[WhiteKnight]

MAVRICK, you are right. Kobe seems to be better.

Dan, me too betting money on Celtic. I like them as a team of equals. Then my last prediction went wrong. Keeping my fingers crossed this time.

[VJ_MAVRICK]

Celtics took complete advantage of their homecourt and the crowd support and edged out Lakers in the Game 2 of the NBA Finals @ the Garden in Boston. Having dominated the 2nd and 3rd quarter, Boston were cruising for a comprehensive victory with the score board reading 83-61 @ the end of 3rd quarter. But then the 4th quarter turned out to be a night mare for the Celtics with Kobe and co posting a quarter high of 41 points as against 25 of Celtics which almost doomed the Celtics after having considerable amount of lead in the first 3 quarters.
Kobe leading from the front led the Lakers with support from Gasol, Odom and Radmanovic and when the Lakers play such a game in just one quarter one cannot overlook the depth in their play. Certainly, Celtics and their fans witnessed one of the most amazing comebacks by the Lakers, though short of victory but it would have done the Lakers and its bench a whole lot of good in having confidence that they can strike Boston when they need it.
Having gone up 2-0 up in this seven match series and the finals heading back to the Staples center in LA for the next three games, it will be tough though not impossible for the Celtics to defeat Lakers in their own den. Through out the Playoffs LA have been 8-0 @ Staples Center and this will come to their advantage and Lakers will definitely take Game by Game making the most of the coming 3 games @ Staples Center.
Will kobe and co able to trounce the Celtics @ home ? Well only time will tell and certainly it will be a very good series of games coming ahead.

[DirtyDan]

Kobe gets an education about concepts heretofore unknown to him, "TEAM" and "DEFENSE".

Turn out the lights....the party is over.

[WhiteKnight]

Great game fitting the finals. Lakers are bound to rally, and Celtics should have prepared for that. I guess it will do better to Celtics, as they got away with a win, which they almost lost. They also got the learning that game is not over till that clock dies.

Celtics got to win one in LA. I guess that would be game 5. If they don't, its all back to square one

[VJ_MAVRICK]

Yea Dan! I agree with you that Kobe is all about himself and if not for TEAM then LA will be thrashed. Still the series is open and I would like to see how the Lakers take the Celtics in the Game3 and Game4 @ LA as a minor hiccup here will see Boston taking advantage.

@whiteknight: True that Celtics edged out LA by a whisker, however such heroics were too late into the 4th Quarter but certainly Celtics had a close shave. The game is never over until the death of the last second as who will not recall the last 0.4 sec shot by Derek Fisher against the Spurs @ the Death in the Game5 of the Nba Finals in 2004.

[WhiteKnight]

As expected, Lakers won Game3 87-81. Lakers were not allowed to run away with it in their home court.
Paul Pierce had an off day at office, leaving scoring duties to Ray Allen and KG. Obviously their strategy was to contain a LA run.

Looking at the game, I guess Celtics are adjusting well to California. Game 4 and 5 are going to be crucial. My feel is Celtics are going to win one of those.

[VJ_MAVRICK]

@WhiteKnight: Lakers did bounce back and managed to extend their winning streak @ home and it will be good to see how Game4 and 5 are approached by the Celtics as their main goal would be to win @least one of the next two games.
Paul pierce scored only 6 and that very much sums up why the Celtics lost out and Kobe scoring 36 points. My hunch is that Lakers will win the next two making it 3-2 in favor of them and then returning to Garden for Game6 and Game7 which eventually Celtics will win. Huh ! If my predictions were true Hornets would have been in the Finals .

Nevertheless, these finals are living up to the great Celtics Vs Lakers rivalry.

[WhiteKnight]

Originally Posted by VJ_MAVRICK

My hunch is that Lakers will win the next two making it 3-2 in favor of them and then returning to Garden for Game6 and Game7 which eventually Celtics will win.

If your prediction becomes true, finals would be much more exciting. I Celtics win one at LA, its more or less game over

I am reaching for the coolerscheers:

[VJ_MAVRICK]

With 3 games done in the series and the Lakers down 1-2 over Celtics, Games 4 and 5 become crucial for the Lakers to get the ring. Well the telecast times are on the same day of the match but with a delay (game4 and game5 would have been over by then). Still if anyone wants to watch here are the details

ESPN:

GAME 4:
June 13th: 14:00 Hrs (Same Day Delay)@Staples Center, LA, Lakers Vs Celtics

June 14th : 03:30 Hrs and 13:00Hrs Repeat Telecast of Game 4

Game 5:

June 16th: 14:00Hrs(Same Day Delay) @ Staples Center,LA,Lakers Vs Celtics

June 17th : 03:30 Hrs and 13:00 Hrs Repeat Telecast of Game 5.

P.S: These Games are telecasted on the same day of the game but with a delay.

[rsjaurr]

I saw the delayed telecast of game 3 previous day,it wasn't that exiciting.LA should feel lucky to have got away with win.

I would love LA to win but Celtics also have one of my favorite player which is KG.Celtics as a team deserve NBA final more than LA IMO.

[VJ_MAVRICK]

Originally Posted by rsjaurr

I saw the delayed telecast of game 3 previous day,it wasn't that exiciting.LA should feel lucky to have got away with win.

I would love LA to win but Celtics also have one of my favorite player which is KG.Celtics as a team deserve NBA final more than LA IMO.

that Celtics should win and that too after making it to the finals in 21 years. Big Ticket (KG) deserves the ring for all his years wasted @ TimberWolves IMHO. I suspect that this finals will be going into the 7th game and lets see how it unfolds?

[DirtyDan]

Defense wins in the long run. Celtics shut down LA in the 3rd quarter and out worked them in the 4th quarter when stamina and heart come to bear. The Celtics are number 1 in the league in defense and Keven Garnet is the defensive player of the year in the NBA. To basketball purists Celtic basketball is a thing of beauty. And, no, I am not a Celtic fan, I am a Piston fan. I would be an LA fan if they knew how to play defense. Are you learning, Kobe-wan?

[VJ_MAVRICK]

Celtics sent the Lakers packing in their own backyard @ staples center by defeating Kobe and co by 97-91. With this win and three games to go Boston go up 3-1 in the series with the last two games @ the Garden in Boston. I am glad that my prediction went wrong with the Lakers being undefeated @ home.

With the Lakers dominating the Celtics in the 1st Quarter the Boston Boys came back strong in the 3rd Quarter to edge out LA by 97-91. Lakers @ one once had a 24 point lead but then KG, Allen and of course Paul Pierce chipped in and made LA look like nothing less than ordinary by their defining defense. Their dominance was so emphatic that Kobe was left with only 17 points and with Odom making 19 points for the Lakers.

This match is being telecasted @ 2:00PM in the afternoon on ESPN India for anyone to watch it today. I can smell victory for the Celtics, their 17th NBA Championship a record for any franchisee.


16 NBA Championships...A record 8 in a row from 1959-1966...Three separate Championship eras...When it comes to hanging Championship Banners, the Celtics are the cream of the crop. No organization has won more titles than the 16-time World Champion Boston Celtics. Whether it's the Green's first title in 1957, their 12th in 1974 or the 16th in 1986 the Celtics tradition of winning championships has stood the test of time.

• 1956-57
• 1958-59
• 1959-60
• 1960-61
• 1961-62
• 1962-63
• 1963-64
• 1964-65

• 1965-66
• 1967-68
• 1968-69
• 1973-74
• 1975-76
• 1980-81
• 1983-84
• 1985-86

Certainly Red Auerbach the all time great coach of the Celtics who is responsible for the 16 wins will be smiling from the heavens on their 17th ring if the Celtics win this.
Source NBA Action and the Boston Celtics Home Honors

[WhiteKnight]

So it happend in G-4. 24 points deficit was evaporated for a Celtics win.

Ladies and Gentlemen...Any questions who is going to be the 2008 NBA Champions?

I guess it draw curtains to the era of Pistons-Spurs domination. Both teams are at the fag end of their life. Next year could see Celtics being competed by teams like Lakers, Hornets, Cavs.

[VJ_MAVRICK]

Thats a good observation WhiteKnight and Boy o Boy ! I miss the Hornets in the finals .
Certainly the 17th Ring is awaiting the Celtics.