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Lakers-Celtics II : Entering Oz and breaking noses.
Posted by: SPQR on Feb 06, 2009 - 12:15 AM
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In what I consider the most important and seminal victory for the Los Angeles Lakers since the defection of Shaquille O’Neal, the PurpleandGold swaggered into Boston sans the third spoke of their wheel and still beat the champions Celtics on a thrilling overtime victory that had myriad implications than just a win over a potent and hated rival.
The Lakers entered the terrifying land of Celtic Oz which was so befuddling and mystifying to them last year, populated once again with the wicked witch of the east, Pierce, the wicked witch of the west, Allen and the Great Wizard of the Celtics, Kevin Garnett, who had laughed off the earlier season loss to us as just an aberration; a blind squirrel finding a nut.
Like the Christmas game, both teams knew the significance of this match up. Boston’s brief was simple: Bully the Lakers, strangle them in friendly confines of the home court, reassert the dominance of last year, erase the sting of Christmas and put doubt back in the minds of the Lakers players that they could play with the Champs. Prove Kevin Garnett’s wolf tickets after that game had teeth and meaning.
Boston took their typical bullies stance, trying to rely on physical defense and the excellence of their big three to impose their will on their west coast rivals. But this year, unlike last, the Lakers would not fold, would not blink, would not cry uncle under the assault. Standing toe to toe, trading physical play, ignoring the ghosts of last year and the screaming crowd, in the end it was the Lakers still standing, once again ending a long Boston winning streak and in the process spilling Celtic blood, and their confidence of their title hopes on the parquet floor. The Lakers walk off tonight with renewed confidence, with real hopes of winning the brass ring, while Boston is the team with the broken nose, wondering what they have to do beat a team they thought they owned.
Going into this game, I thought the chances of winning were in Boston’s favor. Not that they were the better team but because one of our big three were gone, we had won the first game in LA and revenge is something good teams usually exact when the second match up is consummated. We had also played a grueling game in Toronto the night before. The fact that the Lakers could overcome all these things and still survive the hostile confines of Boston’s home court and the pressure of overtime speaks volumes of the changes in this teams integrity this year. In a game Boston had to win to send a message, it was the Lakers who did so in no uncertain terms; home court, no Drew, horrendous free throw shooting and all, we still won. What other advantages could Boston ask for? How could a loss be more devastating to a team’s confidence? It can’t.
What is more important the win is the singular change in dynamics that has now been achieved between the two teams. Last year in both regular season games, we resembled nothing more than fodder for them in their march through the league, not more a threat than any other team they trampled. This is not last years weak and pliant Lakers, confused on offense and timid on defense. This is not last year’s ineffective Kobe. This is not last year’s soft and quiet Pau. This is team who got tired of being pushed around and decided there was nothing to fear, who decided they could and would punch back just as hard.
Our sweep of them, while not as dominant as theirs was last year, is no less telling in its implications. While both these teams wear the same colors as last year, it is the only thing from 2008 that remains the same when these teams face off now. The Lakers are now not fodder, but the superior team. Make no mistake, in Boston’s locker room and coaching staff, the doubts and uncertainties are as strong as they were with us last year. Had we lost this game in the last few minutes, it would not have changed how I feel. I had seen what I needed to. The thing that was so important this year was to break that so effective chokehold they showed last year. This has now been done not once, but twice. Their defense no long suffocates us; we can stop them enough to inhibit the endless runs they used against us last year. Whether we had won tonight by one or lost tonight by one was of no matter in the long run. We had already established the new dynamic. This win was of course icing on the cake. As we all know, nothing satisfies quite like watching the bully meet his match in the most unexpected fashion and slink off with his nose well broke, his confidence drained like the scarlet running in rivulets down his chest.
Last year, going into the finals, I was sure the Celtics would continue their dominance of us to take the title. This year, with Drew back, I have no doubts we will return the favor in kind and continue to make the Celtics feel the pain of tonight. If Drew does not return, it will still be a series we can win, not a beating to absorb.
Kevin Garnett may try rationalize this loss too, but inside he knows, as both teams that this time around, the Lakers had the guts, drive, desire and courage to approach that intimidating curtain and pull it down. What they found was not a Wizard, nor even the befuddling land of Oz they thought they were in last year, just a basketball team and player who is scared and out of excuses. His comfort of last year just memory, the curtain irrevocably torn asunder, punched in the face, left to lick his wounds. No longer the master of Oz, just a mortal man, naked in his teams exposure, in a new, hostile and strange land.
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Re: Lakers-Celtics II : Entering Oz and breaking noses.
by JonathanDavid_24 on Feb 07, 2009 - 01:59 PM
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Randy, I love this blog, very creative, informative, intriguing ;)
keep up the good work buddy.
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