Lakers vs. Celtics Game 7: Boston, What Might Have Been

Have you ever wondered what happens to the articles writers write before the game is over when the outcome isn't yet settled? Some writer had to of started writing about the Celtics amazing NBA Championship, I know, because I'm that writer.

The Lakers looked pathetic in the 3rd quarter. Even the most ardent Laker fan was worried. I was angry, losing faith and started to write the Lakers obituary. Then, the fourth quarter happened. Wow, what a game. As a basketball fan I was enthralled, as a Laker fan, well, I'm glad I didn't have to publish this piece without this intro.

Sorry Celtic fan, this is what might have been

I won't lie, it pains me to write this, but it has to be said. The Celtics are the cream of the NBA crop. There is no close second.

Growing up, I lived at the Forum watching the 80's Showtime Lakers. A good friend of mine was the team chaplain for the Lakers. While he went in the locker room with the team, I hung out with the Laker wives, girl-friends and, um, significant-others.

I screamed when Chick Hearn introduced the World Champion Lakers in the parking lot of the Forum. I even screamed at the TV as I listened to Chick Hearn put another Laker victory in the refrigerator.

The Lakers were my team.

As much as I enjoyed reading Bill Simmons from ESPN, I stopped when I had enough of him being such a blatant Celtic homer. Homegrown Paul Pierce is no longer L.A. to me.

I hate leprechauns.

Today was supposed to be the day I got the last laugh. The day Bill Simmons whined, Paul Pierce crawled back to Boston and Kevin Garnett didn't pound his chest.

Today was supposed to be the day those 1969 balloons finally dropped from the rafters on a Laker victory over the Celtics. Today was supposed to be the day the Lakers inched closer to the Celtics in the Finals won category.

Today was the day Kobe solidified his legacy.

Instead, the balloons remain and seem unlikely to ever rain down, the Celtics are pulling away in Finals won and Kobe was pathetic.

Apparently word of him being as good as or better than MJ was premature.

The Celtics thoroughly dominated the Lakers on their home court. This was a smack-down, a beat-down, an embarrassment. The Celtics came to Los Angeles and punched the Lakers in the mouth.

Lakers, how did that happen? Huh?

Pathetic.

I digress. Celtic fans, this is for you. Congratulations. Your team is better. Your team is a team. Your team deserves the Championship. Your team came to play, the Lakers just have to go away.

For the Celtics to come into a hostile environment and out hustle the defending championships without their starting center is amazing. The game was ugly, but the Celtics played ugly so much better than the Lakers.

The Celtics played basic basketball, the Lakers countered with uninspired basketball. For both teams it came down to the ABC's of the game. For the Celtics that was All-Time, Best, Champions. For the Lakers ABC stood for Another, Beat-down, from the Celtics.

This was a great series, an intense game seven and the official crowing of the very best franchise in the Association. The very best team in all of basketball. The Boston Celtics.

Oh so close, what might have been. Congratulations to the World Champion Los Angeles Lakers.