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NBA Championship Finals preview
By David Zizmor June 4, 2008 |
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With Game one now at the Lakers’ and Celtics’ doorstep, the enjoyment of media day was feasted upon the gold and green shirts that will play each other on Thursday night at the Fleet Center in Boston. Kobe Bryant, always one for media day and only on the outside the cheesing and grinning, is always good for maybe less than an hour (it's the Finals so he gave a little more of himself). Kobe waited through the questions and took photos in the ocean of mics and cameras. Basically, Kobe's message was, after being asked about playing at the Fleet Center in front of a cat-calling Celtic fan base and the pressure to take the wind out of the Lakers sails in the first two games, would he see any pressure in that? Anyone ever see Kobe jump over a moving car or over a bucket pool of live biting snakes to throw one down? Kobe smiled and said there is no fear and that he was ready. The Lakers and Celtics have enjoyed some six days off since their last playoff game to wrap it up and move forward to the Finals. Kobe said regarding Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett, that was his bucket of live snakes to jump over to throw one down or the car speeding at him to jump high and throw one down. Kobe seemed collected and ready to even start the series on Tuesday or Wednesday if he had it his way. Enough waiting already. He gave his respects to the Celtics "Big Three" but was out to see what he can do against them. "It's been a long hard road," said the Laker super star. "The Celtics are tough man, they definitely don't make it easier on anyone," said Bryant. Don't be fooled too, Kobe was watching the Celtics throw the ball around during practice either live or on film. This is a club that may not show you everything in workouts but the Lakers and head coach Phil Jackson have a clue what the Celts are all about. The Celts have this dimension that they can do various plays and spread out on the floor and that they're a basketball team that can keep you off balance, that's no imagination. The Celtics may not be favored in this battle, but you got to like their chances and the odds to get this one to seven games. Don't count out Kobe's teammates either, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom, their short order version of the Lakers big three. They can match up and they took on the San Antonio Spurs in that last series and made a short series of it. The Lakers are favored to win this series as well but there's something about the Celts going in, that the task will not be as easy as some people in Hollywood might think. The Celtics can open the series being a handful on the Lakers defense and if they can take it to the hole, then there's that sinking Phil Jackson feeling that things might not be alright in Bean Town on Thursday night if Allen gets his game on, Pierce says, "let me have the ball" and Garnett stays camped out low post and ready to throw anything down that comes his way with the sixth man, the Celtics fans, screaming behind them. Talk is over; this one gets under way Thursday night at the Fleet Center in Boston for Game one at 6PM PDT. The Final Schedule: Thursday: at Boston Sunday: at Boston Tuesday: at Los Angeles June 12: at Los Angeles June 15: at Los Angeles* June 17: at Boston* June 19: at Boston* * denotes if necessary All games start at 6PM PDT Dave Zizmor is covering the Celtics home games and Jeremy Kahn is covering the Lakers home games for the NBA Finals. |
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