Thursday, June 17, 2010

Celtics-Lakers Game 7

I'm not going to comment at length because there's really not a lot to say.

This was one of the ugliest NBA Finals games -- hell, maybe NBA games -- ever. So much sloppiness and poor execution. On the flip side, you can say that this game was a defensive stalemate with each team refusing to give the other anything easy. But that doesn't take away from the ugliness.

In the end, the Celtics offense completely fell apart and the Lakers hit some key free throws to pull out the win and get their 16th NBA title. With the Lakers up 3 and about 30 seconds left, the Lakers got a huge call when Kobe barreled into Rasheed Wallace but earned the blocking call. You could argue that Rasheed was moving slightly. I think it was a pretty clear charging call -- Wallace was outside the restricted area, and Kobe ran him over. Kobe hit the two free throws, and the Lakers went up by 5. The magnitude of the call became apparent when Rondo hit a three on the Celtics' next possession that would have tied it.

For the 4th quarter, the Lakers shot 4 more free throws (21) than the Celtics did for the entire game (17). Kobe alone shot 9 free throws in the quarter.

I'm running out of things to say regarding the refs and star treatment. Stars are always the beneficiaries of close (or in certain cases, not so close) calls, presumably because most people want to live in a world where there are stars to glorify and make money off of. In the end, Kobe got his 5th ring, tying Magic for most in a Laker uniform, and so now we can credibly begin the debate on "Who's the best Laker ever???!!!" Yay!

I think the way the whole league operates -- the tyrannical nature of its commissioner with regard to stifling criticism and doling out fines, the blatant star treatment, the lack of consistency and accountability among referees, the multitude of adoring fans who vicariously soak up all the glamor and glitz of a few players' superstardom -- is sickening. Whatever, life isn't fair...obviously. Money talks.

There's always next year, though. Maybe next year we can have a Jazz-Bobcats Finals.

Or maybe I can keep dreaming.

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