FT than the entire Lakers team in g2). Sasha, Vlad and Luke sucked and couldn't defend anything. Odom off the bench is already an upgrade on that front. The Lakers will be playing their core heavy minutes that's no secret - Pau, Ron and Kobe are built to play those big minutes. Whereas Boston might be forced to play a guy like Tony Allen over Ray Allen for defensive purposes.

We'll see how they respond to Eastern Conference basketball.

[Ghazi]

jeez 21... no "Bynum's playing this time" references at all?

Looks like you've seen the light

Bynum

[21_Blessings]

Learn how to read Ghazi:

"Plus the fact that KG won't be able to roam freely all game when he's forced to man up Gasol for at least 20-25 min a game."

Perkins will be defending Bynum.

[21_Blessings]

Oh thanks for picking the Celts Ghazi. You're the Lakers prophet these past two seasons.

[Ghazi]

Doesn't take much balls/wisdom to make this prediction.

I mean, jeez.. Lakers are not prepared physically or mentally for an Eastern Conference team that actually plays defense.

jeez... from undersized no defense teams like the Suns/Jazz to the Celtics. ... and to think, the Suns are giving them all they can handle with a gimmick ass zone defense...

That is, if the Lakers even make the Finals.

[Ghazi]

[21_Blessings]

That is, if the Lakers even make the Finals.

Yeah if Dallas was in WCF like you predicted the Lakers would have been in the finals by now.

[Ghazi]

21_Blessings in 2 weeks: If Bynum was healthy!!!! :Cry

[DazedAndConfused]

Ghazi you realize your predictions have been dead wrong like 10x in a row now. You're becoming the John Hollinger of SpursTalk.

[Ghazi]

I won't say "I told you so" when it happens. Saying Boston will beat the Lakers in the Finals is like saying the sun will rise tomorrow.

I mean , Boston is 9-2 v the Lakers in the Finals after all

[21_Blessings]

Ghazi a year from today:

[Muser]

21_Blessings in 2 weeks: If Bynum was healthy!!!! :Cry

[Chillen]

Actually wether Boston likes it or not if it's Lakers in the NBA finals representing the Western Conference if the Suns don't force a game 7 and win, the Lakers have to be the favorites in this series. Boston will be playing to try and unseat the Los Angeles Lakers if they beat Phoenix. So Boston in a way is the underdog if they play and this Celtics team so far is getting it done, I like their chances if the 2 teams play eachother. Lakers still have to beat Phoenix and the Suns are gonna try hard to play a game 7 in LA.

[Ghazi]

just 1 win away...

just call me ghazSTRODAMUS

[namlook]

I won't say "I told you so" when it happens. Saying Boston will beat the Lakers in the Finals is like saying the sun will rise tomorrow.

I mean , Boston is 9-2 v the Lakers in the Finals after all

LMAO! The Celtics have one championship in the past 24 years.

[HarlemHeat37]

How many ignore lists have the Celtics made in the last 24 years?..

[Ghazi]

[Giuseppe]

LMAO! The Celtics have one championship in the past 24 years.

Testify, Nam, testify!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MiamiHeat]

How many ignore lists have the Celtics made in the last 24 years?..

LOLSDSDSD

[Shastafarian]

How many ignore lists have the Celtics made in the last 24 years?..

Sandy took his ignore list out of his signature. And here I was gonna vote for him for best sig...

[Ghazi]

meh, only off by 5 points.

[Killakobe81]

LOL yall es ass is bleeding right now ...