Enjoy it while it lasted, Mr. Stern, your dream match up – the Celtics and the Lakers. Or, I should say, mismatch as it turned out.
But nevertheless, they have been there, done that, and won’t be back.
The NBA is not a very kind place, neither on or off the court. And especially in the front offices. Don’t count on any more gifts.
Your NBA gift cards have expired, Danny and Mitch, and they won’t be renewed.
Neither Danny Ainge, the Celtics GM or Mitch Kupchak, his counterpart with the Lakers, can expect any help from other front offices like they got this year.
Ainge was able to wrestle away not only two superstars from Minnesota and Seattle but two future Hall of Fame players. Two in one season! Are you kidding me? Just to finagle a deal for one Hall of Famer is a once in a lifetime achievement.
And Kupchak may have been even luckier. At least Ainge had to give away something to get the two golden geese. But Kupchak didn’t have to give up anything to get Pau Gasol to fill in for the injured Andrew Bynum.
And then there was the little matter of Sam Cassell, who begged and pleaded until the Los Angeles Clippers finally let him out of his contract so he could help the Celtics to the title.
Don’t look for anything like that to happen this coming season.
As far as getting help from the rest of the NBA, and they will need it, the Celtics and the Lakers are through. They are strictly on their own for 2008-2009.
If the Celtics are to sign James Posey, they will have to match high bids from nearly every team with the cap space to do so.
And what about the aforementioned Sam Cassell and P.J. Brown, who was picked up in mid-season? Both contributed to the Celtics playoff victories and dismantling of the Lakers in the Finals.
Even if they decide to return, with another year goes another step or two and on come those nagging aches and pains.
And the same is true for the Lakers with two expiring contracts for Sasha Vujacic and Ronny Turiaf. You can be certain a few other teams will drive up their price tags.
And unloading a couple of inconsistent role players like Luke Walton and Vladimir Radmanovic won’t be as easy as unloading Kwame Brown was.
Hated by front office nearly as much as they are by fans across the country, the Lakers cannot expect any of the other teams to go out of their way to give them a helping hand.
So, all of you Celtics and Lakers fans, you can eat your hearts out while you watch teams across the NBA wheel ‘n deal to get stronger. Meanwhile, the two NBA Finalists must wallow in lethargy as their fading superstars and older role players lose a little more quickness, a little more stamina.
And lose their conference titles as well!
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3 months ago
Won't happen bro...one of these teams will be back next year...I believe the Lakers will make it back with a presumably healthy Kobe and Bynum, with Gasol...they will keep Walton too..who else in the East will dethrone the Celtics? The Pistons are on the decline and aging, the Cavs have a scared front office who are adding the wrong pieces and the Magic are missing something...good article though, I enjoyed it
3 months ago
Sam Cassell really wasn't much help for the Celtics, he just hucked up shots, and missed. Alot.
3 months ago
I think that the Spurs will be back from the West next season, despite half of their team reaching the nursing home enrollment age.
3 months ago
Wow, you are so off. I guarantee that both the Lakers and the Celtics will make the Finals next year barring any major injuries. Boston doesn't have anyone to compete with them in the East and the Lakers won the west without Bynum and with several of their key players never being in the playoffs before. This time, though, the Lakers will beat them because of Bynum's presence.
3 months ago
One of these teams will not make the NBA Finals because every playoff team will want to dethrone them. My guess is the Los Angeles Lakers, since they were better but not superior to the defending champion they knocked off. They won't be suddenly superior when Bynum returns.
Still, it is too early to predict who will reach the NBA's biggest stage next year. I will wait until November and December to make those predictions.
3 months ago
I agree with Robert, above, who claimed it was too early too make such predictions. Look what happened to all those predictions of a Lakers sweep or 4-1 series victory... those predictions were made just a couple of weeks ago when the rosters and injuries were known.
Good point about the lack of help from other teams, though. I don't think the Celtics, at least, will need any more help. Powe, Davis, Rondo and Perk will continue to make big strides under the tutelage of Doc and the so-called 'Big Three'. I actually think the Celtics will be stronger next year as a result as these younger players mature, because it means Doc will be able to rest his stars even more during the regular season than he did the past one (when each of the 'Big Three' logged career lows in minutes/game). Losing Cassell and PJ Brown won't hurt (they only joined for the last 2 months anyway). If they lose Posey, however, I will be moderately concerned. His great play this year allowed Pierce to take much needed rests. No other player on the current roster brings what Posey brings off the bench.
from 3 months ago
I think I can make a prediction and it's not too early. At this point last year, NO ONE would have picked the Celtics or the Lakers to even make it to the playoffs let alone the finals. There was no reason to believe that the Spurs and Cavs and/or Pistons wouldn't be in the Finals. But they weren't. The Cavs came close and so did the Spurs but close doesn't count.
And it's not just the loss of Posey that will definitely hurt Boston, it's who they lose him to. What if it's the Wizzards. I know they were eliminated early this year. BUT Arenas wasn't healthy and he hadn't played the whole year. So, last year Boston suddenly picked up KG and Allen out of nowhere. Who knew? What if you have Arena, Butler and Posey. Wow! That's a pretty decent big three. Or, what about this scenario? Posey to the Cavs. The Cavs nearly beat Boston and made it back to the Finals. I say Boston losing Posey and the Cavs picking him up would mean the Cavs jump over the Celtics in the East. Or what if Posey winds up in Detroit or Orlando with the Superman? What if one of these teams pick up Shawn Marion from the Heat? What if a team picks up both Posey and Marion?
No, Atlanta and Cleveland gave the Celtics too much trouble this year for me to expect them to repeat. And I do expect Cleveland and Washington to get stronger. And no one is going to give Danny Ainge any gifts this year. Santa Claus comes maybe one in a decade in the NBA.
As for L.A., no way! Even though I'm a fan, I'm not a homer. I'm an objective fan. I don't see L.A. getting any stronger. Bynum? He's never played a full season. We don't know how well he can play with Gasol. We don't even know if he is physically or mentally able to pick up where he left off. New Orleans they're ripe for a title run. I expect them only to get better, the same with Utah. The Rockets will have Yao Ming back. Portland will have Greg Oden and then there's the draft where Portland, Seattle, Sacramento and even Golden State can get stronger. Mitch Kupchak really will have his work cut out for him without Santa's help this year.
And all you L.A. fans that are screaming for Artest, forget about it! The Lakers will not be able to match offers from other teams. And Artest, if he opts out, will say, "Show me the money!"
3 months ago
"And the same is true for the Lakers with two expiring contracts for Sasha Vujacic and Ronny Turiaf. You can be certain a few other teams will drive up their price tags."
Prices won't be driven up that high, when you consider you're talking about 2 role players off the bench, Lakers have the cash to handle it.
"Meanwhile, the two NBA Finalists must wallow in lethargy as their fading superstars and older role players lose a little more quickness, a little more stamina."
The Celtics superstars are going to be 33, 33 and 31 at next year's finals, still young enough to produce big numbers especially if they all manage to play near the amount of minutes next season as they did in this one.
As for the Lakers, are you kidding me? Kobe will be 30 and Fisher will be 34, with a talented young point guard behind him chomping at the bit. The rest of the team is UNDER 30. The bench is young and now experienced. Teams rarely win a ring without experience (Celtics first year together, but all of them have to be the conference finals and there was championship experience on the roster), but the Lakers and Celtics rosters are now experienced.
Should Sam Cassell and PJ Brown and even Posey leave, the Big 3 have a lot to offer to veterans willing to sign for the veteran's minimum. What is a better offer than the opportunity to play with 3 superstars, in front a packed house every night with a very good chance at winning a ring?
With the continued development of Perkins, Rondo, Powe and the return of Tony Allen (he was playing very well prior to his knee injury) the Celtics could likely replace Posey's contributions anyway.
Other Front offices won't help the two teams, but they won't need the help. Lakers won the most talented and deepest West ever(yes San Antonio wasn't at full strength with Manu Ginobili's injury, but neither were the Lakers) and the Celtics had a dominating season at 66-16 in which they coasted for a month.
3 months ago
I wouldn't be shocked to see, both repeat in the finals. Don't see anyone in the East who can beat the Celts. Losing either Sam Cassell or PJ Brown won't hurt them and can't see Posey leaving playing with the Big 3 behind. Detriots to old, questions have to be ask about Coaching change. Cavaliers need to add too much additions to help Lebron. Washington's missing a player or two, Posey would help them but can't see him leaving Boston. Atlanta will be a force, just needs to grew more and taking the Celts to seven is a right step in the right direction. Think Marion, will end up with the Knicks to play with his old caoach at Phoenix (can't remember his name). Now the West, not sure since I'm a Celtics fan and don't really follow it too closely.
3 months ago
Ok, put the pipe down. The Lakers have the 3rd youngest team in the NBA, thier 20 year old center was hurt, Ariza (who is tough as nails defender and great slasher) was JUST coming back from missing 1/2 the season, and all the "bench mob" played better then the year before, as I suspect they will be even that much better next year! Loosing Sasha could hurt, but this line up still makes me want to poop kittens for years to come! Are you sure you shouldnt be writing about baseball or something?!?
3 months ago
The Cavs are coming! They played the best team in the league to a seven game nail-biter, their (our) superstar keeps getting better, and one player (not two, like the Celtics needed, and could afford) can make the difference. And besides, a Lebron/Kobe match-up next year will probably make Mr. Stern just as happy as a repeat.
3 months ago
Paul wrote: "And it's not just the loss of Posey that will definitely hurt Boston, it's who they lose him to."
Did I miss something? I thought the Celtics indicated they would try to resign Posey. Yes, he may eventually go to another team, but he has not yet done so. Again, your predictions may be a little premature, given that many of your new visions of a Celtics downfall involve facing Posey on an opposition team from the east (i.e. the Wizards or Cavs).
You should also remember that Posey was effective this year coming off the bench. On teams lacking depth like the Cavs and Wizardss, Posey would probably start and/or play a lot more minutes. Will he still be able to knock down 4th quarter threes on tired legs? Remember that he had fitness problems in Miami.
The fact is that Posey and this year's Celtics were a great fit. Another team may be a different story.
3 months ago
premature prediction. to be honest.
how come both these teams cannot repeat?
3 months ago
They both could be back next year. Celtics have a chance to do it again the next couple of years. And Lakers have a bright future for the next 5-7 years. Sorry man, but you might wanna get use to the Lakers being there for a while..
3 months ago
Boston won't be back in the finals. This was their year from day 1. Ray Allen will now decline a bit further. Pierce and Garnett will have more trouble staying healthy (full-season). Their bench will return to earth. Big Baby ... stinks. Leon Powe ... as good in the Finals as he will ever be. House ... gone. Cassell ... gone. P.J. Brown ... gone (or a non-factor). Scalabrine ... he's a joke. They need Posey.
Barring injury, I see the Lakers with the best chance to return from the West. The roster that ended the season adds Bynum and Ariza (who was barely back in condition for the Conference and NBA finals). Both are important ... especially defensively. Bynum can play with Gasol ... neither requires the ball to excel. They will likely sign Vujacic and Turiaf ... at least Vujacic. And who knows ... they may be able to deal Walton and/or Radmanovic. They have only two 30+ players (and one is Kobe). That's a young team that now has championship experience ... and all the motivation they need from Boston's disgraceful behavior in game 6 (4th quarter).
And, it wasn't exactly a dismantling ... they won 2 games, should have won game 4, and games 1 and 2 went down the stretch). Nevertheless, Boston was definitely the better team ... but not a great team by historical standards (3-9 on the road in the playoffs).
San Antonio will not be improved ... but they probably won't be worse either. Golden State? ... worse. Denver? ... worse. Phoenix? ... worse. Utah? ... same. New Orleans? ... a little better. Houston? ... better but McGrady and Yao is a losing combination. They won't be as strong on D either. Portland? ... should be better but still too young to win the West. They will replace Denver in the playoffs. The non-playoff teams of this season are still non-playoff teams next year.
3 months ago
CELTIC GREEN MACHINE MANY PEOPLE ARE GREEN WITH ENVY LOL FACTS HURT FOR NOW WE ARE WORLD CHAMPIONS
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