The Biggest obstacle of All posted by Robert Karpeles

Now that the Los Angeles Lakers have beaten the Boston Celtics it is clear that the Lakers have a legitimate shot at beating the champs if they meet in the finals this year.

Boston, who has lost two games since their defeat to the the Lakers on Christmas day, have seemed to have a longer hang over than even they could have expected.

Last nights lose to the Portland Trail Blazers and Fridays lose to the lowly Warriors from Golden State might mean that the Celtics lose to the Lakers has had a spill over.

The Lakers victory over the Celtics, on the other hand, has certainly lifted the Lakers spirits and has encouraged them into believing that they are the team to beat in the NBA. 

It was argued by many columnists and NBA analysts that the Lakers win against the Celtics meant more for the Lakers than it did for Boston. While there is no doubting the impact of the win, it could also be looked through a different angle.

The christmas day win was the first time the Lakers played to thier potential for a month. As a result, the Lakers look like a team that only gives it it's all when they want to. A consistently inconsistent trait that may end up hurting them in the long run. 

Prior to the Lakers win over the Celtics, the Lakers gave up 118 points to the Indiana Pacers, 102 to the Philidelphia Sixers, 104 to the Washingotn Wizards, 113 to the Sacramento Kings, 110 to the Phoneix Suns, 114 to the Knicks, 106 to the Orlando Magic, and 38 points in the fourth quarter to the Bucks at home. 

Not exactly championship defense, especially against some of the lesser teams in the league.

Christmas Gift: Lakers 92, Celtics 83 posted by Peace Wilson

Lakers fans got the present they wanted for Christmas, a strong play-off intensity caliber performance from the home team vs. born-again nemesis, the defending champs Boston Celtics riding an all-time NBA best 27-2 record into L.A.

Hard-fought throughout, the Lakers exhibited the required mental and physical toughness down the stretch, a close-out defense that was rewarded with a 92-83 victory. The clamp-down was highlighted by stand-out blocks and scoring from Pau Gasol. 7 of his 20 pts. came in the final three minutes.

As usual, Kobe Bryant led all scorers with 27 pts., w/9 rebounds and 5 assists.

Lamar Odom surprised with back-to-back 3-pt. shots in the final quarter.

Andrew Bynum contributed key blocked shots in the game and 9 pts., making his presence felt, especially on D, making it clear he was a key missing factor in last year's Finals meltdown.

As usual, the ABC loafs were off in their own little world again, especially Van Gundy. The game's a distraction to these lame asses. As a fan, I found myself yelling, "Get back to game!" at the TV, as their interminable sidebars dragged on, regardless of neglected play-by-play as the game stormed on. No rhythm of in-out with these guys. They make the Channel 9 boyz look like geniuses.

The Celtics' Big 3, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen had solid outings, but were held in check at crunch time.

Great team play, great win, as L.A. improved to 24-5, best in the West, and ended the now 27-3 Celtics win streak at 19.

Are They Who We Thought They Were? posted by David Trageser

The Celtics finally lost, and although many in the sports world would have you believe that the sky is falling, I for one am not entirely convinced.  Give credit to Kobe and the Lakers, they played hard on Christmas day and earned their win.  They were physical with the Celtics and very aggressive on both ends of the floor, forcing Boston turnovers and making big shots when it counted, but I'm not worried, and I don't believe that the Lakers have redeemed themselves at all for the turd egg they laid in last season's Finals.  Since when does winning one regular season game at home count as a statement game?  How does one victory on National TV even come close to making up for a humiliating 39 point ego-ectomy (to use the basketbawful terminology) of a defeat in basketball's biggest game of the year or the three embarassing losses that preceeded it?

It doesn't, at least not in my book.  And herein, my friends (doing my best McCain), lies the difference between the Celtics and the Lakers.  After the game, the Laker players admitted that they had this game circled on their calenders, that this one game meant more to them than the others.  For this one game, on Christmas day, they were going to come out with all of their energy, enthusiasm and effort in order to show the Celtics that they could beat them, and they did.  Kudos and good for them, but that isn't what championship basketball is all about.

The Celtics, on the other hand, have every game on their calenders circled.  They know that a regular season game, whether it's against Cleveland, LA or Oklahoma City, it means the same thing at the end of the day.  No matter who their opponent is on any given night, the Celtics' goal is to come prepared and to play with energy, enthusiasm and effort.  Committing to defense, unselfishness and sacrifice won it all for the Celtics last year, and they have approached this season in exactly the same way this year as the defending champs.  At the end of the day, the Celtics are a tough, defensive minded team that is determined to win at any cost and against any foe.  It doesn't work every night, sometimes the other team is better or they aren't fully into it (see: Denver and Indianapolis in November), but the Celtics are the same team every single night that they play. 

Merry Christmas mine came a little early...lol posted by Vet059

First Day of Christmas my true love gave to me......

Notre Dame had a trip to Hawaii in their stockings. While I had something competing with Christmas story. So I use the sports room and watched both.....lol. I know I am a little greedy. Now on my check list is a Griswald Christmas. Nation Lampoons Christmas vacation. But back to the Notre dame game. I had my Green Brady Quinn jersey on all day waiting for 8 PM kick off. The games first drive was a little nerve racking. Then We hit the end-zone. I with the first touchdown knew then we where in for a good game. The second touchdown iced my nerves. When Hawaii first scored I  was not worried a bit. As the Irish where cruising at this point of the game. Even at 14-7 I was happy. Then we Had the Kick off return Game was over but boy was I enjoying my tv choices. Notre Dame had pressure on the Quarterback and Jimmy Clausen looked comfortable. Something he has not done in a while. Only bad side was the punt return for a TD called back due to a roughing the kicker penalty.

The second thing on Christmas my true love gave to me.....

The Boston Celtics going for their 20th straight win. When it comes to basketball I like certain players and some teams. I always followed Barkley and the Sixers. Now I like Lebron, Bobcats, Celtics, Sixers and Still check out Shaq's games. I like Kobe but not a big Lakers fan since Shaq left. Also Lebron James getting a tripple double and a Caviler victory.

Why the Big Three is Better than some of your best players? posted by Cory "Head Bussa" Banks

I think Ray Allen is better than Kobe, Paul Pierce is better than Prince James, and KG is better than Tim Duncan.  The reason I think Ray Allen is better than Kobe is for the simple fact, he is a better shooter and they both play shooting guard.  When Ray Allen was playing in Seattle, his head to head stats against Kobe were better.  I think Paul Pierce is better than Prince James because he is a better defender and scorer.  We all know Prince James just plays for stats not to win championships and I hate the fact that the NBA gave him the Rookie of the Year award just like they gave Kobe Bryant the MVP last year.  The Rookie of the Year that year was Carmelo and the MVP last year hands down was Chris "The Thief" Paul.  Finally, I think KG is better than Duncan even though it can be a coin toss.  KG is like Barry Sanders and Tim Duncan is like Emmitt Smith for the simple fact KG was on all the Timberwolves with no help like Barry with the Lions and Duncan was on the Spurs with all that help like Emmitt with the Cowboys.  Even though the Spurs coach does not let Duncan shoot the ball from all over like he wants to, I just think KG is better or we can just say its a coin toss!Continue reading "Why the Big Three is Better than ..."

Jet-Lagged posted by David Trageser

Sorry for the gap in between posts, but I feared blowback after the way the Celtics thumped the Blazers on national TV and I didn't want to hurt any feelings (too much...).  Needless to say, people in Blazer land were super pissed off, and honestly, I can't blame them.  But it was only one loss, and more than anything, it showed the Blazers (and their fans) where they need to be at season's end if they truly want to compete.

In other news, I am officially home for the holidays sans laptop (which is no longer soaked in whiskey and is working again, woo hoo!), so my posts for the next week or two may be spotty and somewhat behind on the breaking news, but I'll do my best.  The good news, however, is that while I'm home I get to watch every single Celtics game, so I won't be lacking in material to cover.

I missed the Hawks/Celtics game from yesterday because I was flying across the country, however I will say that it was quite encouraging to see KG step up and carry the team in the fourth quarter by hitting big shot after big shot.  More importantly, most of his fourth quarter looks were in the paint, meaning that Garnett was especially aggressive and exploited his physical gifts to the fullest against the smaller Josh Smith.  KG often relies on the fade-away (this was especially true in the playoffs against the Hawks last year), so it was refreshing to see (I caught some of the late-night replay) Garnett being aggressive on both ends of the floor.

Additionally, I want to comment on something that ESPN's John Hollinger recently wrote about Rajon Rondo that I found to be quite profound and illuminating.  Put simply, Hollinger stated that Rajon Rondo and the Celtics play better when he is pushing the tempo and taking risks, as evidenced by his fantastic 25/9/8 against the Jazz.  In that game, Rondo had 6 turnovers and missed several layups as well, however he was once again the catalyst for another Celtics victory.  Hollinger believes that with Rondo you take the good with the bad, and I am frankly inclined to agree.  Although I disdain turnovers (possibly the worst thing you can do to your team in a basketball game), the turnovers mean that Rondo is playing aggressively and attacking, which I'd much rather have him do than slow down and play passive basketball.

Greetings, New England fans posted by Michael Hardman

Well, Here we are, the grind of the NFL season has yet to thin out the playoff picture. The AFC East is all muddled up in questions. The Pats, Jets, and Dolphins are all vying for the division title, and it will be hard to see who wins.

New England should be happy to be where they are considering Brady hasn't played and the defense is questionable at best.

Congrats to Wes Welker and Stephen Gostkowski for making the Pro-Bowl roster. Gostkowski has been an assasin all year long and is getting his quiet dues. Its been a couple of years, and as well as he has been kicking, it seems that the legacy of Vinetiari will be hard for him to overcome.

While many New Englanders may be hoping that the Pats do not make the playoffs so that we can concentrate on the force known as the Boston Celtics and the rise of the Bruins, it would be something if the Pats can squeeze into the playoffs. At least then, Cassel will get a nice fat contract from some hapless team.

Fire in Ice posted by William Bogen

As New England suffers the inevitable chill of winter, most notably the ice storm that recently passed through, there is a flame that is burning white-hot. Of course that fire comes from the Boston Celtics’ and their 14-game winning streak. The Celtics boast an NBA 2nd best 90.5 score against them per game while averaging over 100 points themselves. This year’s team shows shades of the 95-95 Chicago Bulls team that posted an impressive 72-10 record by season’s end. During the Bulls’ amazing run they to held a 22-2 record by this point in the season as well. These teams are similar in many ways; defensively they hold their opponent well under 100ppg and offensively they each have their big three. Unlike the Bulls this is a Celtics team who is without a Michael Jordan, and sorry Pierce you are certainly a leader but you just aren’t Mike.

           Coming into his own is Boston’s guard Rajon Rondo. Now he might not be posting the scoring numbers of Pierce, Allen, and Garnett but he leads his team in assists per game and steals per game. He’s the guy you want to have the ball in his hands; he has become Boston’s playmaker. As far as the bench is considered they too are able to hold down the fortress and give their starters the required rest to put away their opponents and more often then not the big three are finding themselves on the bench more and more as the fourth quarter comes around. With a strong defensive rotation it’s no wonder why the green team is putting away its opponents so handily.

Growing Up a Fan Watching the Celtics posted by Brian Levesque

    Growing up in the 80's, i vaguely remember watching the great Celtics teams play. Hearing year after year about how great they were started to become annoying. I mean don't get me wrong, I remember watching Larry Bird towards the end of his career and realized how great he was.....Then came the years following Larry where every season ended in a sea of tears. This continued year after year while i grew into a die hard. Then a man named Paul Pierce stepped into the city of Boston. We all had high hopes for the superstar from Kansas who was going to change it all.    Back to when i was growing up watching the greats.... I grew up with young parents who loved to have fun, and it seemed like every big game the Celts were playing in I watched in a bar... It was great, the chants and screams as the Celtics dominated..... I slowly grew up and couldnt wait to watch the Celts while i partied in a local tevern. I finally became the legal age to watch the Celtics with my friends, in my bar, and all they did was lose.... This past season made all my dreams come true as i watched the Green Machine work their way through the playoffs. I put my beer down during the Cavs series, looked around, and couldn't help but remember standing on a stool cheering for the Celts. DeleteContinue reading "Growing Up a Fan Watching the Celtics"

2008-09 Los Angeles Lakers posted by Brett Watson

The Los Angeles Lakers came out of the gates running to start the season, but have struggled of late, and now post a mediocre 18-3 record. After losing 2 of their last six games, skeptics point out that the lack of defense being played by the reigning Western Conference champs is the reason for this stumble. With Boston, Cleveland, and LA all having remarkable starts to the year, it seems as if no other team has a chance to keep up with these three, despite the fact that there are many teams rising this year.

First, here's why the Lakers will be holding the trophy next summer. The Pacific Division is weak. This is the worst Pacific Division in years, thanks in most part to the horrible Sacramento Kings, Don Nelson's reluctance to win, and the Clippers, content with their four wins. The only two teams above .500? The Lakers and the Pheonix Suns, who are six games behind. Pheonix, after the trade yesterday, will now be the most disappointing team in basketball this year. Being a lifelong Warriors fan, I love Jason Richardson, but that will not work out well for them. Shaq and Amare already complaining about getting the ball, the slowdown offense,the loss of their main defensive stopper in Raja Bell, and the big man that seemed to glue the bench together, Boris Diaw. Throw Jason Richardson in the mix, who averages over 16 shots a game, and there's trouble. Not to mention, I haven't heard one good thing a Suns player has said about coach Terry Porter. The Lakers already have already beaten Pheonix twice by an average of nine points and Kobe Bryant only averaging 33 minutes in those two games. If this is the only competition in the Pacific Division, the Lakers can coast to the playoffs, only having to suit up for the Spurs, Mavs, Utah and maybe Denver or a healthy Houston. New Orleans is on the verge of falling apart, and Portland (as much as we all love them) could have a chance at anybody in the West besides the Lakers (as witnessed opening night). When there are less than five teams in a conference that can challenge you or your record, you are in good shape come playoff time. The Lakers play sixteen games against far inferior division opponents, if Kobe and Gasol can rest, Farmar can get more experience during the season, and the bench staying happy logging minutes, this Lakers team should breeze into and through the postseason.

Celtics OK with possibly adding Marbury (AP)

The Boston Celtics are aware of Stephon Marbury's reputation. They're also aware they may need more depth to win another title. So if general manager Danny Ainge and coach Doc Rivers decide the banished New York Knicks guard can help them, the Celtics players sound willing to go along with it. Even Kevin Garnett, whose promising partnership with Marbury in Minnesota was wrecked when Marbury wanted... [read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports

Knicks snap 8-game skid against Celtics (AP)

[read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports

Pierce nearly perfect as Celtics cruise (AP)

[read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports

Without Roy, Blazers still beat Celtics (AP)

[read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports

Celtics bounce back, rout Kings 108-63 (AP)

[read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports