Celtics Poised to Claim Title #18

If the skies over Boston look extra cloudy tomorrow, don't bother checking the weather channel for an update. Those clouds will be courtesy of a few celebratory Hoya de Monterrey cigars that Red Auerbach will be lighting up in Heaven tonight. The Boston Celtics are going to win the 18th NBA championship in their storied history tonight in Los Angeles against the Lakers. The Celtics have more talent, more heart, and a greater sense of urgency than their supposed rivals from the Left Coast. (Seriously, how can it be considered a true rivalry when the Celtics have already defeated the Lakers nine times in their eleven meetings in the NBA Finals with it about to go to 10-of-13 tonight?) Other than Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, the Celtics have the best team in this series. Lakers fans can claim that Andrew Bynum is better than either of the Celtics centers - and I agree with that - but Bynum's knee has severly limited his effectiveness since he re-injured it in Game 3. A healthy Bynum would give the Lakers the edge in the series but injuries are a part of the game. Hey, a year ago, a healthy Kevin Garnett probably would have led the Celtics to the championship so the Lakers cannot complain too much about injuries. The Celtics also seem to want this series more than the Lakers. The Lakers had leads of 1-0 and 2-1 in this series but they have allowed the Celtics to battle back and take a 3-2 lead. Over the last two games the Celtics have shown more physical toughness and more mental toughness in order to put themselves in a position to claim their second title in three years. Another edge for the Celtics - and I consider this to be their biggest advantage - is that they have more urgency to win this year than the Lakers. The nucleus of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen are probably playing in their last Finals together and they know that this is their last chance to hold the Larry O'Brien trophy. On the Lakers side, other than Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher, I do not see that same sense of urgency. This is the third consecutive trip to the Finals for the Lakers and some of the other contributors - Pau Gasol, Ron Artest, Shannon Brown, and Jordan Farmar - are not playing with the desire that is needed to win a title. So sometime around midnight on the East Coast, the Boston Celtics will be celebrating at the expense of the Lakers. The elders on the Celtics will end the primes of their careers with a championship. Rajon Rondo will mark his ascension to superstar level with a Finals MVP trophy (his triple-double tonight will seal the deal). Doc Rivers will say good-bye to Boston on a good note. Rasheed Wallace and Kendrick Perkins will find something to get angry about. And somewhere above, Red Auerbach will be joining the party.