Game 7 and Between-Game Momentum

Among other things, Perk must have struggled hard not to get tagged with the 7th technical...and he achieved that (as did Sheed). And now, to have to sit out the final game must be hell for him. We can only thank him for yeoman work this season and hope for the best in Game 7.

I haven't heard anything lately about Sheed's back, but there's another area in which we also must hope for the best. I'm actually hoping that the fourth big will be Scal rather than Shelden, and my reasoning's as follows

First, I don't think one player is going to make a huge difference in the rebound battle. I feel that, in order to hold their own on the boards, the Celtics are going to have to gang-rebound. In that regard, I believe Scal can be more useful than Shelden because Scal's pretty good at the discipline of boxing out. Let the Pierces and the Rondos grab some boards as long as someone like Scal is holding a Lakers big at bay.

Second, I happen to think that Scal is one of the better defenders on this team against big men, and I believe Game 7 may hinge on moving Lakers bigs out farther than they'd like to be. The most impressive Celtics submissions have been in games in which their defense propels their offense.

Third, the Celtics' offense simply fell on its face in Game 6, and it certainly wasn't because of the absence of Perk for most of the game. One of the factors in their recent offensive downfall was failure to move the ball better. And Scal can certainly do that with the best of them, as well as being a pretty good floor-spacer. I wouldn't look for points from Scal any more than from Perk; although Scal can occasionally surprise, I suspect he's been out of action too long to be anything other than a #5 option on offense. Although Perk's pretty much a one-handed offensive rebounder, he's probably good for a couple of rebound deflections to teammates per game; and Scal may not do that.

I expect Sheed will start the game, with Baby being the second string center. The most natural rotation would be for Scal to be Baby's power forward and for the two of them to represent an inside-outside offensive combination. I actually prefer to see Scal play with the starters more than the bench because I believe he's better at augmenting the games of better players than at being a catalyst for lesser players. But we probably won't see much of that, if any.

It's very possible that all of this conjecturing will be for naught because fouls could dictate the rotation, and it could well be that we'll need Shelden's fouls too.. I'd love to see the kind of officiating they had in Game 5, but who knows?

But, whatever happens, the Celtics are clearly the team more in need of adjustments at this critical time, and I'm okay with that. IF the teams had to split Games 5 and 6, I'm so glad it was the Celtics rather than the Lakers who lost Game 6. It seems as though the most natural order of things in this series is for the losing team in one game to have more of a well defined point of departure than the winning team in preparing for the next game. By having to make adjustments, it's almost as though they are forced by the adjustments to build a bit of momentum heading into the next game; whereas the other team (having won the previous game) has seemed a little more directionless. The Celts defied that pattern in Game 5, and the Lakers are certainly capable of doing so in Game 7. But I'm just as happy that the Celtics will be making more adjustments and will be using the underdog springboard in this one.

Although I was very much hoping the Celtics would take Game 6, in a strange sort of way it almost seems fitting there would be a Game 7. Why should this team be able to do anything the easy way this season?

Forty-eight more minutes. Go get 'em, Celtics! And, win or lose, I'm firmly in your corner (whatever good that does).

Sam

Hi Sam,

I have been having similar thoughts concerning our forgotten man Scal. I think not long ago someone on the board - I don't remember who - fantasized about Scal hitting a 3 pointer to win a game seven (maybe in double overtime?).

However it turns out it's been an interesting season and I think we all admire the heart of this team.

Berlin-T

P.S. If you and Mrs. Sam ever decide to take a right turn detour out of Paris and head for Berlin, I'd be very happy to meet you.

Scal should start and the bench rotations should stay intact. However the starting lineup works out look for Doc to put some innovation in his rotations. Rondo, as always, will be the key to victory. The most important factor will be the energy of the starters, they need to set a tone early, jump to a lead and hold it. The bench then needs to extend the lead. Looking for a double digit lead and victory tonight. Total team effort on both sides of the ball.

Thanks for the invitation, Berlin. One never knows..... Once I get to Paris, it takes a lot of TNT to get me out of there. Only a revisit to the landing beaches in Normandy and the American cemetery (which is actually on U.S. soil) has accomplished it recently. Maybe you could meet us in Paris.

I was the one who fantasized about Scal hitting the winning three-pointer to win the championship. As I said, one never knows.....

At this juncture, I'll take any formula or script resulting in a win. Thanks for sitting up all those late nights/mornings to join us on the game-on thread.

Sam

For all of the analysis/stat spinning/arguing/chatting/posting many of us did, there doesn't seem like there is anything else to say about this series.

The time has finally come for a champion to be crowned.