DON’T CALL IT A COMEBACK

Quotable:"We just wet the bed. A nice big one, too. One of the ones you can't put a towel over. It was terrible." Kobe Bryant (sans Game 4 Lakers loss)


The Boston Celtics got banged around, outscored, and outrebounded but in the course of one quarter, the third quarter, they managed to bring an 18 point deficit within two points heading into the fourth quarter. This series the Celtics have dominated the third quarter making it a pivotal time in which to secure a win for 3 out of 4 games. Strategy? Not hardly.

The Lakers took an early lead, steadily keeping the Celtics at bay by as much as 24 points. With Lamar Odom and Paul Gasol playing off each other in a sequence of touch passes and pick and rolls combined with key plays by Kobe, Sasha Vuyacic, Vladimir Radmanovic and Derek Fisher, Lakers’ offense seemed unstoppable. That is until Paul Pierce launched a three with 6:56 left to go in the 3rd quarter. Watching what transpired from this point on was far from watching paint dry and more like a descent into every Lakers’ fan own personal brand of hell when talking about the rivalry between LA and Boston. Cringe! Another consecutive Boston win and on Lakers’ turf that is.

So where did the Lakers’ go wrong and when did the Celtics’ go right? Point blank when Boston’s status as number one defensive team in the league came rushing back to them. In a chain of events made up of drives to the hole by Ray Allen and off the bench 20 foot plus jumpers by Eddie House of all players, Boston put LA’s legendary triangular offense on LOCK, forcing turnovers and taking advantage of LA’s lack of interior defense. Some questionable calls by Phil Jackson such as benching Derek Fisher and Lamar Odom just when they got the hot hand only fueled the Lakers’ scoring drought. The buckets that previously rained in Southern California dried up as Kobe’s 8 assists for crucial shots by Derek Fisher during the first half just weren’t enough to keep the Celtics from gaining the momentum that the Lakers’ possessed throughout most of the game. Ray Allen was enigmatic and tireless, Paul Pierce caught a second wind that proved crucial to the Lakers’ demise.

The honorary Lakers’ fan in me is as stunned as any other Laker enthusiast. Not only did Boston manage to raise the stakes in the series and gain the competitive advantage but the son of guns overcame the largest half-time deficit in the NBA Finals history in the shot clock area at 18 points. Previous records had been set at 14 points by get this, Lakers’ opponents! If anyone should be calling foul on game rigging should be Jerry West. Take notes Tim Donaghy, no team down 3-1 in the Finals has ever come back to win the championship. With a 5 out of 6 win-loss record against the Lakers’ during the regular season, is it any wonder really that history was made Thursday night? Things don’t look pretty in the City of Angels as Game 5 takes place in the Garden in Boston Sunday. With the Celtics being one game away from their first championship in 21 years, the 0-6 road record epidemic, inconsistent scoring by Big Three members, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen in addition to the perils of having a young bench seem almost irrelevant.

Well the bench and Big Three certainly showed up in Game 4. As part of a 21-3 run, Eddie House hit two shots from three point land followed by a 10-1 run highlighted by a dunk by P.J.Brown to close the third quarter. A jumper by Leon Powe tied the game for the first time since the first quarter at 73. Saying it was all downhill from there would be a firm grasp on the obvious.

“We sucked it up. We said we weren't going to back down. At the end of the third quarter I looked up at the scoreboard and told the fellas. We just have to go out there and compete and let the chips fall where they may.'' Paul Pierce said.
While the odds are certainly stacked against them, the Finals’ favorites find themselves in a precarious position to have their asses handed to them yet again. Though the same analysts and fair weather fans are already jumping ship calling for a Lakers’ concession … “It Ain’t Over ‘Til The Fat Lady Sings!”

Game 5 Sunday – Lakers at Boston @ 8:30PM EST

Related Links:

Lakers Have A Collapse For The Ages
Phil Jackson Master of Disaster?
Lakers-Celtics NBA Finals Coverage
Top 10 Best Moments in Celtics-Lakers Post Season History

KOBE POPS MVP CHERRY

Quotable:"I don't know anybody who's ever deserved this trophy more. I don't know anybody who's ever worked as hard to accomplish what he's accomplished." Phil Jackson, Lakers coach


Hate it or love it, in a unanimous decision on Tuesday night, Kobe Bryant officially popped his cherry as league MVP (Most Valuable Player) in a high energy ceremony at the Staples Center that ended in a promise that the Lakers will “play until June.” The first time MVP winner was anything but selfish with the recognition of his achievement when he paused for the cause long enough to acknowledge the contributions of his teammates.

"This is not an individual award," Bryant replied. "The special thing about this award is we have done it together."

It wasn’t too long ago when trade rumors swirled around the Lakers’ franchise and Kobe’s whines for a trade resulted in boos echoing from the Staples Center as soon as the First All-NBA Team Champion stepped foot on the court opening night. With the injury of promising Lakers center, Andrew Bynum and inconsistent performances by Lamar Odom and Luke Walton, the Lakers were far from the force to be reckoned that swept the doomed Denver Nuggets in the first round. In what was the plot curve in a well written Hollywood script, Lakers’ general manager, Mitch Kuchpak answered the cries of his superstar in distress by enlisting a trade for Paul Gasol (one of the blockbuster season trades alongside Phoenix’s acquisition of Shaq and Dallas’ acquisition of Jason Kidd.) and Trevor Ariza.

Throughout his 12 seasons, Kobe has never been ranked above 3rd place in contention for league MVP and in the race for MVP, analysts weighed in on whether Kobe was deserving of the honor simply because he is one of the greatest players in the game. Tuesday all doubts were set aside with Bryant running away with 82 first-place votes and 1,100 points in the media vote. He was followed by New Orleans' Chris Paul (28 and 894), Boston's Kevin Garnett (15 and 670) and Cleveland's LeBron James (1 and 438). Kobe joins other past Laker MVP winner Shaquille O’Neal and three time Laker MVP winners, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson.

And so the story comes full circle as Kobe and Co. make a play to return to the status of champion elite, currently leading the Utah Jazz 2-1 in Round 2 of the NBA playoffs. Ball hog? No more. While Kobe only averaged a modest 5.4 assists and 6.3 rebounds this season, he was able to accomplish what has held him to the stigma of not being a team player for so long – the ability to connect with his teammates. Taking newer recruits Ronny Turiaf, Sasha Vujicic and Jordan Farmar under his wing while involving veterans Lamar Odom and long time friend, Derek Fisher, has resulted in a gelled Lakers’ team non existent during the Lakers’ respective 00’-01’ and 01’-02’championship runs.

"He's deserving in this particular season with all of the question marks and everything going on coming into the season and the uncertainty," teammate Derek Fisher said. "Not only did he statistically have an MVP-type of season, everybody can reasonably say they were better this year because of what he did. He met the so-called criteria, elevating his teammates' games."

At first glance, it would seem Chris Paul or Kevin Garnett would be more ideal candidates for the MVP award. Kevin Garnett has turned around his team in one season, forming a menacing triple threat in the East that has won them the both the league best record and the best record in the Eastern Conference as well as a very real contention for the Championship. Not to be out done, Chris Paul’s Cinderella story is an awe inspiring proof that experience is no guarantee to winning in the Playoffs. His leadership over the young and hungry, New Orleans’ Hornets has given a Katrina ravaged city hope and a reason to be proud again such as sending the Dallas Mavericks home in the first round. Despite a torn ligament in his finger and an upper respiratory infection, Bryant played ALL 82 games this season, giving up shots and reaping the fruits of his labor with a more productive supporting cast, the best record in the Western conference (66-25) and a berth in the NBA Playoffs. A testament to Kobe's preseason vow of sacrifice and ecommitment in mending a relationship on the rocks with a team he has played with his entire career.

"The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it."
Theodore Roosevelt

Related Articles:
Kobe Only Player Unanimously Named to 2008 All-NBA FirstTeam
Kobe Bryant Official MVP Page