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June 18, 2008
Boston Triangle (plus two) Annihilates Laker Triangle
The poor Lakers didn't stand a chance.
Boston's marathon is now over. 108 games after they started, the Boston Celtics are the 2008 NBA Champions. 82 wins against 26 losses. It is banner number seventeen for the storied franchise.
Boston's triangle of stars, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce, and the Celtic team defense were too much for the Lakers' triangle offense. They outscored the Lakers in every quarter, ran up a 43 point lead, outshot the Lakers by 23 attempts, had 33 assists to 16, out rebounded the Lakers by 48-29, had 14 offensive rebounds to LA's 2, set an NBA Finals record with 18 steals, had 7 turnovers to LA's 19, and 4 blocked shots, while LA had none. As the losing fighter with the black eye says, "It wasn't even close, ma."
Boston's recent penchant for digging ditches served them well as they turned to digging the Lakers' grave last night. They dug it so deep that I believe the 39 point win is a Finals record for the clinching game.
Call it the Boston Massacre. Call it Bryant's Last Stand. Call the police with the name of the green truck that ran over the Lakers.
How could the Lakers win against these prophetic numbers? Numerologists will have a field day. The Celtics won championship # 17 in game 6 on 6/17. In a personal sign from the heavens addressed to me, Bill Russell and John Havlicek got off the elevator together in front of me before the game. Reminded by numbers oracle Justin Poulin, that is # 6 and # 17 for those who don't remember. No team can go up against karma like that.
Poetic irony? The Celtic team stopped Phil Jackson from passing Red Auerbach in number of titles won. Phil was 9-1 in Finals appearances. He lost to Finals rookie, coach Doc Rivers. The Green made the purple and gold blue.... for Red.
Coach Rivers was at the helm of the worst game 7 home loss in Boston history (97-70) against the Indiana Pacers in 2005. Last night he directed the 2nd largest Celtic play-off win ever, at a 39 point margin. With a drastic change in players, obviously, so does Doc's success.
But has Doc himself gotten better as a coach over the years?
Oh, I think you evolve every year. Not only as a coach..as a player, as a person. I never stopped believing what I could do and....that probably got me through this. With all the injuries and destruction we had in this Finals. I just thought guys listened. We had a goal. We didn't say how the goal was going to be reached. We just said we were going to reach it. They kept believing so...again... you can instill that in them, but they still have to go out and get it.
Injuries and destruction indeed. The Celtics Kendrick Perkins had a sprained ankle, then a strained shoulder. Rajon Rondo had a twisted ankle. Paul Pierce has a messed up knee. Ray Allen was poked in the eye. The destruction? That was done to the Lakers.
How did you improve?
Patience. I think as years went (on) I believed in what I was doing and decided I wouldn't change it.
That was patience, not patients, I think Doc meant. He has had plenty of both over the years. While it might not equate with the patience of Job, it required a firm resolve to stay the course in light of the obstacle course Doc has run as the head coach of the Boston Celtics for the previous three years. Last year they were 24-58, with a franchise record 18 game losing streak, Paul Pierce injured and very, very young. The year before it was 33 wins and a difficult mix of youth and experience. The year before that was a frowning, obstinate, less mature Paul Pierce with little help.
Doc has a special ability to talk to his three franchise players straight up and directly to them as few coaches would even try to attempt. Doc's sincere, fatherly, but disciplined approach has been well received by three star players previously used to doing things their own way and making many more times Doc's salary. In a league where that requires the resume or the respect to be able to that, Doc clearly made it happen with personal respect.
We had a good respect going into it. But I told them day one, that I was going to be harder on them than any of the other players, because I thought it was important for the other players...and I was lucky that I had three guys that could take it.
Was there any time that you worried that it might not work out that way?
Before I met them. (laughs) Because I didn't know but...honestly the first day that we were together I knew that they would take it.
Doc may be evolving as a coach, but he has had a gift for communication all along. Even when his Celtic teams were achieving records for futility, the young players never quit on him, and Doc always had an ability to say and do the correct thing at the correct time.
This very difficult and special achievement of winning the NBA title goes mostly to the players, and it should. But if the Coach of the Year Award was voted on now, I wonder if Doc might not be the winner.
His sometimes unusual moves in the play-offs have mostly paid off. He has adjusted his bench rotation much like an intuitive baseball manager might go against accepted corollaries, and he played players, against set rotations, in what proved to be wise moves.
Finding the right point guard and the right back up power forward each night has been a challenge. Playing well when you get the minutes generally get you more time. But not always.
But what ever Doc did, he did it his way, and the players accepted that.
So it is three players and a coach that have solidified their personal legacies with a 4-2 series win against current coaching giant Phil Jackson, league MVP Kobe Bryant and the Lakers. They did it in convincing fashion...and for all time.
Three of a kind beats one ace. One 'triangle' beats the other.
It is a storybook ending to a storybook season.
And they lived happily ever after.
Posted by Tom on June 18, 2008 4:44 AM
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Comments
Tommy Boy, what a game! What a season! Did you get wet from the champagne? To win it at home, and to have 2 quarters to begin the celebration! Awesome. It's been fun blogging with you since the preseason. I look forward to picking this up again in the fall as they shoot for a repeat. Have a great summer and we'll connect again in the fall. Maybe sometime we'll actually meet in person. You have my email address, so if you're ever gonna be in NYC, let me know. Meanwhile I'll be helping Rondo this summer develop his J so he can become an all-star next year :)
Be well. Ron
Posted by: R From NYC at June 18, 2008 11:14 AM
Ron,
Thanks for all your insights over the course of the season. I enjoyed having a few commenters here and there, and you've been with us since the old board. Appreciate it.
Hey, great news about Rondo! Obviously, he needs some help in that department. He more than made up for it with the other things he did last night, didn't he?
I actually didn't get into the locker room until most of the fizz was exhausted. I think I'm glad about that. It was jam packed like sardines. I'm telling you it was insanely crowded. I felt sorry for the players' kids.
Just a raucous atmosphere all evening. I was so glad so lucky to be a part of it.
I have to thank the Connecticut Post and the Boston Celtic organization for allowing me the privilege of being there all season and especially last night. It was a memory for a lifetime.
Ron, I'll send you an e-mail.
best,
T
Posted by: Tom Halzack at June 18, 2008 3:00 PM
Thanks for the mention Tom, it was my pleasure to be seated next to you through the Finals. I know we've said it many times to each other in the last month, but it really is amazing to think we were just a couple of inspired message board posters when Danny arrived in Boston. A few short years later we're sitting together in the press section taking in the Celtics 17th championship side-by-side. It's been a great ride, thanks for being able to relate.
Posted by: Justin Poulin at June 18, 2008 3:15 PM
