FORTITUDE. That is the difference in this series between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. It hasn't been Ray Allen's shooting or Paul Pierce's all-around play. It's not Kevin Garnett's defense either. It's fortitude. It's resiliency and determination. It's courage and internal strength. Guts and grit. Veteran endurance. Boston has it, and Los Angeles doesn't. My hats off to the Celtics, who are playing the way I expected my Lakers to play like.
The Boston Celtics deserve everything they've accomplished in this series so far, while the Lakers have sat around and let a special opportunity get away from them. Because they were waiting for something to happen in the second half instead of grabbing their opponents by the horns and pummeling them down to the ground. They didn't have the staying power. In four Finals games, the Lakers have not played a complete 48-minute game. I don't know about you, but this means a lot. Not that the Celtics have played a complete game either. They've had their share of bumps in the road. But this Celtics team has fortitude, which breeds staying power. That's the difference. It was never the talent level - both teams are evenly matched as far as skill is concerned - but rather the mental toughness. The Celtics' veterans did not panic while the Lakers relaxed and they took complete advantage by annihilating the confused Lakers, outscoring them by 30 points after the Lakers took a 45-21 lead in the second quarter.
Aside from the fact the Lakers didn't have their heads in place in the second half, here are some other notable Lakers failures that cost them the game and perhaps the series.
1)Coach Phil Jackson did not come to coach: After watching his team build an 18-point lead at halftime, his most effective lineup turned out to be the lineup that had Fisher or Farmar at PG, Kobe at SG, Trevor Ariza at SF, Lamar Odom at PF, and Pau Gasol at C. And then Jackson fell asleep. Instead of using Ariza in the second half to counter James Posey, Jackson relied on the space cadet. And later in the fourth when it was evident the Lakers had lost their luster and the Celtics had complete momentum, what did Phil counter with? He stuck with Farmar and Vujacic way too long instead of allowing Ariza and Fisher, two expert defenders, the opportunity to bother and counter Posey and Eddie House. Simply put, the coaching staff fukcked up big time.
2) Kobe Bryant: The MVP has a long way to go despite my blowing him up all the time like he's the second coming of Michael Jordan. Not only did Kobe shoot poorly, he failed to recognize game situations in the most crucial of games. Why did Kobe only shoot the ball four times in the first half and defer to his teammates instead of taking an active part in their offensive outburst? The fact that Kobe was not assertive prevented him from developing a rhythm as he did in Game Three, and by the time Pierce started defending him Kobe was already out of the game. Kobe's mental breakdown and lack of awareness cost his team the game.
Jordan would have recognized that Boston was playing better and better as the game progressed, and MJ would have turned it on at the right time knowing that his team was slipping. Jordan would have gotten to the foul line in order to stop the momentum from the Celtics' many runs. Jordan would have gathered his teammates in a huddle and talked about what they needed to do. Jordan would have helped on Sasha when it was apparent Allen was going to take him to the rack with 16 seconds left in the game. Kobe did none of these things.
As a Lakers fan, I'm extremely bothered by it. As a Kobe hater, you are saying, " I told you so." And as an NBA fan, I believe Kobe is still not there yet. If you were to pinpoint the player who was responsible for this loss, all fingers should point to Kobe. He did not know how to take advantage of and react to what the Celtics were doing in the second half. Championship leaders and MVPs don't let this sort of thing happen to his team, especially when they're playing at home. The Lakers have a lot of growing up to do, and it all starts with Bryant.
3)European style of play doesn't win NBA titles: First of all, the Lakers have way too many European players on their team. I don't like it because it makes the Lakers too much of a jumpshooting team. And when you appear lax, lenient, and tender on the defensive end, teams are going to take full advantage. Gasol played with heart, produced a respectable 17 and 10, and tried his best. He plays hard and he's a keeper on this team. He's the type of power forward who would shine with a defensive center. That's why we've got Andrew Bynum.
The Machine is also a keeper. He has a tremendous work ethic, he's determined, he's the best shooter on the team, he was game last night, but like I said, it's very rare that Sasha puts up two consecutive games in which he has a high scoring output. This is because he's a young player who's learning the intricacies of utilizing one's talent to the fullest extent. He's maturing and you can't blame him for his effort.
Ronny Turiaf is game, but it's clear he doesn't yet possess the veteran moxie of a PJ Brown or James Posey. He'll get there, whether or not it's in a Lakers uniform. He's a free agent this year.
Radmanovic is the biggest disappointment of them all. Remember that play in which Ray Allen took the ball to the rim on a fast break with Vladimir running with him step-for-step? And then the space cadet stepped aside and let him score easily on a lay-up instead of fouling him hard and knocking him to the ground? I said before the playoffs that even Luke Walton was tougher than Radmanovic. How much heart and pride does VladRad really have? Will he give up and mail it in? Or will he come out and score 20 and play aggressively on defense? If he has another bad game on Sunday, I say it's time to part ways.
My point is this: If one-third of your twelve-man active roster is European, you will have the reputation of being "soft". The Lakers are sure playing that way right now, and the only solution may be to trim the fat a little bit, replace the fat with muscle (Ron Artest perhaps?), and come into next season with a renewed focus on defense because Bynum will be back and Ariza will have his health.
At the end of the day, MVP Kobe Bryant sounded optimistic but you could see it in his teammates' body language that they were deflated. But you never know. History was made last night and history can be made once again. I don't give up after nine rounds in a 12-round fight. And neither should the Lakers. Especially after all they've been through.
L.A. has to forget about the last three games and treat the series like it's game one. The players have to avoid reading the newspapers and stay away from the internet. The coaches have to throw away any game plan and just let them play. Jackson needs to start Ariza at SF so the Lakers will be quicker on defense and in transition. All Lamar Odom has to do is give us one good half since that's all we expect. Gasol needs to control the boards since that's all we expect too. But Kobe is the one who has to take it to another level if the Lakers even want to make this thing interesting. Which means he has to produce a triple-double. L.A. has to come out on fire and not play with complacency. The players have to show passion in game five. They have to show a ton of heart and most importantly, pride. This is what I expect from players who have the word "Lakers" etched on the front of their jerseys.
Great breakdown. I agree with all this except for one thing.
The Spurs won with Tony Parker, who's European, and Manu Ginobili, who's Argentinian but plays like he's European. Besides, most Argentinians are originally of European descent anyway.
I don't think European necessarily means soft. Those guys in San Antonio aren't and there are others in the league who aren't either. Remember, European teams have handed it to us in international competition lately.
I haven't been TOTALLY offended by what I've seen from Gasol. He has had a few nice throwdowns. He's just being defended well and he's having to cover either KG (near impossible) or Perkins, who outweighs him by 50 lbs.
That being said, in a back alley scrum, my money's still on Boston.
Last edited by ReverendRhythm on June 13th at 2:51 PM.
What I appreciate about this series is that the myth of the European player has been dispelled. We have been led to believe that they are stronger in fundmentals and more seasoned than american players coming out of college. When Ray Allen blew by Sasha with 21 seconds left in the game my wife, who is rooting for the Celtics, jumped and screamed "what the hell was that? Make him earn it." Time and againg when the Celtics are driving on the Euro players they do that girl slap at them as they drive by. I would have found myself on the bench so fast in high school and I wouldn't have gotten back up. It is time to bring the game home.
J-Dizzle, I agree with you on Ron Artest. I have been saying the Lakers need a small forward who can play. We are at a huge disadvantage at the 3 every night. Ron Artest or Richard Jefferson would be nice. I would also like to see Odom, Walton and Radmanovich go and bring in a shooter like Mike Miller. We need to surround Bryant and Bynum with better shooters. I think it is time for Farmar to take over the starting pg duties with Fisher coming in off the bench.
With a lineup of Farmar, Bryant, Artest, Gasol and Bynum and a bench of Fisher, Vujacic, Miller, and Turiaf, we will be more consistent and a tougher team. I don't want the Lakers to stand pat this offseason, because even with Bynum back, we are too soft. Odom, Radmanovich and Gasol are too inconsistent to win championships.
REVEREND: The reason why Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili aren't soft is because they've played with a bunch of tough veterans who have the fortitude and mental toughness.
I'd take the 2003 Stephen Jackson, the 2003 Malik Rose, the 2003-05 Bruce Bowen, the 2005 Robert Horry, and the 2007 Brent Barry over the '08 Turiaf, '08 Radmanovic, and '08 Vujacic any day of the week.
And the Spurs only have three European-style players - Ginobili (who's the toughest of them all), Parker (who's a top three PG), and Oberto - versus the Lakers, who have four which is 1/3 of their roster.
And it's not like the Lakers' European players are superstars either. Ginobili and Parker are legit superstars. That's why I said, having so many non-superstar Europeans on your team will lead to your team having that "soft" perception.
I don't think they'll roll over in Game Five. I think they'll keep it close throughout the game because pride will kick in. Similar to how San Antonio came out in Game Five.
So the critical part will be the last five minutes of the game. Will L.A. have the composure, after everything they've learned so far? Or will they have another meltdown and allow the Celtics to steal another one?
I understand your frustration. I feel just as bad as you do.
But again, try not to believe the refs determined the outcome of the series. The bottom line is the Celtics made bigger plays at bigger moments of the game than the Lakers did.
Dizz...I felt your pain in this blog. It stinks, I know. My only hope is the Lakers don't roll over in game 5. Pride is worth playing for. It's another valuable game experience for the youngsters.
With that being said...I see a blow-out in game 5. The intestinal fortitude you spoke of is not within them. The Lakers now know they can score 35 points in one quarter, and lose on their home court. That's hard to forget. Kobe will probably get 60 points in game 5, because the rest of the team won't show up. I was hoping for a seven game series. I'll take the five though.
"they [European players] do that girl slap at them as they drive by"
One of the first things coaches teach in organized basketball about playing defense is "do not reach. Beat your man to the position."
VladRad, Sasha, Turiaf, and Gasol all love to reach in and slap at the ball. This is the European way and it was exposed to the fullest by the Celtics.
They don't teach defense in Europe. That's why it's the perfect place for players like Trajon Langdon and Jerald Honeycutt.
SPRTSMNIAC: I would feel better if the Lakers went on to win Game Five and lose in Boston than watching the Celtics spill champagne all over themselves in our own house.
Game Five is all about pride. Let's see what the Lakers are made of...
ALEXMARK89: Phil has wanted Artest for a long time. Ron Ron would be the Lakers' answer to Pierce so that Kobe could focus on Allen. The Lakers may also want to look into Baron Davis, who's made it known he wouldn't mind playing for the lakers to end his career. If L.A. can pick up Artest as a free agent to play the three, it means Lamar Odom will no longer be the featured guy at the small forward position. So you trade Odom and Farmar to GS for Baron Davis. This will be the Lakers' answer to an ever-improving Rondo. And if L.A can deal Radmanovic, Newble, and a pick to Mem for Miller, everything would be gravy.
PG: B-Diddy
SG: Mamba
SF: Ron Ron
PF: Pau Wow
C: Big Bynum
Bench: Mike Miller, Turiaf, Ariza, Fisher, Vujacic, Mihm, Walton, Mbenga, Coby Karl, and Sun Yue
Your "only hope is the Lakers don't roll over in game 5" and then you go out and say "I see a blow-out."
Ouch. Talk about hitting me right in the midsection. I like it though. You're an awesome competitor Lise. You hit me, I fire back. I throw a couple punches, you counter. That's the way Lakers-Celtics is supposed to be.
Too bad, some Lakers players don't have my DNA otherwise a couple of Celtics players, particularly Ray Allen driving to the hoop, would have known what the Staples Center floor smells like.
Be careful what you wish for. Kobe might just go out with a baang and go for 82 big ones.
Ubershorty, take a lesson from JDizzle. He is showing great class by breaking down the series logicaly and being as unbiased as possible. You should try that. Crying about the officiating in games 1 & 2 is ridiculous. That's water under the bridge.
Before the series started everyone from the experts to the casual fan had LA winning. Only Boston fans were predicting a Boston championship.
Now after four games the fans of the game have come to the conclusion that Boston is the better team, weather you like Boston or not.
There are two side to every story, you should look at the other side once in a while. Always looking at things from just one perspective will lead you to coming up with the wrong conclusions, like the refs lost the series for LA.
The refs didn't lose this series for us. The Cltics just want it more.
J-Dizzle: I just see Laker management standing pat this offseason. They will be satisfied with the year we had and will think with another year and Bynum we will win for years. I don't think this is the case. Without getting a small forward, more shooters, and tougher, we will NOT win championships. I hope the Lakers are aggressive and see this as a great opportunity to get better.
The difference has been DEFENSE. When the Lakers played defense with fortitude, resiliency, determination and intelligence, they held the Celtics to their lowest point quarter of the playoffs.
When they rested on their laurels, the let the Celtics back into it.
PHIL JACKSON - From what I saw, Phil Jackson came to coach. He was telling them, they just had him tuned out. It's hard to convince people to build an ark when the sun is out, but when the 4th quarter hits and your point storage is squandered, suddenly defense seems important again. I can still hear Jackson saying over and over again in the halftime sound bites: "Win the 3rd quarter. Are you listening? Win the 3rd quarter. If the players would have, they'd have won the game as well.
KOBE BRYANT - I do not understand these criticism. Kobe has made a career out of making impossible shots, shots which for any other player would be bad ones.
Everyone seems to be in the same funk the Lakers players themselves were.
REALITY CHECK:
The Celtics have the BEST defense in the NBA, and that defense has NEVER been more motivated than it was last night.
By definition, that means that the Lakers players will not perform as well as we might expect them to, and as well as THEY might expect themselves to.
That's reality, guys. That's what the best defense at its best does, even to Kobe Bryant.
As for European players, I'm totally fine with that. Sasha saved the Lakers bacon in game 3, and Pao is not intended to be the Lakers center anyway.
Radmanovic has actually won me over. He was solid defensivel
This is great stuff from a Lakers fan. Reality. You show great class J-Dizz, many props and a great breakdown.
I don't know why Phil isn't playing Ariza more myself. High energy, athletic as all get out, and he can score when given the chance. He should be the Lakers Powe in this series. Plus he plays defense like all get out. As an Eastern Conference viewer, I'm very happy when he is on the bench. I'm also very happy when Vujacic is also on the bench. High energy is what the Lakers need.
If I were to propose a starting lineup for the Lakers in game 5: Kobe, Pau, Ariza, Vujacic, and Turiaf.
Radmanovic has actually won me over. He was solid defensively, and just his 3 point threat brings an opposing big away from the rim and potential rebounds.
What the Lakers haven't seemed to believe, but maybe they do now, is against the best defense in the NBA, they are going to have to hold the Celtics to 90 or under to expect to win. If they do that, the series will continue.
So it is that on #24's 24th Finals game, they blow a 24 point lead and make history. Wow.
This series showed me one thing: the Lakers need to get tougher and more physical. Bring in Ron Ron. He wouldn't have to be a scoring option but if he scores 15 a game that would be a HUGE plus. He'll bring an "I'll knock you on your #### if you come in the paint" attitude. Baron Davis would be a great addition. Bye bye Vlad Rad.
J-DIZZLE: that lineup you propose WOULD bring multiple championships to L.A. With a healthy Mihm backing up Bynum and Mbenga in the wings, the Lakes would be set at center for several years.
over and over everything keeps coming up kobe this and kobe that.. my question is if kobe wants to be the "superstar player " everyone keeps making him out to be when is he going to start acting like it?He could easily take something positive from game 4 which would be even though the celtics were down and getting pounded on they remained confident and came back to win the game and shut the lakers down .I agree its his team and he needs to lead by example, one thing i would have changed would be to drop the wine,beer and 20 shots to get over the loss and went with absorb it get over it and go out the next couple of days and practice hard ,see where the team broke down and fix it, get out there in game 5 and play like you want the rest of the team to play ,for the ENTIRE game .stop the crying about the officials ,thats a two way street.and finally i excpected a much harder series and being a celtics fan im not complaining,i am truly surprised we are still playing after the first couple series but they buckled down and did what had to be done and i guess thats what i expected from the lakers and it hasnt turned out that way................
ALEXMARK89: It would not be wise to stand pat. Laker management should be smart enough to know that we've already seen the best Radmanovic is goint to give us. We've probably seen the best Odom can give us since he's going into his tenth year in the league. Farmar has tremendous value and I would put him in a package to get Baron in a heartbeat. Walton is also trade bait.
Kupchak will have to realize that by getting all the way to the Finals, his players will have gained instant value as a commodity. So now's the trime to explore really great options.
If they stand pat and not even make an attempt to acquite Artest, I will be extremely disappointed.
Management can't relax. They have to keep getting stronger while other teams are trying to keep pace.
TOM7: Of course it was DEFENSE. And in order to play consistent defense for 48 minutes, one must have the drive and energy to do it. LA was missing its toughness for some reason.
Which leads me to Phil. Although he told his players what they needed to do, the players still didn't respond. Which beings me back to that whole "fortitude" thing again. The Lakers have the talent, but they have been missing the mental toughness and that's the key when you're playing against savvy veterans.
Phil also didn't make lineup adjustments in order to properly matchup with Boston in the fourth quarter. This was another failure by the coaching staff.
Radmanovic will win you over 2 games out of 10. 20% is not good enough because that translates to roughly 16 good games in an 82-game season.
Ask yourself, how often does Vladdy become a threat by actually making three pointers with consistency and producing 15 points to help our team stretch the defense? Let me know if your answer isn't 2 times out of 10 and so we can pull out Vladdy's game-by-game point totals for 2008.
Ariza played only 8 minutes in Game Four, scored 6 pts, grabbed 5 rebounds, blocked a shot and did his thing.
Meanwhile, the other bench players played 20+ minutes and produced less than Trevor.
Ya, I'm sure Jackson noticed that.
JON464;
The Lakers have to go after Artest in the offseason, no ifs, ands, or buts about it.
BEEFSUPREME: Thanks. If the Lakers take it to seven games its because of Game Five.
UNDERAGE: I wouldn't be so quick to crown the Celtics 2008 NBA Champions. The hardest game to win is the closeout game. Lakers will be ready to take it back to Beantown.
HERMIE8477: We will witness either a great performance by Kobe that will lead to a win or one in which he seems unmotivated.
If the Lakers lose by 15, it won't be because of lack of effort. It will be because the Celtics will pull away in the last five minutes after the game was neck-and-neck throughout.
UC IRVINE graduate and proud to be an ANTEATER. My claim to fame is having played against the likes of Tayshaun and Tommie Prince, Jacque Vaughn, and Charles O'Bannon, plus getting dunked on by Schea Cotton in a CIF second round match in the nineties.
WIDELY KNOWN on FOX as one of the most biased LAKER HOMERS in blog history, highly criticized for hating on the PHOENIX SUNS fan base, and has been told on more than one occasion that LAMAR ODOM isn't worth the suit he's wearing.
Believe that "excellence is not an act but a habit."
Believe that the things you do and the things you don't do, they all send a message.
Believe that in order to know the world one must first know thyself.
And believe that it's the journey not the destination.
Finally, as the great Bruce Lee once said, "Man - he is constantly growing and when he is bound by a set pattern of ideas or way of doing things, that's when he stops growing."
This is the Way of the Dragon. Embrace it.
