In the 2008 NBA Finals, the Lakers were expected to revive "Showtime" and run wild over the Celtics. With Kobe Bryant leading a pack of talented offensive players like Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom, the Lakers were favorites to defeat their long time rivals from Boston.
Well just like the Legion of Doom, the Celtics used physical play to knock off the Lakers, claiming the 17th World Championship banner for the Boston Garden rafters. It was just like old times in the Celtics-Lakers rivalry - Boston was the tougher team and beat up on the softer Los Angeles team.
In 2009, the Celtics looked like a sure bet to repeat as World Champions but a knee injury to Kevin Garnett ruined their chances at an 18th championship. The Celtics lost to the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference Semifinals and were forced to watch Kobe and the Lakers win the title in June.
The 2010 Celtics also looked like they would be spectators during the Finals. Garnett returned to the floor but his erratic play made many wonder if the knee - and his game - would ever recover from the 2009 injury. Key free agent acquisition Rasheed Wallace was out of shape and often looked to be disinterested in rebounding or playing defense. Rajon Rondo did emerge this season as a premiere point guard but that led to a difficult transition of power on offense as veteran stars Paul Pierce and Ray Allen struggled at times to adapt to the new order of offensive leadership in Boston.
However, the Celtics woke up from their regular season slump to run through the Eastern Conference playoffs, easily handling the Heat, Cavaliers, and Magic to return to the Finals where they will face the Lakers.
This spring revival has been led by the power game of Garnett, Wallace, Kendrick Perkins, and Glen Davis. The four Celtic big men are playing tough defense, controlling the backboards, and providing important offensive balance inside to compliment the perimeter games of Rondo, Pierce, and Allen.
Rondo has also taken another huge step in his game, graduating from All-Star participant into one of - if not the - best point guards in the NBA. Seriously, other than Steve Nash, Deron Williams, and (maybe) Chris Paul, is there a point guard other than Rondo who you would want running your team? His playoff stat line (16.7 points, 10 assists, 5.3 rebounds, and 2 steals) is bringing up memories of former Laker great Magic Johnson's total domination of the playoffs in the '80s. The "big" difference is that Magic was 6-9 and Rondo checks in at 6-1.
Pierce and Allen have also taken turns in handling the primary scoring load, depending on their matchup. Allen was great against the Cavs in the Eastern Semifinals, averaging 15.7 points in the six games while Pierce struggled while being defended by LeBron James. During the Eastern Finals, Pierce averaged 24.3 points and shot 44.8% from three-point land. Having two future Hall of Fame wing players who can dominate a game depending on the matchups is a luxury the Lakers do not have.
When the series opens on Thursday in Los Angeles, expect the toughness and balance of the Celtics to overshadow the talent of Kobe and Gasol. The Lakers will be punished inside and outside and have no answers for what the Celtics do best, play physical basketball on both ends of the floor. The Celtics big men will beat up on Gasol, Odom, and Andrew Bynum. The Celtics guards will beat up on Kobe, Derek Fisher, Ron Artest, Shannon Brown, and Jordan Farmer. It will be a physical series and the Lakers are not capable of matching the Celtics in a series that will be decided by physical play.
Series prediction: Celtics in 5.
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