The Celtics rose from the grave

By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

THE talk of the town until now is the Boston Celtics’ victory over arch-rival Los Angeles Lakers in this year’s NBA finals, particularly Games four and six when the Celtics showed stupendous fire-powers in demolishing the less-defensive Lakers.

You and I saw how the surging and resilient Celtics made an epic comeback in Game four after that huge 24-point deficit and eventually triumphed, 97-91, for a 3-1 lead. That shocked the Lakers’ aficionados, including this piece maker.

We saw, too, how the hugely motivated and determined Celtics relentlessly plastered the Lakers in game six, 131-92, to clinch the title, their 17th in NBA’s history and their first after 22 years. The Celtics’ 39-point victory also eclipsed the NBA record for the largest margin of win in a championship clincher, beating the 33-point advantage, 129-96, also established by the Celtics against the Lakers in Game 5 in their1965 NBA finals.

Celtics’ triumph also stopped Lakers coach Phil Jackson in breaking his tie with the late Celtics coach Red Auerbach as the winningest coach of all times with nine titles each under their belts.

It’s the first title for Celtics coach Doc Rivers after four years of attempt starting with the 2004-2005 season. Rivers, 46, fired from the Orlando Magic team after the 2003-2004 season, is the second black man to win a tiara after K.C. Jones in 1986.

The Celtics, scoring only 24 wins against 58 defeats during the 2006-2007 period and failed to qualify for the playoffs, has the best one-season turnaround this year with 66 wins and 16 losses to top the regular season. Records also say it was the biggest improvement in NBA history.

By acquiring Kevin Garnett from the Minnesotta Timberwolves and Ray Allen from Seattle Supersonics with Paul Pierce at the helm, they rose from the grave to capture the coveted NBA diadem and the finals MVP bagged by Oakland, California-born Pierce.

The trio whom NBA scribes call “The Big Three” did most damage during the regular season, playoffs and particularly the finals.

Honestly, I’m a Lakers’ fan starting from the Kareem Abdul Jabbar-Magic Johnson era and until now. But in my analysis I believe the Celtics had the edge man-to-man especially with its Big Three who made the big difference.

In fact after that colossal collapse by the Lakers in Game 4, sports fanatic Pangasinan former Gov. Oscar Orbos already predicted a Celtics’ victory. In his text message to me he said “this Lakers team does not have the Laker spirit while this Boston team has the Celtic ‘soul’ that gives it the animo…spirit and character of a champion. Ag ira nayarin man-champion only because of Kobe.”

Mangaldan Election Officer Johnny Valencia, a die-hard Celtics fan echoed Orbos’ statements and said “Kobe Bryant is the ‘Lone Ranger’ of the Lakers team, so there’s no way the California-based squad will win the title this year.”

Both of them were right.

But next year’s hostilities could be a very different story. Most of the teams like the Lakers will do some team overhauling including the Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat, Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors to name a few.

But I believe the New Orleans Hornets will be the ‘dark horse’ and could be a title contender.

Let’s wait and see.

(Readers may reach columnist at biking.jess@yahoo.com. For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/sports-eye/
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