Game 2 Loose Balls

I am one extremly lucky sports fan. Not only are my favorite teams on top of the NBA, MLB and NFL, I have been a live spectator at some of their most important contetsts. Multiple ALCS games (Game 3 of 1999, Game 5 of 2003, Games 5 and 7 of 2004 and Game 7 of 2007). Multiple AFC Championship games (2004 and 2008). And now, finally, an NBA Finals Game. Last night was a great game to witness. The Celtics were absolutely blowing the Lakers out of the Garden. The few Lakers fans in my section were crying into their blackberries. Leon Powe had one of the great performances off of the bench in NBA history. Rajon Rondo looked like Bob Cousy. It was a 20 point game with under four minutes to play. And then Kobe struck. As much as Kobe fits the villain role to perfection, it's hard not to be in awe of his talent. Kobe completely took the game over in the closing minutes. Seriously, sitting in the stands last night, I was in fear of him every time the orange leather touched his fingers. He began to pull the Lakers back by driving into the Boston defense and when it collapsed on him, Kobe found open shooters. The Lakers looked like Hickory High in the fourth quarter, bombing open jump shots from everywhere. As this was happening, the Celtic offense, as it has done all through the playoffs, crawled to the finish. There was too much isolation for Pierce and not enough of Rondo going to the basket to create opportunities. As Kobe sensed the Lakers had a real shot at the comeback, he decided to get greedy. The kind of greedy that made legends out Jerry West, Larry Bird and Michael Jordan. Kobe glided past the defense and made shots that most of dream about in our backyard. He looked like a contortionist as he dipped under one defender and then rose over another to nail a jumper. With :38 seconds left, the Celtics were clinging to a 104 - 102 lead. Paul Pierce then rose to the occasion, forcing his way to the basket for a shooting foul and then he nailed both attempts. The ensuing Lakers possession ended without Kobe taking a shot (how does that happen?) and James Posey closed it out with two more free throws. The Celtics might lead this series 2 - 0 but they CAN NOT afford to let up on the Lakers as the series shifts back to Los Angeles for Games 3 - 5. They must go into Staples Center with the mentality to close out Kobe and the Lakers. If not, Kobe could put our championship hopes to rest... The chants of "LEON POWE!!! LEON POWE!!!" gave me serious goose bumps... Pau Gasol plays no defense but he is a joy to watch in the post. His footwork and ability to finish either right or left is McHale-esque... Two more wins. Greg Oden and Kevin Durant seem like distant memories today...