Excerpt from Hoopsworld

Talks about the basketball purist's joy at watching the TEAM play of the Boston Celtics.

Bonus column about how the Celtics might be the Lakers' worst matchup. A leetle beet early to start talking about that now, but that's the media for ya.


Team Conquers The Individual

While seemingly the entire basketball viewing audience -- including ABC's broadcast team -- was focused on LeBron James on Thursday night, they missed a great performance by the Boston Celtics. Hearing Celtics head coach Doc Rivers talk about teamwork in a timeout huddle was nothing new. However, watching Boston actually execute as a team was a joy to watch.

On offense Boston moved the ball in such a way that basketball purists across the country were left with giddy smiles plastered to their faces. The ball moved from strong-side to weak, from inside to out. It was truly a team effort. There's no doubt Rajon Rondo made the offense go. Within his unorthodox style he has now found a near perfect balance between attacking in transition and running the team's half-court offense.

Contrast that to what we saw from the Cleveland Cavaliers. I noted in this very space back in January that the way Cleveland ran its offense was a recipe for a good regular season but not a championship. This was never more evident than in the team's series with the Celtics. Whenever things started to go south, the Cavaliers simply stood around the perimeter and waited for James to try and make something happen. It was disjointed and not aesthetically pleasing to watch.

It's easy to place the blame on head coach Mike Brown for this, and he very well might be the guy most deserving of it. Sometimes players are so physically talented that they actually unconsciously force the team into developing some habits that aren't conducive to championship-level success. That's where having a tried and true offensive system is so important. It didn't appear that was the case this season for Cleveland.

While offense is what makes headlines, the Celtics' defense is what won the series. Boston's help defense is among the best in the league. They know when and how to tilt the floor, and this was made even easier as a result of Cleveland's predictable and repetitive offensive approach.

LeBron was the sexy story in this series, especially after the Cavs began imploding. Talk of his free agency draws eyeballs and spurs conversation. Truth is, though, the Celtics are the real story. This is a team once again playing championship level basketball.

Celtics The Toughest Potential Opponent For Lakers?

The Los Angeles Lakers are the best team in the NBA. I've said it all season, much to the chagrin of fans in Cleveland. As it turns out, we already know the Lakers will go further than the Cavs. While the Phoenix Suns are much improved, the smart money says the Lakers will represent the West in The Finals. That's where things will start to get interesting.

As we've known now for years, the NBA Playoffs are all about match-ups. While people in Orlando won't want to read this, the Magic don't match-up well with the Lakers. If the two teams were to meet in The Finals again this season Orlando would likely be more competitive, but the Lakers will still have the advantage. L.A.'s ability to play three seven-footers at their natural positions will wear on a Magic team that prefers to play smaller lineups.

The Boston Celtics, on the other hand, would be a very intriguing opponent for the Lakers. Not only do the Celtics have a little bit of a mental edge after beating the Lakers in The Finals back in 2008, but they also counter the Lakers very nicely in terms of personnel at key positions.

The Celtics' interior defense and rebounding with Kendrick Perkins and Kevin Garnett has the opportunity to bully the Lakers' frontline. Pau Gasol is a finesse player and that was exposed back in 2008 against Boston. The Lakers would obviously be hoping that Andrew Bynum would step up and be the physical presence the team needs, but that's certainly not something he's done on a consistent basis throughout the course of his career.

It's amazing how much better this Celtics team looks now as compared to how they looked just three short months ago. This group looks eerily familiar to the one that won a championship two seasons ago.

Simply put, that's bad news for the Lakers.

A couple of months ago it would have seemed crazy to even give credence to the notion that Boston might be able to beat the Lakers in The Finals. But after watching Boston undress the Cavaliers, a team that beat the Lakers in both regular season meetings, Boston would seem to be the largest potential obstacle standing between the Lakers and another NBA title.

I'm shocked...shocked I tell you!

Just the thought that there is tangible value in leveraging a team-first attitude is a concept heretofore unheard of!

Sam

This is unbelievable. Do you think ESPN,TNT, and the rest of the basketball television nation read this at all and finally started to believe it? I doubt it, it is still a "Hollywood" league, where the "Pretty" boys get all the attention and the "blue collar workers" are disregarded, if you know what I mean. No matter what, the league would pick LA as a winner of a Celtic/LA series. But first we have to get past "Superman"! Didn't beating the "King" do anything for their reputation?

I blame David Stern for the image of the league

RosalieTCeltics wrote:This is unbelievable. Do you think ESPN,TNT, and the rest of the basketball television nation read this at all and finally started to believe it? I doubt it, it is still a "Hollywood" league, where the "Pretty" boys get all the attention and the "blue collar workers" are disregarded, if you know what I mean. No matter what, the league would pick LA as a winner of a Celtic/LA series. But first we have to get past "Superman"! Didn't beating the "King" do anything for their reputation?

I blame David Stern for the image of the league

rosalie,

I absolutely 100% agree with you about David Stern.

bob

.

I also agree with giving the blame to David Stern.

Seeing how 1 player can become bigger than the sport itself, makes me sick. The way every sports channel went into full 2010 mode after CELTICS WON, made me less of a fan of the NBA.

If I was a Cs fan, I might've thrown my remote at my tv.

Nyce

It is very rewarding to prove them wrong then act like it's no bid deal. It was sweeettt watchin Barkley eat his words.

Stern thinks of money first. He knows money. Hoop he dont know so much.

Well--today was the Dwight Howard show. Even when they were losing by 20 they kept isolating him and showing his plays. Kind of makes me sick and tired of national television. This is why I listen to the Celtics radio announcers and lower the voice on the television.

A little off topic, but I get a kick out of the way the media ignores the Celtics. They were overlooked two years ago before the finals. Keep ignoring them for all I care....You ignore, they win....works for me.

lacelt

me too. they are eejudts. all hat no cattle chumps.

Rosalie -

wishing there were ANYONE else to listen to out here in Denver besides van gundy (he of the irrelevant tangents) and "Mama there goes that man again" jackson.

you're lucky and blessed - enjoy, and think of us poor C's fans scattered across the country as you listen to your local play by play and color by people who actually know something about roundball and have something worthwhile to say.

Michael

It is most enjoyable and amusing. I don't know if you have ever listened to Cedric Maxwell commentate, but he sets the table for you on almost every play. Sean Grande is the sensible one until a fantastic play takes place. Too
bad you can't pick it up, you would enjoy it so much. They don't sugar coat it when the Celtics make mistakes, but they can really get you wound up when they are going well.

I will think of you tomorrow night while listening!

bigpygme wrote:Rosalie -

wishing there were ANYONE else to listen to out here in Denver besides van gundy (he of the irrelevant tangents) and "Mama there goes that man again" jackson.

you're lucky and blessed - enjoy, and think of us poor C's fans scattered across the country as you listen to your local play by play and color by people who actually know something about roundball and have something worthwhile to say.

Michael

bigpygme-
That's one line I actually liked..."Mama there..." That was the quintessential play of that series, for me and it did kind of sum up the kind of game KG was having that night...anythings possible....

bigpygme wrote:Rosalie -

wishing there were ANYONE else to listen to out here in Denver besides van gundy (he of the irrelevant tangents) and "Mama there goes that man again" jackson.

you're lucky and blessed - enjoy, and think of us poor C's fans scattered across the country as you listen to your local play by play and color by people who actually know something about roundball and have something worthwhile to say.

Michael

You should be able to listen to them on the radio stations website. I think the are still on WEEI.

Pete

Would there be a delay in the radio feed?

(still would be better than the clowns in the booth?)

beat

Pete and all

I just emailed WEEI and asked about an internet feed for the audio.

I'll post their response when I get it. (also asked if so would there be a delay)

beat

I don't know if you are anything like my husband, there is about a 5 - 8 second delay in seeing the play on television. You know about the play first from the radio. My husband can't stand the delay. He can hear me upstairs cheering when they score and he goes nuts!!!I"ve been doing this for years. Before it was just because I enjoyed Johnny Most, now it is because I hate the national announcers!!! Talk about a homer!!

There is always a radio delay, but I used to listen to Johnny and Glen & it was worth the time difference.

If you go to www.weei.com, you should be able to sign up for free audio feed, unless they have changed something in the last six months.

Pete

bobh,

Clearly the general sports media is in a state of flux. We talked before about Plan B. They clearly didn't have a Plan B, so they keep shoving LeBron down our throats hoping we wouldn't notice, alot like congress and the political media did with the National Health Care Plan, but I digress.

I'd mentioned this will be the series the general press turns from LeBron to the Celtics. Celtics winning Game 2 will be the stab in their hearts (and ORL) that it's time to change horses. Winning by 30+ points will slam the door shut and throw away the key. Has to happen. I just want to see SVG flip out when they are down by 25 trying to pull a Red for motivational purposes. But it will be Fool's Gold as well. I didn't get it with Mikey. I'm going to have to demand it. Mikey was mortally wounded by the Celtics and Doc, like the Knight from Monty Python's Holy Grail.

Beat,

Isn't it as simple as googling WEEI and going on their website? I just did it and got this URL:

http://www.weei.com/

I went to that site, clicked on a button that said something like "current audio," and I was immediately hearing the Dale and Holley Show, which was on at the time. Do they do the games differently?

Sam

good to know weei is a possibility, though i don't like the out-of-synch delay so much ... but i do hate this broadcasting team, so i may jump in.