If you are reading this, then I guess that means that Mr. MVP himself, Kobe Bryant, fell short of an NBA Championship and it is the Boston Celtics who are basking in a sea of excellence (as they should).
Kobe's showboating and over confidence didn’t reach as far as he has hoped.
Sure, it brought him this far—but it takes more then sheer confidence to take home an NBA title, especially against a team of such caliber as the Celtics. Did he really think that he could take this himself with not one, but THREE All-Star level competitors on the Celtics squad?
Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen will finally be known as the people to shut up and shut down Kobe Bryant—and I thank them, from the bottom of my little basketball-loving heart.
The Celtics and the Lakers have a spectacular NBA Playoff rivalry that will now be remembered for what it IS, not what it WAS. With so many great players on the court representing both teams this year, how could you compare it to anything else?
Paul Pierce, who sustained an injury in the first half of Game One, came out during the second half of that game and showed the world the kind of player he was—a champion.
Going three for four on three-point shots, and scoring 22 points for the game, he showed little to no discomfort resulting from the injury. He also got plenty of help from fellow teammates. Garnett and Allen put up a combined 43 points, resulting in a win for the boys in green.
I guess it wouldn’t be a good series if the bad guys didn’t win at least one of the games. Game Three was one for Bryant and his golden boys. Bryant put up 36 points in the win—and that was just enough to carry his team over the Celtics by six points.
If your top player scores 36 points, and you still just barely win the game, that can mean just one thing—your opponents are displaying absolutely amazing defensive skills. To quote perhaps my favorite movie of all time, Love and Basketball, “Offense sells tickets, defense wins games.”
More importantly—defense wins championships.
In Game Four, the Boston Celtics pulled off the greatest comeback in NBA playoff history—which is more then you can say for Kobe and his resume.
(To my surprise, as well as probably many other people who follow the NBA, Kobe came up with a whopping 10 assists. The boy can pass the rock, who knew?)
What happened during Game Four was something of epic proportions. It was something the guys on the Celtics dreamed about. And on this night, someone wished upon a star, because their dreams came true.
The Lakers, who led by 24 points at one point during Game Four, were up on the Celtics 35-14 by the end of the first quarter. From this point on, the Celtics had the greatest comeback viewed in NBA playoff history.
At half-time the score was 58-40 in favor of the Lakers, but the Celtics never lost the faith. It was said that “no team had ever overcome more than a 15-point deficit after the first quarter.” During the second half of the game, Boston went on to outscore Los Angeles 57-33.
All I have to say to that is WOW.
Now that everyone is flying high above the clouds, there was only one thing left for the Celtics to do. They just needed to finish off the Lakers in Game Five and they could call themselves the 2008 NBA Champions.
Prior to Game Five, the Lakers had quite a name for themselves at the Staples Center. In the playoffs, the Lakers were an impressive 9-1 at home. The Celtics would have to overcome all the hype, and shut the Lakers down in their own house.
The L.A. hype was too much for the Celtics in Game Five, as the Lakers won at home, 103-98. But now was not the time for Boston fans to lose hope.
It all came down to Game Six. If the Celtics came out on top with this game, they would be hanging banner No. 17.
Game Six being in Boston, the Lakers had to work extra hard against the Boston stands—and if you watched the final game, you saw them fell incredibly short, losing the game 131-92.
Legendary Celtic player Bill Russell joined in the celebration as the final buzzer sounded.
This was the largest margin of victory ever in a championship-clinching game. Shooting 27-64, with 19 turnovers, L.A. didn’t make a very good case for themselves as the better team.
Not only did the Celtics prove to be the elite team, they appeared also to be an equally talented team. They put up 33 assists compared to the Lakers’ 16.
PTI’s Michael Wilbon put it perfectly when he said, “By the end of Game Three in this series, it was evident to even people who picked the Lakers, like I did, in this series, Boston wasn’t just a better team, they were a MUCH better team.”
Kevin Garnett, clearly a star player this postseason as well as one of the most emotional of all the celebrants, scored 500 points this postseason. Finals MVP, Paul Pierce also scored 500 points in this postseason. Larry Bird is the only other Celtic to mark that accomplishment.
In perfect ending, with tears in his eyes, KG loudly announced his gratitude to those who mean most to him: “Mama, I made it.”
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3 months ago
Good article Steph, I admit...but you know I have some words for you after some of the "anti-Kobe" comments. Three things to remember after watching these NBA Finals:
3. Kobe's teammates were shell-shocked. A bunch of punks. They played like scared schoolgirls. I guess maybe the challenge of taking on three stars was too much for them. I'm talking about the Odoms, Gasols, Vujacics, Waltons and Farmars of the world.
2. How the hell can people claim with any real conviction that Kobe was so shut down? Like I responded to another article, Kobe can win in a 1 on 5 game against me and my boys let alone the Celtics. His teammates SUCKED! When Vujacic hit shots, the Lakers won. When Gasol and Odom played well, the Lakers won. All the Celtics did was sink in to stop Kobe's penetration and his teammates couldn't create their own shots, simple as that.
1. Don't bash Kobe Bryant as if he didn't do what it took to reach the NBA Finals in the crowded Western conference. The man averaged nearly 30 PPG and 6 APG in the playoffs against players like Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony, Tim Duncan and Deron Williams. He didn't do it alone, he's been praised all year for trusting his teammates and making it happen with 5. He tried that against the Celtics, but as the old addage says, "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink."
3 months ago
Funny How everyone is talking about Kobe vs the Celtics, not THE LAKERS vs Celtics.
How do you expect KOBE to beat the Celtics ALONE? The Celtics have great stars and a great bench. The Lakers just have Kobe. I give him props for getting as far as he did. If I were kobe, I would have walked out on the Lakers, they're no big help. The Celtics are very aggressive players and at times very dirty too. The refs were no help either. To me Kobe is a winner, the Lakers sucked. Lay off Kobe already.
3 months ago
you dont have to be such a hater man. kobe's got talent. enough to make his team the best in the western conference. that says a lot. yeah the celtics have a better team, thats why they won. theres no need to talk shit about the man for losing
3 months ago
The Pistons did an even better job of guarding Kobe four years ago. The Celtics just stole the blueprint. The Pistons also won that series in five games and the Lakers needed an OT to win the only game they won in the series.
As good as the Celtics were, the Pistons were better.
3 months ago
Everyone needs to face the fact that good or bad Kobe thinks that he is better than he really is. He is not a young superstar anymore...look at Shaq...you slow down as you get older. The Celtics proved that teamwork will win games...Kobe is not a complete team player...I read that the reason Joe Dumars brought in some of his players was for teamwork and desire...those two words make up the Celtics team...can anyone say that about the Lakers???
from 3 months ago
thank you!
3 months ago
I mean, I'm no Kobe fan, as a matter of fact the only reason I liked the Lakers the season I did is because Shaq was there. While I can't hate on him because he does have skillz the thing is they just praise him too much, granted he's no Jordan but the boi has got some skillz. In this situation it's just this, the best team won and that had nothing to do with Kobe being on or off his game. Give credit where it's due and that's to the Celtics!!! Let them have their time to shine and leave Kobe's name out of it!!
3 months ago
I'm tired of hearing about Kobe Bryant, he is not the NBA. There are lots fo talent in the NBA, not just him. I like K.G. because he's the most talented 7 footer I've seen since Shaquille O'Neal and Hakeem Olajuwon. Tim Duncan too. LOL Anyway, Celtics won it, ran the Lakers into the ground. Who's got Next? LOL Other teams were just scared that if they won in the Staples Center that they'd get beat up after the game, that's why no one ever won in the Lakers home. That young drunk in the stands, saying. "We're going to kick your (you know what) and attack visiting teams after the game because they beat them in their own home. Not the Celtics, they're not scared and won't be punked out for no one. Peace to the Underground! Boston Celtics, Killer K.G. on the Boards! OOO OOOHH! LOL Ray Allen is toasting the nets with the sweetest jumpshot similiar to Michael Jordan! Paul Pierce is the second active 3 point specialist in the NBA, so what does that tell you about Lakers hopes next year. Little to none! Oh, yeah! Perkins was a young Shaq in the playoffs. Too much Posse! LOL
3 months ago
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EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kobe Ben wagan fall down. Never wiil never wiil win a champion ship , ever! Richtown GSssssssssssssssss(Wackster).Boston to win 5 peat
3 months ago
Wow. Better late than never....no scratch that. Too little too late...no cross that off too. Best things come to those who...no that won't work either.
This article sucked! Oh yeah. That will work.
Everyone has been going on and on about the NBA Finals. It's over and we all moved on! Yet, you still find yourself making the Finals about Kobe. I will admit that I did a pretty bad job in my Finals recap, but at least I gave credit where credit was due. You just wanted to let everyone know that it's all about Kobe.
Big Ups to all your haters?! Here's some advice rookie: Don't quit your day job because if this is what you call writing, the world is never going to take it seriously. Besides, it's impossible to hate someone that has no idea what they're talking about. By the way, thank your Red Sox for giving the Cards a few wins at Fenway last week. We appreciated that.
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