NBA 2010 Finals: Purple Reign Part 2

In a game of wills, the team that is aching to get back at their tormentors made the more difference. The LA Lakers overcame a 13 point third quarter deficit to beat 83 – 79 the only team that has tormented their franchise consistently, the Boston Celtics. Kobe Bryant led a balanced attack by the Lakers as he scored 23 points and also had 15 rebounds. Pau Gasol churned in monstrous numbers as he added 19 points and 18 rebounds with 9 of those coming from the offensive end. The other game 7 hero is Ron Artest who sank a pivotal three pointer in the last minute to quell the last rally staged by the Celtics. Derek Fisher added another 10 points.

Celtic legend Bill Russel congratulates Kobe Bryant

The Celtics started the game like they were a team on a mission as the green team opened up a 23 -14 first quarter lead as the Lakers started the first quarter with a 22% shooting clip on 4 of 18 shooting from the field and 4 of 7 from the line. Kobe only scored 3 points in the first quarter which is usually your gauge if he will score tons of points. The Celtics still managed to hang on till they erected a 49 – 36 lead with 8 minutes and 23 remaining in the third quarter. The Lakers refused to give up as they uncorked a blistering 17 – 8 run that cut the Boston deficit to four 57 – 53 at the end of the third. Bryant, Gasol and Lamar Odom helped hands to cut that lead. In the fourth, the Lakers went to Bryant and Gasol to take the lead 66 -64 with 5:56 left in the game and the Lakers never looked back.

Artest's defense prevented Pierce from brining

back his 2008 heroics in this series

It was a sorry loss for the beantown team since a lot of firsts were registered in this loss. It was the first time the Celtics lost to the Lakers in a games 7. It was also the first time multi-titled coach Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant beat the Celtics in the finals. As Kobe Bryant said “How can I become the greatest Laker ever if I don’t beat the Celtics!” Now it can be said….and they can do it again next year.

Davis and Artest battle for a rebound

Good defense prevailed this time as the Celtics vaunted All-Stars shot poorly with Paul Pierce shooting 5 of 15, Rajon Rondo 6 of 13 and Ray Allen a disappointing 3 of 14. After his record breaking game 2 shooting spree he was never the same as he went 0 for 16 in Boston and 4 of 12 in the last two games at the Staples Center. He shot 36% in the 7 game series. It seems like since his numbers went down, Boston had no other weapon to go to outside. He was shut down by the Lakers defense. Talking about Lakers defense, the unsung hero in this series is Ron Artest who in a way limited Paul Pierce to numbers that he is not comfortable of. Yes Pierce was dominating in some games but not as spectacular as he was in 2008. Lastly, the Celtics failed to capitalize on the horrendous shooting of Kobe Bryant who went 6 of 24 in this game 7. Obviously the Celtics made it all the more difficult for Bryant to score so he found other ways by sinking 11 of 15 free throws, most of them in the pay off period.

Kobe does the worm dance

Three years ago Kobe Bryant was asking the LA Lakers to trade him to another team for he was unhappy with the LA Lakers. He felt that he doesn’t want to be a part of Lakers rebuilding process. Asked where he wanted to play he said he could even play in Pluto if need be. Luckily for the Lakers he stayed on and then the best thing happened, the Lakers traded for Pau Gasol and they went to the 2008 NBA Finals. We all know what happened in that series and this win is the culmination of that rebuilding process that the Lakers were trying to do. Like what they say, you can rebuild by being competitive. The Lakers have time and again traded for the big names and the ones who can contribute to the them winning a title. Remember your Lakers history – the acquisitions of Kareem Abdul –Jabbar from Milwaukee and Shaquile O’Neal from Orlando gave the Lakers 8 titles, Gasol is in the same boat as he has now contributed 2.

2nd Finals MVP for Kobe

Congratulations to the LA Lakers. Kobe Bryant was voted the Finals MVP and he deserves the accolade very much for he is the most consistent player in the finals as he averaged 28 pts per game, 8 rebounds and 3 assists. At the same time his scoring was somehow not that high because most of his shots were contested and the degree of difficulty on each shot taken was on the “highly difficult mode” but he converted most of them. Now the next thing in the minds of the Lakers after Revenge has been done – will the Purple Reign extend into a dynasty. See you next year.

Tears for Pierce and the Celts as they lose bigtime

Pau Gasol rattles off a pass to Shannon Brown and Brown elevates with his face almost in the ring dunks the ball. Paul Pierce drives to the hoop and his dribble was bothered by Sasha Vujacic, he eventually loses the ball and Lamar Odom gives a forward pass to Jordan Farmar who dunks the ball over a trailing Kevin Garnett. Sasha Vujacic sinks a three pointer and so does Ron Artest. Finally the supporting cast that Kobe Bryant was longing for when they were in Boston came alive as the Los Angeles Lakers returned to Hollywood with a morale boosting 89 - 67 win over the Boston Celtics which sets the stage for fourth game 7 battle between these two teams.

Kobe Bryant played his usual role

Reminiscent of game 1, the Celtics were literally outrebounded, outhustled, outworked by the younger Lakers who got a new lease of life. Led by the ever reliable Kobe Bryant, the Lakers played like a well oiled machine and took advantage of the many miscues by the Celtics. The Celtics were playing like kids and never knew what hit them. At one point, the Celtics were missing on point blank range shots with Glen Davis and Ray Allen missing a couple. The 67 points that the Celtics scored was their lowest output in this year’s play offs.

Three Lakers go for the ball

No one would have imagined that the always resilient Celtics would be blown away like this. Imagine Ron Artest who came to LA to provide a defensive presence outscored 2008 Finals MVP Paul Pierce 15 to 13. He was just doing it at both ends of the court. Artest was 3 out of 6 from beyond the arc. Another one providing the needed spark for the Lakers is Lamar Odom who scored 8 points, pulled down 10 rebounds, 2 block shots and one steal. Sasha Vujacic on the other hand rediscovered his shooting touch as he went 2 of 4 from three point range to score 9 points. The big revelation for the Lakers was Pau Gasol who resurfaced with a near triple double by scoring 19 points, 13 rebounds and a career high 9 assists. The Lakers coasted with the win after leading by as much as 27 points. Game 7 is now a reality.

Bynum Squeezed

Let’s give a little history and trivia here. The Celtics are gunning for # 18 while it’s going to be # 16 for the Lakers if ever. Boston lost by twenty points to Cleveland and Orlando and in each of those losses the Celtics rebounded with a big win. Phil Jackson has won 10 NBA Titles but this is the first time he will be coaching a game 7 finals game. The Celtics and Lakers have figured in 11 finals matches with the Celtics winning 9, on the other hand 4 of those went the distance with the Celtics coming out victorious in all four. If the Lakers win it this time this will be the first time the Lakers will win a game 7 against the Celtics. Not even the great Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson won a game 7 against the Celtics. History is on the side of the Celtics but momentum is on the side of the Lakers – the plot thickens. Who will win game 7? Lets get it on guys.

Farmar Hacked

Celtics take 3 - 2 lead with game 5 win

Now the real Boston Celtics are in town and they all came to play. After their second stringers helped them big time in their morale boosting Game 4 win, the Celtics relied on their All-stars to counter the incredible shooting of Kobe Bryant as they scored a 92 – 86 win against the Los Angeles Lakers and take control of the series for the first time with a 3 – 2 lead. Coming to the play-offs the Celtics who were seeded fourth in the East were not given a chance to make it to the finals, but now they are one win away of securing their 18^th title.

Pierce led the Celtics again

The first half was a prelude to the shoot-out that was about to ensue in the second half. The Lakers started the game missing their first six shots that the Celtics took advantage of by leading 6 – 0. Andrew Bynum returned and combined with Derek Fisher to take a 15 – 14 lead. Paul Pierce on the other hand countered by making shots that gave the Celts a 22 - 20 first quarter lead. Pierce then combined with Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo to put the Celtics on top after 24 minutes of action with a 45 – 39 advantage.

Kobe scored 23 straight points for the Lakers

The third quarter was a sight to behold as Kobe Bryant took on the entire Celtics team in a shoot-out that is one for the books. Paul Pierce scored 9 points, Kevin Garnett added 7 points while Ray Allen added another 6 points as these 22 points were matched by the Laker Superstar. Bryant scored on a jump shot, a fade away jump shot, a turn-around jumper, an almost botched alley hoop, two free throws and three three-pointers with one almost 3 feet away from the three point line. The fun part of it was that every time Bryant scores the degree of difficulty of his shots became harder and harder but he still nailed it. Unfortunately that was not enough to bring back the Lakers as his scoring was matched by the three Celtic superstars until Pau Gasol scored with 2:16 left in the quarter. Bryant scored 19 of the 26 Lakers 3^rd quarter points.

Tony Allen made good contributions

The Celtics fended off all tries by the Lakers to cut the lead as Bryant got more help from Gasol, Lamar Odom and Ron Artest. Unfortunately the Celtices always had an answer for every spurt that the Lakers were trying to put up. The Lakers last stand came after Rajon Rondo scored on a put back after Paul Pierce missed on a three pointer. His put back put the Celtics on top 87 -75 with 3:56 to go in the game and the Celtics fans celebrating. After that , Bryant would score 5 points while Gasol and Artest would nail one free throw each as part of a 7 – 0 run for the Lakers to close the gap to 87-82.

Pierce crosses the logo

The Lakers had one final chance to move closer as Pierce fouled Ron Artest after Garnett lost out on a jump ball that created a fastbreak situation for the Lakers. Artest had a chance to cut the lead to three but muffed both free throws. After that miss, Pierce who was trying to break away for a fastbreak was fouled by Bryant and the Celtics sued for time. During the inbound play the Celtics almost turned the ball over but Pierce found Rondo dashing to the basket whom he hit with a pass and Rondo made the shot. That sequence killed the Lakers chances of turning the game around. This is the first time that the Lakers are trailing a team in a series. The Thunder and Suns equalized but lost out in Game 5 which the Lakers used to as a hinge to win their series. Now they are going back to LA needing two more wins. This time, the plot thickens once again. If game 5 is an indication, Game 6 will be another shootfest.

Celtics even series 2 - 2!

The 2010 NBA Finals is down to a best of three affair with no team wanting to blink. So far it has been a game of reactions as the Boston Celtics reacted to their game 3 loss by answering other matters that they lacked in game 3 -bench scoring. The Celtics bench outscored their counterparts to give the Celtics a complete team approach on the game as they came out on top again 96 -89 against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers to even the series to two games apiece.

Glen Davis ala Barkley move

Three Celtics superstars were defended well once again by the Lakers as Ray Allen missed all his 4 three point shots which makes him 0 - 12 at the Boston garden and 0 of 13 if you add his game 1 stats. He has been on a slump after his game 2 shooting clinic. Kevin Garnett shot 38% on the floor, a bad figure for a big man who instead of mixing it up inside is content to just shoot the jumper. Rajon Rondo on the other hand was not his persistent self as his court presence made another houdini act. So how did the Celtics win - the answer is Glen Davis and Nate Robinson.

The beasts celebrate

Time and again these two warriors has shown that they can make the big plays when given the opportunity. Glen Big Baby Davis scored 18 points in 22 minutes while Nate Robinson added 12 in 16 minutes of action. Those bench points were enough to stem the tide while the Lakers were resting their big guns. Unfortunately for them Andrew Bynum rested his knee after playing for only 12 minutes. That development made Davis run berserk as he was close to being an immovable unstoppable force beneath.

Ray Allen is still scoreless beyond the arc

Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 33 points despite shooting 45% from the field and turned the ball over 7 times. Pau Gasol was his usual intimidating self as he scored 21 points after being held to 13 in game 3. The only problem for the Lakers was the third and fourth scorers who just contributed measly numbers which eventually led to them scoring their 2nd lowest points total in this year's play-offs. Sasha Vujacic has been a disappointment so far while Jordan Farmar, Shannon Brown and game 3 hero Derek Fisher were far from what was expected of them.

Kobe was 6 for 11 from 3 point land

On the other hand, six Celtics scored in double figures which gave the Boston team a balanced offensive attack. Pierce led the scoring with 19, Davis added 18 big points, Kevin Garnett had 13, Ray Allen and Nate Robinson 12 and Rajon Rondo 10 points. Now how can you contend against a team that has 6 players score in double figures. If there is one thing that excites me is the fact that I know that games 5, 6 and if ever 7 will be another classic battle.

Garnett vs. Gasol - who gives in first

Lakers get back at Celtics homecourt

" Imagine, we might not go back to this venue once again" Those were the words at the back of the minds of the Los Angeles Lakers as they came to the TD Banknorth in Boston with fire in their eyes and vengeance in their hearts. This fire helped them relive the LA Lakers of the 80s as they beat the Boston Celtics in their own homecourt 91 - 84 that assured LA Fans that the series will indeed go back to Los Angeles.

Kobe dropped 29 points this time

Ray Allen shot a record 8 three pointer in game 2 of the NBA Finals and was rarin to duplicate the feat in their homecourt but unfortunately it was a total reversal as Allen would miss ALL 8 of his three pointers and all his field goals which got him to score only 2 points. At the end of the first quarter the Lakers have already built a lead which was predicated on good defense as both teams did not turn the ball over much. The Lakers led 26 -17 after one quarter and 52 - 40 at the half as Kobe Bryant and Lamar Odom led the Lakers with Kevin Garnett as the only bright spot for the Celtics.

Effort propelled the Lakers to victory

In a finals game, a Celtic believer will have to pray for another Boston comeback and the Celtics really came back. Glen Davis and Tony Allen helped resurrect Boston' sagging fortunes as Ray Allen was having an off night while Paul Pierce was in foul trouble, Rajon Rondo on the other hand was silenced and the only bright spot was Kevin Garnett. The Celtics would come to as close as 69- 70with still 9 minutes to play as Big Daddy Glen Davis and Tony Allen joined hands to rally the Celtics - Davis scored 12 points off the bench while Allen got 7 points. The Celtics last stand came with 2:03 left as they threatened LA 78 - 80 with 2 minutes left. After that , LA superstar Kobe Bryant scored on a jumper as the Lakers closed the Celtics out with a another 7 - 4 run to finally get back the home court advantage that they have enjoyed.

Derek Fisher lifted the Lakers to this victory

Much can be said about Kobe Bryant, Bryant scored 29 points but then again he shot 10 of 29 and missed 5 shots in the fourth quarter. Most of Bryant's shots were in the third quarter so when the fourth quarter started the Lakers were running out of steam at the height of the Boston rally. Time is winding odonw and with the odds not favoring the Lakers, they turn to their old hand to deliver the killing blows - Derek Fisher. Fishers scored 11 fourth quarter points as he single handedly carried the offensive burden of the Team as he showed why he is the team's veteran playmaker.

Rajon was shut down again

The play of the game came with 1:00 left in the game with the Lakers holding an 84 - 80 lead. Ray Allen got free and Rajon Rondo managed to get the ball to him, but just like what I mentioned it was not Allen's night as he missed the basket which was rebounded by Derek Fisher. After getting the rebound Fisher held on to the ball for another 2 seconds, dribble it, ran the whole length of the floor as the slow moving Celtics realized that a fastbreak was about to happen which made them smother Fisher who made the shot and got the foul - game, set , match for the Lakers.

Celtics win at Staples

Playing like the messiah, Boston Celtic's Ray Allen led is team to then promised land as he reprised his role in the 1998 movie "He got game!" Allen played the role of Jesus Shuttlesworth in that movie, the most sought after High School player. This time in the 2010 NBA finals, he is the most hated person in Los Angeles as he led the Celtics to a 103 - 94 win over the defending champion Lakers. This was the first time the Lakers lost at the Staples Center and is in danger of not going back at the famed gymnasium.

Ray Allen sank 8 three pointers - an NBA Finals record

After looking at how the Celtics won, it was an effort all together by the whole team as Ray Allen took the lead in the first half, Paul Pierce pitched in his share of ten points while Kendrick Perkins added 12 points inside. The reserves did a nice role as Glen Davis added 8 points while Rasheed Wallace and Nate Robinson each had 7 points each. This bench production more than made up for the off night of Kevin Garnett who was in foul trouble most of the night as he took only 5 shots for 6 points but also chipped in 6 assists. The big story for Boston besides Ray Allen was the rejuvenated Rajon Rondo who woke up from his nightmarish Game 1 experience to bounce back with a triple double! Now that is a great statement to his detractors.

Pau Gasol had another monster game

Pau Gasol was again an immovable force inside as he torched the Celtics with 25 huge points as the Lakers relied on the big guys with Andrew Bynum chipping in 21 points to compliment his game 1 good game. It clearly showed that the LA big men were outclassing their Eastern counterparts as Gasol and Bynum outscored Garnett, Perkins, Pierce and Wallace combined. It just shows that there is a gaping hole in the middle of the Celtics defense. On the other hand, the Celtics were lucky that Kobe Bryant had a miserable shooting night as he scored 21 points on 8 of 20 shooting. It was bound to happen and unluckily it happened at the Staples Center.

Kobe Bryant was human after all

The defense by the Celtics forced the other Lakers to ease out of their comfort zones. In game 1, Lamar Odom, Derek Fisher, Shannon Brown, Jordan Farmar and Ron Artest combined for 39 Laker points and all them faltered as they could only contribute 24 points, a far cry from their game 1 confidence building win. In the first half it was all about Ray Allen as he sank a record tying 7 three pointers ad he went 7 for 7 before missing his first three pointer. That clutch shooting gave the Celtics a 14 point lead as they were unable to find an answer to the impeccable shooting display of Allen who has torched the Lakers since the 2008 series. Ray needed just a little ray of light for him to set his jumper as he nailed his 8th triple in the second half that gave him the record of the most three points made in an NBA finals, he finished the game with 32 points.

A rejuvenated Rajon

During the third quarter, the Lakers were able to gain ground and equalize as their vaunted inside game came to play. At the start of the fourth quarter the Celtics needed another spark as Allen began to tire and Rondo was sent to the bench to rest. In came Nate Robinson who was 2 for 2 on the field and 2 for 2 on the line as he scored 7 points in six minutes. That lift helped the Celtics stem the tide enroute to the endgame heroics of Rondo who got four offensive rebounds and scored 8 of the team's final 10 points. Rondo finished the game with 19 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists - his second triple double in the post season. As they say, an NBA series gets all the more exciting when a team wins on the road, lets see what happens when the series shifts to the East. See you in Game 3!

Lakers draw first blood

Fact 1: The Los Angeles Lakers have been known as a team with a very potent offensive weapon with a system that creates more scoring opportunities

Fact 2: That system includes a good and sound defensive system that frustrates opponents, forces them to turnovers which eventually leads to instant offense.

Fact 3: The Lakers would have not made it to the finals if its only strength is its offense, its usually a mix but their defense is underrated.

Fact 4: The Los Angeles Lakers used their superb defense and impeccable offense to beat the Boston Celtics 102 - 89 in game 1 of the Best of 7 2010 NBA Finals.

Kobe Bryant played his usual unstoppable role

Now it can be said, that the Lakers are for real, that their defense is much more underrated than their offense and for any team to beat them, they would have to go mano a mano against the man using the name Kobe Bryant. It was another all around performance for the best player on the planet as he scattered 30 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal and 1 block to lead his team to victory. As I have mentioned in my previous blog entry, for the Lakers to be unbeatable, Pau Gasol should churn out monster numbers which he did - 23 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks and 1 steal. It looks like Kevin Garnett will be outplayed again for the second series in a row. Pau was just cruisin by in the 2008 season as he was just traded to the Lakers back then and was just fitting in. Two seasons from that performance he is close to being called unstoppable.

Rondo was hounded by KB

Paul Pierce once again led the Celtics assault but unfortunately the supporting cast was far from how they played in the Magic and Cavaliers series. The Celtic offense was on its standard mode but it was what they did best that had an off night - their defense. It was only the fourth time that the Celtics allowed a team to score more than a hundred points on them and in all those occasions they lost. Ray Allen was in foul trouble and never really got going as he scored 12 quiet points and had no rebounds nor assists, Kevin Garnett scored 16 points but shot 7 of 16 (36.35%) which is not good as far as the finals is concerned. Lastly, Rajon Rondo was shut down! Kobe Bryant took on Rondo and he had a hard time penetrating as he was even rejected by Odom and Gasol. At the same time the transition defense specially on Rondo was great as his fastbreak points were limited. In the previous series Rondo usually gets points on the break at least 6 times but now it was checked by the Lakers. Lastly, the Lakers had 16 second chance points to none for the Celts and the Lakers had more rebounds 42 -31 which just shows the kind of effort the Celts put up.

Gasol outplayed Garnett big time

Now that the feeling stage is over both teams would definitely make adjustments to gear up to the second game of the series. There is no secret to the game of the Lakers its just that they move great and execute well and fast - before you know it they have scored on you. The Celtics on the other hand need to find the fire that gave them emotional victories against the Cavs and Magic. They are usually tops when it comes to effort and that attitude motivates them to play well. It looks like game 2 will be a better fought game - so Monday (Sunday in the US) is the day.

Coach Phil explaining the play

Renewed Rivalry - Revenge or Redemption!

As the curtain raises for another epic battle of the two most succesful franchises in NBA history, the world awaits how this battle will be fought. This time around the tables have been turned and the favored team now is the team that rose from the West - the Los Angeles Lakers. The other team, the Boston Celtics is definitely on a roll and are no pushovers. That is why this 2010 NBA Finals will determine who is the best since it is the battle of the 2008 Champion vs. the 2009 Champion.

The Lakers and their 2009 Trophy

Two years ago, the Boston Celtics rose to the occasion by beating the Lakers in 6 games which is still at the back of the minds of the Lakers since the final game was over with two quarters left as the Celtics won by 39 points. This time around the Lakers hold the home court advantage and have yet to lose at the Staples Center where their fans are guaranteed to help the team in purple get back at their 2008 tormentors - REVENGE!

The 2008 Champions celebrate

Last year the LA Lakers captured their 15th league title and Kobe Bryant's 4th with LA and 1st finals MVP. The Celtics on the other hand were without all-star center Kevin Garnett at the start of the play -offs but still managed to eke out a morale boosting series win against the Chicago Bulls but fell to another beast from the east - the Orlando Magic. This year, they fell off target when some of the key players got injured but got a big boost when the team became complete. Just like what they did in 2008 the Celtics are out to redeem themselves from their dismal 2009 season - REDEMPTION.

2009 Champion and finals MVP Kobe Bryant

The Lakers have the best offensive weapon in the league under the name Kobe Bryant. That weapon averaged 24 points in the first round, 32 in the second and 34 by the conference finals. There is nothing on earth that can stop this guy from scoring. The difference of Kobe and Lebron James is that Kobe is a better shooter and has a better supporting cast. One key contributor is Pau Gasol whose inside presence has improved tremendously since he is now being described as unstoppable. For the Lakers to win he has to be in the 20 points 12 rebounds mode and not the 13 points 4 rebounds player as seen in their game 4 loss against the Thunder. Ron Artest is the defensive guru who can put the cuffs on Paul Pierce. He is out to seek the truth and put an end to his scoring onslaught and as we know where the truth goes, Boston follows. Lamar Odom, the man everyone calls as lucky will play a big role because when he plays good it takes the load off Bryant. Another factor is Andrew Bynum, after being a force against the Thunder by coming out with 21 pts and 11 rebounds in their game 5 win, he scored 2 points and pulled down 2 rebounds in their Game 3 loss to the suns. Another thing to wait for is for Derek Fisher to sink another game winning three pointer! The supporting cast should step up to get those important wins. For the Lakers to win the series they have to be the same offensive team in the Suns series and run the ball against the aging Celtics. The Lakers has not lost a game at Staples Center and by just defending their court, it will give them the back to back.

The Celtics: Team Redeem

Rajon Rondo is definitely the fourth weapon and the most important Celtic in the roster. He has put all the intangibles on the floor and now the veterans are following his lead. In 17 games in the first three rounds he has averaged close to 17 points per game, dished out an average of 10 assists per game, stole the ball at 2.1 times and had a rebounds average of 5.6 per game. A very rare find this Ragin Rajon Rondo. Kevin Garnett was outplayed by Dwight Howard and is ready to give Gasol some headaches. Paul Pierce should be ready to find ways to score since Artest will most probably get his goat. On the other hand, Ray Allen is the silent worker whose loaded gun seems unstoppable when he is on a roll. The beauty of this CEltics team is that Doc Rivers can count on anyone from the bench to step up any given night may it be Rasheed Wallace, Glen Davis, Tony Allen or Nate Robinson. For the Celtics to win, their signature defense should go to work by shutting down the other Laker scorers and tire out Bryant in the end. Come crunch time, 4 veterans against 1 superstar would be hard to beat.

Ray Allen will play a big role for the Celtics

When all has been said and done, it is usually the things not talked about that determines the winner so do sit back, relax and enjoy this series. This renewed rivalry will determine who is more determined, the team that is out for revenge or the team seeking redemption. Take your pick!

Lakers follow suit

Flashback, game 5 of the Western Conference finals between the LA Lakers and the Phoenix Suns, with 1 minute to go and with just a three point lead, Ron Artest missed a jumper that Pau Gasol rebounded. Gasol brought out the ball by passing it to Ron Artest who in turn took an open three pointer that rattled off the rim once again. After that play the Suns equalized after Jason Richardson sank a three pointer with less than 4 seconds remaining. The Lakers then went to their superstar Kobe Bryant who missed the jumper, luckily the unlucky Ron Artest who only scored two points, got the rebound and miraculously sank the field goal that gave the mighty Lakers the pivotal win to get into their third consecutive NBA final appearance.

As if scoring the winning basket was not enough Ron Artest came out scorching hot in Game 6 as his early exploits in the first half was more than what the doctor ordered. The Phoenix Suns employed a modified Zone defense to challenge the shooters of the Lakers. The unlikely shooter in Ron Artest suddenly emerged as he sank 3 three pointers enroute to a 17 point first half. That 17 points gave the Lakers a 13 point half time lead - the Suns never recovered as the Lakers went on to win 111-103 and enter the NBA finals for the third consecutive year.

Ron Artest was egged on to shoot by the Phoenix zone defense as he was often left open and he gamely obliged as he scored 25 points, the most he has scored in a play-off. Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire failed to lift the suns again as Nash became the leader in games played without making it to the finals. It seems as though the Suns will have their hands filled in trying to get Stoudemire back since he will be a free agent come July 1.

In the second half, the other MVP went to work as the man they called Kobe Bryant took it upon himself to score when needed to close out the Suns. It was evident that the Lakers are raring to go since the day before their historic win, the Celtics have already booked themselves to the finals and are waiting for the Lakers to dispose the Suns. His 37 point explosion moved him ahead of Jerry West and is now in a tie for second place for the most 30 point playoff games scored at 75, Michael Jordan holds the all-time mark at 109.

As predicted, the NBA Finals will feature the two best teams in the NBA, the two most winningest franchise and the two teams with the most fans worldwide. Wait for the NBA to erupt, its gonna be Purple vs Green and the fun starts just right now. A fitting title for the finals could be Rivaly Renewed: Revenge or Redemption!

Celtics - first to enter the finals

Where Paul Pierce goes, the Celtics follow! After not controlling his cross over move in Game 4 that eventually made him lose the ball that resulted in him not being able to put up a shot at the buzzer - the Magic eventually got it done in overtime. In game 5 he scored 16 first half points and only 2 in the second half- this game resulted in a rout in the Magic's favor. The Celtics were suddenly rejuvenated after Kendrick Perkins was reinstated and Glen Davis recovered from a freakish concussion. In this game, Paul Pierce was all business as he fueled the Celtics first quarter run that caught the Magic napping once again.

Pierce shot 9 of 15 from the field including a near perfect 9 of 10 from the free throw line and four three pointers to lead all scorers with 31 points as he led the faltering Celtics to a lopsided 96 - 84 victory. If Pierce was the leader of the Celtics then today's spark came from the little dunking master, Nate Robinson. In game 1 it was Rasheed Wallace who provided the spark with 13 points, in Game 2 Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins made up for the subpar shooting of Ray Allen with 25 and 10 points respectively. In Game 3 it was Glen Davis who provided the spark as he topscored with 17 points as the Celtics ran down the Magic. This time its Nate's turn to sizzle as his offensive onslaught in the second quarter gave the Celtics the enough time to stem the tide as Robinson scattered 13 points in the 8 minutes that he played. By the half the Magic were quite exasperated that everything was going the Celtics way.

A rejuvenated Magic squad brought down the mighty Celtics in two straight games and talks about a monumental collapse were on hand following their game 5 loss at Orlando. Ray Allen was the other spark plug who fended all Magic rallies as he ably backed up Pierce with 20 points as Kevin Garnett scattered 10 points while Rajon Rondo had 15 points. It was a sorry loss for the Magic squad who never really got things going in the series, just when their play was coming into place the Celtics shut them down. After averaging 107 points in the series against the Hawks, the Magic were put down by their 90 ppg average in this series.

Dwight Howard did all that he can in this game as he scored 28 points and pulled down 12 rebounds. Vince Carter had 17 points and Jameer Nelson 11 points, a far cry from the 23 point and 24 point output he had in their twin wins. He was the spark that the Magic sorely missed since the team's offense flows better when he is shooting good. Another Magic cager who is was missed in this series is Rashard Lewis. He literally disappeared as he averaged 8.2 points in the series, a far cry from his 15 ppg in the Bobcats series and 17 against the Hawks. So far so bad for someone who was counted upon by the Magic to bring them out of their rut but unfortunately bombed out for two consecutive seasons when it mattered the most.

For the Celtics - its on to the finals and a good time to rest since the championship starts Thursday. Stay tuned.