I'm very pleased to stick my NBA Finals Game 2 Blog here. My buddy Valdes, BAFS Freaks (more on our streetball series in Thursday’s blog) PG & captain Chris Tobey and our friend from Boston, Michelle, joined me and here’s what transpired. I was at home, Valdes was in our own special SPURROOM, Chris was in his team’s hotel and Michelle was in Boston, blogging from her house near the TD Banknorth Garden. What a foursome, isn’t it?
Smelly-oop: Welcome to the show! All right, let's get this going.
Valdes: Wait, who’s Smelly-oop?!?
S: That’s me, FiCS. I got that nick through nba.com’s Nickname Generator. It’s awesome.
V: That name sucks. At least for me. Incidentally, I saw PP saying he’s good to go tonight. The swelling is down somewhat. He moved pretty ewell at the team's practice.
Chris: His knee is already a legendary item. Twenty years from now, you’ll got a chance to buy Pierce’s knee through NBA Store.
S: The defensive end will be the real test for PP. It’s easier to play with such a knee on offense. What’s with Perk?
Michelle: Hi guys, what’s up? Perk will be okay. He looks like a big elephant but he’s ready.
V: Did you see Gasol, and Kobe in a shoot-around? It was fun.
C: Kobe plays the game in his mind in his pre-game routine.
S: In a press conference before the game, David Stern was brazenly anti-fireworks at games. A few minutes later: we are watching fireworks. And people call him controlling! Here is one thing he clearly does not control.
M: Perkins gets himself in the right spot offensively - don't need mobility if you are in position. I like him.
C: Paul Pierce didn't show any lift heading to the basket on that drive.
S: Radmanovic had five fouls in about 17 minutes in Game 1. Now two fouls in the first couple of minutes here. And an Ariza sighting! Ariza!
V: Trevor Ariza is presumably here to guard Pierce. First two times Pierce gets it vs. Ariza, he waltzes straight to the rim. Just look on that look of PJ’s face.
C: Kobe was begging for a hi-lo. LO messed it up. Means Lamar Odom.
S: Thanks Chris, we appreciate your explanation.
M: Nobody guarding Rondo - all alone on weakside. I like his headband, it’s cool.
V: Seeing KG ask for the ball. I can’t believe he’s a 7-0 jump-shooter with his body.
C: If Ariza can get any kind of offensive game going, Phil will have found his answer to PP. He can't shut the Truth down, but he's so much better than Vlad on D. Don’t bet on it, Ariza seems to be too rusty.
S: Phil Jackson has already whistled a couple of times when the Celtics had the ball. I have been trying to deduce its meaning, but it's tough. It’s like a secret password.
M: Walton has been bad. What’s up with him?
V: I don’t know, maybe he lost his girl. Perkins just funneled Pau to the baseline and choked off his move. Textbook D, bad O.
S: Classic stuff from KG.
C: Why are the Lakers going over the screen and letting Ray fade to the corner? He’s too dangerous for this tactic.
V: Gasol got smart and attacked middle on Perkins that time. And I doubt Rondo will fall for Derek Fisher's next pump fake. He bit hard on that last one.
M: That's 2 bad calls on Kobe. Shockingly bad.
S: Kobe Bryant is posting up, as he told Dr. Jack Ramsay he planned to do, but an awful lot of the time he never gets the ball. Many possessions he doesn't get his hands on it at all.
V: The fouls off the ball are affecting the outcome. Get your crew together, Bob Delaney!
M: Odom would be great with KG's heart.
C: Who’s that? Leon Powe?
V: Celts still winning more 50-50 balls.
S: I'm still shocked by how bad Walton has played. Powe is killin’ him.
C: Comedy stat note from the first quarter: One player I don't remember making a single good play, Trevor Ariza, had the best plus/minus of everyone, at +4.
V: The Celts D is metling the Lakers backups.
M: Powe a man against little boys.
S: I'm noticing that Kobe Bryant is 1-4. Picking up exactly where he left off. He hasn't been really hot in 13 consecutive quarters against the Celtics.
V: Bottom line - Celts tougher than the Lakers. For now. Lakers can raise their intensity level. But will they?
C: The Lakers are playing Trevor Ariza, Luke Walton, Jordan Farmar, Sasha Vujacic, and Ronny Turiaf. They have four turnovers and no points yet in the quarter. Big risk by Phil Jackson. 10-2 run for the Celtics, who are also playing bench players. Now Bryant, Radmanovic, and Odom come back...
M: How about Kobe going sideways after the shot fake rather than going to the rim. Can't get to the foul line going toward the sideline. I’m a girl and I know the basic principles? Does Kobe know them, too?
C: Ninth turnover already for the Lakers. Bad...
V: Celts need more of that from KG - fewer jumpshots.
S: Paul Pierce driving and dishing to Kendrick Perkins for an and one. Those are the two guys who were questionable for tonight. Not questionable on this play! By the way, PP’s knee is forgotten.
V: No one at the rim for the Lakers to discourage them. LA doesn't even foul hard. Who is the Laker enforcer?
M: LO showing up a bit now. Mini-enforcer.
C: How many more Lakers can PP get up in the air with his shot fakes?
V: The Lakers feel, to me, like they're playing in goo, a little. Nothing is to easy, crisp, or energetic, Gasol is keeping them in - he's 5-5 from the field - but this isn't fun to watch, I'm guessing, if you're a Laker fan.
S: I’m glad I’m not. Hmm... I like those chants ‘Let’s-go Cel-tics!’
M: The Celtics have been called for ten fouls so far. The Lakers have been called for 16. I’m surfing the net.
S: Hey, Michelle, did I tell you that you’ve got nice eyes?
M: At least 7 times. Thanks, of course. Again, I like Rondo. And I love his ears, so cute.
V: We shouldn’t have invited you to do this with us. We’re blogging about ears!
C: Calm down, relax, it’s fun so far.
S: Lakers down by 17.
V: Sorry, Michelle. Lakers outscored by 12 each from both lines. Wow. Free throws are 19-2 in favor of the Celtics.
C: The Lakers have been tentative. Where the Celtics have been going to the rim, the Lakers have not, with the exception of Gasol. I thought he was fouled on one of those, but didn't get the call. Kobe has been on the fringes.
S: Kobe is in the attack mode.
M: I feel great chatting with you, boys. The Celtics are shooting 70% from downtown. Nice. Garden is rockin’.
V: LA has missed a stunning number of point blank layups. Red Auerbach’s ghost?
C: The Lakers look listless. It's puzzling.
S: This game will change only when the Lakers put somebody on the deck. Then it's Game On! Come on Lakers, we don’t wanna see a blowout!
V: This game just got 50% saltier. Ever since Kobe Bryant for that technical, I'm starting to get the feeling that these two teams are suddenly a little miffed with each other. And for the moment at least, the change in mood has been pretty good for the Lakers.
C: Beast play by KG!
S: LA needs to put more effort into locking up the backboards. Boston will miss shots, but those second shots are killers.
M: Layups beat jumpshots. Somebody told me this truth.
V: Wow. Great Odom save off a fallen P.J. Brown. Smart thinking. Just before that, it was the loudest it had been in here all series.
M: Walton may get cut this summer. Luke, you can play one-on-one with me!
C: Kobe is crying to the refs while his man is hitting a 3 in the corner. Where’s the real Kobe from the Spurs series?
S: Enter the Powe-Show! Wow. Leon bad knees Powe with an alley-oop finish on the break. It's LOUD. Celtics by 20. These are now fans who think they can win a title. By the way, Rondo can play. I also like him, Michelle.
C: The Celtics are playing very well. Sharing the ball, moving to the open man. The Lakers have to fight for everything, and never get second chance points. The Lakers appear to have given it up. Now Kobe Bryant is sittin’...
V: The heck with next year. Walton may get cut tonight.
S: Lakers bench getting killed, 21-5. What’s your predictions for the series now, dudes?
C: Teams that win NBA titles don't get punked at the rim and dunked on like that - no matter what the score. Purple and gold is done. 4-1, Celts.
V: Leon Powe has 16 points on FIVE shots. Series? I still have a feeling this goes to seven.
M: One of the guys out theres just said that Leon has outscored the entire Laker bench 18-17. Powe is 8-11 from the free throw line and the Laker bench hasn't attempted one free throw. I had Celts in six before and I have Celts in six now.
C: Just got a funny text from my friend asking how big the fine will be for Phil Jackson's post game comments!
V: Pretty big, I suppose.
S: Kobe, you have 7:22 to close a 23 point gap and achieve a new level of Finals immortality. I believed in you before the series! You stabbed me in the back! Gear up, Kobe!
C: Four Celtic coaches went after the referees on that last call. Everyone in the building wanted Leon Powe to get that takeaway. Your pre-Finals prediciton, Smelly-oop? Uh-oh.
S: Not over yet... I had Lakes in 5, I’m ashamed.
M: 32-8 free throw discrepancy in favor of the Celtics. Look like C’s are playing Bobcats.
C: And none of those fouls that led to the 32 free throws were the hard, message sending kind.
V: Just nine points. Sensing somethin’ good.
M: Six!
S: Oh my god, four! They heard me begging ‘em!
C: In a timeout like this, Doc typically says something like ‘Now if you want this game, you have to get it. Now let's go! And take care of the ball’ He’s my favorite.
V: At least the Lakers will have more confidence on Tuesday.
S: A fantastic Kobe Bryant vs. Paul Pierce duel down the stretch has turned into a bunch of free throws. We want some buzzer-beater dagger.
M: I’m curious what the Lakes will do after the timeout.
C: Kobe has to shoot. Get him the ball.
V: What the hell, Vujacic’s ugly shot! This is the end. Posey is the man when the games are on the line. He saved that loose ball, again.
S: You’re right, Posey is everywhere when it matters. So, 2-0, Boston. Interesting.
M: I’m sad it’s over tonight.
C: Man, I’m tired. Step no. 1: Press conference and step no. 2: bed-time. Anyway, take care. And remember, Ray Allen can shoot again!
V: Tuesday, it’s gonna be a classic. I’m looking forward.
M: Bye, kisses on cheeks! Rondo, Rondo, Rondo...
S: That's a wrap. Boston leads. Thanks very much Valdes, Chris and Michelle for joining me and blogging with me. Surprise, surprise: The chat-blog returns for G5! No way the Lakers lose the next two. Good night and expect Mamba shoot the lights out in LA, something like 45.
p.s.: Bryant said, *You run into Perkins and Pau in an alley, you're probably going to go Pau's direction.*
p.s.2: Leon Powe's coast-to-coast dunk. Where was LAL's D? Quite possibly the single worst defensive play of the playoffs. Phil Jackson: *We were so at ease on defense, it was "at disease".*
Posted by Foreigner in CS - Jun 9 2008 11:58AM
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