I did not watch a second of Game 6 of the NBA Finals, but recorded it. After seeing that the Boston Celtics crushed the Los Angeles Lakers, 131-92, I figured I just saved myself two-plus hours.
The Celtics won the series, 4-2, and the 39-point margin is the largest ever in a series-clinching NBA Finals game. It also gave the Celtics their 17th NBA title, but first since 1986. Hats off to Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce, three stars who had long careers missing a title until they came together this year; they deserve all their success.
I did not watch a second of Game 6 of the NBA Finals, but recorded it. After seeing that the Boston Celtics crushed the Los Angeles Lakers, 131-92, I figured I just saved myself two-plus hours.
The Celtics won the series, 4-2, and the 39-point margin is the largest ever in a series-clinching NBA Finals game. It also gave the Celtics their 17th NBA title, but first since 1986. Hats off to Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce, three stars who had long careers missing a title until they came together this year; they deserve all their success.
Boston was the best team in the regular season and left no doubt they were the best in the playoffs. It’s ironic that the mediocre Atlanta Hawks gave the Celtics a better series (losing in seven) than did the Lakers, who embarrassed themselves in Game 4 by blowing a 24-point lead and in Game 6 by basically rolling over. Can’t say I’m the least-bit upset, despite living in L.A. I can’t stand Kobe Bryant’s petulant on-court behavior, especially when he publicly bitches at his teammates and he is very hard to root for. He didn’t exactly shine in these Finals, shooting better than 50% in only one game. He still has not won a title without Shaq (though Shaq did get one without Kobe).
The good news is that Celtics fans have yet to ascend to the ranks of the insufferable as have those that follow the Red Sox and Patriots. Boston fans are the most arrogant in pro sports, but the Celtics were down for so long that the followers of the green have been sedate the past two decades.
But the 2004 Red Sox and 2001 Pats were also feel-good stories when they first won and look how that has turned out; the Sox are the Yankees a little farther north and east, and the Pats have become the NFL’s Evil Empire. It was nice for Garnett, Allen, Pierce and Doc Rivers to get a title, but I hope it’s a one-shot deal. –Jim Buzinski
