Rookieees Nba Finals Thoughts ~ Lakers/celtics

THE_ROOKIEEE · #1 06-02-2008, 05:01 PM

FIRST OF ALL LET ME SAY THIS.....MY THEORY OF WHENEVER A BIG-NAME NEW ACQUISITION (GARNETT) FROM BOSTON / (GASOL) FROM THE LAKERS COMES TO A NEW TEAM IN ANY SPORT...THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO BRING A CHAMPIONSHIP IN THEIR 1ST YEAR WITH THAT TEAM..... I DONT HAVE THE EXACT RECORD BUT IN ALL SPORTS I KNOW WITH BIG NAMES THAT HAVE CHANGED TEAMS THIS HOLDS TRUE....CORRECT ME IF IM WRONG BUT THIS YEAR ALONE....THERE IS SHAQ GOING TO PHO, B.WALLACE TO CLE, AND KIDD TO DAL....WHAT A JOKE...IF WE GO TO BASEBALL OR FOOTBALL YOU WILL SEE THE SAME RESULTS....BUT THIS FINALS THAT THEORY IS OUT AS BOTH TEAMS HAVE A NEW ACQUISITION SO FOR SERIES GAME PEOPLE...THE BEST VALUE FOR THE LAKERS ARE 3-1 TO WIN IN 6 GAMES......FOR YOU CELTIC BACKERS YOU CAN GET SOME SERIOUS ODDS IF THEY WIN THIS IN 5 GAMES (8-1) 6 GAMES (5-1) OR IN 7 (4-1)....THE SERIES PRICE IS AROUND 2 TO 1 FOR THE LAKERS AND IF YOU THINK THATS VALUE THEN GO AHEAD EITHER WAY...I THINK YOU CAN MAKE MORE MONEY WITH LESS RISK PLAYING EACH GAME OR TOTAL BUT THATS JUST ME....WHEREVER YOU PLACE YOUR MONEY IN THIS FINALS, I WISH EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU THE BEST OF LUCK AND LETS HOPE THE HYPE THIS GAME BRINGS WILL BRING BACK SOME CLASSIC FINAL MEMORIES OF BILL RUSSELL/WILT CHAMBERLAIN IN THE 1969 FINALS TO THE BIRD/MAGIC MID 1980'S FINALS.... I REALLY DONT CARE WHO WINS THIS YEAR FINALS BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE KOBE BRYANT/PAUL PIERCE NEXT TO THOSE GREAT SERIES FINALS ABOVE...SHOULD BE A GOOD ONE.

ANYWAYS WITHOUT BEING BIASED TO MY BETS I WILL GIVE MY MATCHUP LOOK INTO THIS GAME.....

HISTORY:

LAKERS WILL APPEAR FIRST TIME SINCE 2004
CELTICS WILL APPEAR FIRST TIME SINCE 1987

LAKERS 29TH TIME IN FINALS WINNING 14
CELTICS 20TH TIME IN FINALS WINNING 16

CELTICS ARE 8-2 IN 10 FINALS AGAINST THE LAKERS WINNING IN 1959, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1984
LAKERS HAVE WON THE LAST 2 MEETINGS IN 1985 AND 1987

PRESENT:

THESE 2 TEAMS HAVE MET TWICE THIS YEAR WHERE BOSTON WON BOTH GAMES 110-91 AND 107-94....BOTH PRIOR TO PAU GASOL ARRIVAL

07-08 PLAYOFFS

CELTICS 8-12 ATS ~ 9-11 OVER/UNDER
LAKERS 10-4-1 ATS ~ 5-9 OVER/UNDER

CELTICS HOME 6-5 ATS ~ 5-6 OVER/UNDER
LAKERS HOME 6-2 ATS ~ 3-5 OVER/UNDER

CELTICS AWAY 2-7 ATS ~ 4-5 OVER/UNDER
LAKERS AWAY 4-2-1 ATS ~ 2-4 OVER/UNDER

KEY TRENDS LEADING UP TO THURSDAY GAME (PROVIDED BY COVERS)

Lakers are 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings in Boston.
Lakers are 7-3 ATS in the last 10 meetings.
Road team is 5-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings.
Lakers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 playoff games as an underdog of 0.5-4.5.
Lakers are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games as a road underdog of 0.5-4.5.
Lakers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
Lakers are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games as an underdog of 0.5-4.5.
Lakers are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 playoff games as an underdog.
Lakers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 vs. NBA Atlantic.
Lakers are 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 games following a ATS win.
Lakers are 9-3-1 ATS in their last 13 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
Lakers are 19-7-2 ATS in their last 28 games as a road underdog.
Lakers are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 vs. Eastern Conference.
Lakers are 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 NBA Championship games.

Under is 4-0 in Lakers last 4 games following a S.U. win
Under is 5-0 in Lakers last 5 overall.
Under is 4-0 in Lakers last 4 games following a ATS win.
Under is 6-1 in Lakers last 7 games as a road underdog.
Under is 6-1 in Lakers last 7 games as an underdog.
Over is 5-1 in Lakers last 6 vs. NBA Atlantic.
Under is 4-1 in Lakers last 5 playoff games as an underdog.
Under is 6-2 in Lakers last 8 road games.
Under is 7-3 in Lakers last 10 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.

Celtics are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 vs. Western Conference.
Celtics are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 vs. NBA Pacific.
Celtics are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games as a favorite.
Celtics are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 playoff games as a favorite.
Celtics are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games following a ATS win

Under is 4-1 in Celtics last 5 games following a S.U. win.
Over is 4-1 in Celtics last 5 games as a home favorite.
Under is 4-1 in Celtics last 5 playoff games as a favorite of 0.5-4.5.
Over is 4-1 in Celtics last 5 home games.
Over is 4-1 in Celtics last 5 playoff games as a favorite.
Over is 4-1 in Celtics last 5 games as a favorite.
Under is 40-14 in Celtics last 54 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.

MY PERSONAL THOUGHTS ARE THIS... AFTER THE REGULAR SEASON CONCLUDED I KNEW THE LAKERS WERE GOING TO MAKE IT AS THEY CLOSED THE SEASON STRONG... I EXPECTED THE CELTICS TO GET TO PLAY DETROIT FOR THE EAST TITLE BUT I WAS WRONG IN THINKING THE PISTONS WOULD REPRESENT...SO HERE WE ARE WITH HISTORY...GOING BACK TO THOSE MEMORIES, EXPECTING NEW ONES AND LOOKING AT THE IRONY OF ONE MORE TITLE FOR PHIL JACKSON TO BREAK HIS TIE WITH CELTIC LEGEND RED AUERBACH....

LOS ANGELES LAKERS

THEY CLOSED THE SEASON WINNING 8 OF THIER LAST 9 AND 12 OF 16 , THEY ENTERED THE PLAYOFFS THE SAME WAY WINNING THEIR 1ST 6 GAMES BEFORE LOSING 2 IN UTAH( WHERE NO ONE WINS EXCEPT THE JAZZ) BEFORE CLOSING IT OUT WITH A WIN BACK THERE IN GAME 6 ....THEY ARE 12-3 SU IN ALL THEIR PLAYOFF GAMES AND HAVE DONE THIS WITH THEIR UNSELFISH ATHLETIC YOUNG BENCH ...WHO ARE SUPERIOR PASSING SHOOTERS AND DISPLAY CHEMISTY LIKE SEASONED VETERANS WITH EXPERIENCE.THEY HOLD THE FORT DOWN TO KEEP LEADS WHILE GIVING THEIR STARTERS THE REST THEY NEED...THIS IS THE NUMBER ONE REASON WHY TEAMS JUST HAVENT BEEN ABLE TO HURDLE WHEN THEY ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO TAKE LEADS, CLOSE GAPS, ETC.ETC.... THE LAKERS ARE THE WESTERN CHAMPS AND THEY DESERVE IT PLAYING IN THAT TOUGH CONFERENCE.....DO YOU ACTUALLY BELIEVE THAT THE HAWKS OR THE CAVS WHOM THE CELTICS HAD PROBLEMS WITH, WOULD BE IN THE PLAYOFFS IF THEY WERE IN THE WEST..... NOPE!!! SURE THE CELTICS BEAT THE TEAM I EXPECTED TO GO...BUT JUST LIKE LAST YEAR AGAINST THE CAVS...THE PISTONS ARE JUST TOO INCONSISTENT....SO IMO THE CELTICS HAVE HAD IT PRETTY EASY AS FAR AS COMPITTION....BUT BEFORE I GO TO THE CELTIC SIDE I WANT YOU ALL TO REMEMBER THAT BESIDES THE BENCH I MENTIONED THEY ALSO HAVE THE BEST PLAYER ON THE COURT IN MVP KOBE BRYANT AND A COACH WHO IS RUNNING OUT OF FINGERS FOR ALL THE RINGS HE HAS ACCOMPLISHED...ONE OF THE MAIN CONCERNS I HAVE WITH THE LAKERS IS THE HIGH OPPONENTS FG ATTEMPTS THROUGHOUT THE SEASON AND PLAYOFFS....GRANT IT THEIR OPPOSITION DEFENSE TO THIS IS GOOD BUT IF THE CELTICS BIG 3 LEARN TO PLAY TOGETHER ON OFFENSE THAT COULD CAUSE A BIG PROBLEM FOR THE LAKERS.

BOSTON CELTICS

NOW MUCH HAS BEEN SAID ABOUT THE WOES THE CELTICS HAD IN THE PLAYOFFS LEADING UP TO THIS GAME, PATICULARY THEIR ROAD WOES...BUT LET ME SAY THIS THEY ANSWERED IN A BIG FASHION WINNING 2 OUT OF 3 IN DETROIT TO CLOSE OUT THAT SERIES...I STILL THINK THAT BOSTON IS ONLY AS GOOD AS WHAT RAY ALLEN PROVIDES AND HE WILL PROVIDE ENOUGH AGAINST THIS LAKER DEFENSE COMPARED TO THE LONG ARMS OF THE DETROIT DEFENSE WHICH CAN ONLY BENEFIT THESE CELTICS...THE SKEPTICS THINK( INCLUDING MYSELF) THAT FOR AN EASY PLAYOFF SCENERIO THEY SURE MADE IT TOUGH ON THEMSELVES TO GET HERE AND THAT THEY WERENT THE SAME TEAM AS THEY WERE IN THE REGULAR SEASON....BUT THAT WAS THE PAST AND THIS IS ANOTHER NEW SERIES WITH ONE THING ON THE MINDS OF EVERY PLAYER .... A CHAMPIONSHIP...EVERYTHING IS THROWN OUT THE DOOR ...THAT WORD ALONE STANDS TALL AND DONT THINK THAT THE CELTICS WON BE UP FOR THIS SERIES.... AFTERALL THEY DID WIN THEIR DIVISION , THEY HAD THE BEST RECORD DURING THE REGULAR SEASON AND WHAT PEOPLE REALIZE OR NOT...THEY PLAYED GREAT DEFENSE AS THEY WERE #5 OR BETTER IN THESE CATEGORYS:

PTS ALLOWED
OPP FG ATT
OPP FG MADE
OPP REB
STEALS

THEY WILL NEED TO BE TOUGH ON DEFENSE AS THEIR PAST PROBLEMS ON THE ROAD AND TURNOVERS HAVE CAUSED NUMOUROUS FOULS TO EJECTIONS WHICH HAVE SEND MANY TO THE LINE AND YOU DONT WANT THAT AGAINST THE LAKERS. GAME 6 IN DETROIT SHOWED WHAT THE CELTICS CAN DO WHEN THEY DONT TURN THE BALL OVER AND RAY ALLEN SHOOTS .... A WIN AND ON THE ROAD...THEIR BACKS WERE AGAINST THE WALL AND THEY RESPONDED BIG...REAL BIG PERIOD....THATS THE SIGN OF A CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM....SO IMO THEY HAVE STARTED TO COME TOGETHER AGAIN AT THE RIGHT TIME...NOW MANY POINT TO THE LAKERS AND HOW THEY JUST DISMANTLED EVERYONE TO GET HERE COMPARED TO THE ROUGH WAY THESE CELTICS DID....BUT LET ME SAY THIS DENVER WAS TOO TIRED TO PLAY AFTER BEATING THEMSELVES TO GET INTO THE PLAYOFFS....THE JAZZ WERE JUST OVERMATCHED BY POSITION, THE SPURS WELL WE ALL KNOW THAT WITH GINOBILI HURT CAUSED MAJOR SCORING PROBLEMS FOR THE SPURS....FOR THOSE CELTIC BACKERS...HAVE SOME BELIEF AS THESE CELTICS STAND AS GOOD AS A CHANCE THAN ANYONE TO WIN THIS THING!!

A POSITION BY POSITION LOOK AT THE MATCHUPS IN THE NBA FINALS BETWEEN THE BOSTON CELTICS AND THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS PROVIDED BY FOX SPORTS.

CENTER

Kendrick Perkins vs. Pau Gasol: The Lakers wouldn't be here without their midseason acquisition of Gasol from Memphis. He's a good passer for a big man, making him an excellent fit for the triangle offense, and is shooting 53 percent in the postseason while averaging 17.7 points. Perkins made 61.5 percent of his shots in the regular season and had some strong games in the Eastern Conference finals, including an 18-point, 16-rebound performance in Game 5.
Edge: Lakers.

POWER FORWARD

Kevin Garnett vs. Lamar Odom: The Defensive Player of the Year, Garnett increased his offensive production in the conference finals, averaging 22.8 points in Boston's victory over Detroit. His intensity on both ends of the floor is what makes the Celtics go. The versatile Odom was inconsistent against San Antonio in the Western Conference finals, but rebounded from a poor Game 3 with strong performances in the last two games.
Edge: Celtics.

SMALL FORWARD

Paul Pierce vs. Vladimir Radmanovic: Finally in the NBA finals in his 10th year with Boston, Pierce is set to face his hometown team. He has shown in the playoffs he can still be a potent scorer, notably in his 41-point effort to beat Cleveland in Game 7 of the second round, and has become an underrated defender. Radmanovic is a good perimeter shooter who doesn't do much else, and the Lakers need his jumper to be on to soften a Boston defense that held opponents to the lowest field goal percentage in the league.
Edge: Celtics.

SHOOTING GUARD

Ray Allen vs. Kobe Bryant: Allen seemed to break out of his shooting slump in the final two games of the conference finals, averaging 23 points and going 8-of-14 from 3-point range. Bryant, a tenacious defender, will certainly welcome the challenge of trying to get that slump started again. And the league MVP has been at his best in the playoffs, averaging 31.9 points to lead all players in the postseason and shooting 51 percent.
Edge: Lakers.

POINT GUARD

Rajon Rondo vs. Derek Fisher: Fisher had a fairly quiet series in the conference finals, but his postseason experience, solid defense and courage to take big shots remain a comfort to the Lakers even when his shot isn't falling. Rondo's poor jumper was especially off late in the last round, when he shot 10-of-35 in the final three games. The Lakers will make him beat them from the outside.
Edge: Lakers.

RESERVES

James Posey, P.J. Brown, Sam Cassell, Eddie House, Leon Powe, Glen Davis and Tony Allen vs. Sasha Vujacic, Luke Walton, Jordan Farmar, Ronny Turiaf, DJ Mbenga and Trevor Ariza: Posey won a title with Miami two years ago and is a key contributor who will help defend Bryant, but tough to figure out what else to expect from Celtics' reserves. Minutes greatly fluctuated along with their production for most of them during the postseason. The Lakers counter with a much younger bench that tries to increase the tempo and energy when Bryant is resting.
Edge: Lakers.

COACHES

Doc Rivers vs. Phil Jackson: Rivers did a great job molding all the Celtics' new pieces into a 66-win team. But he's appeared to lose confidence in some of his role players during the postseason, creating some inconsistent rotations. Jackson, the career leader in postseason victories, did one of his best coaching jobs this season on a team that started with the turmoil surrounding a possible Bryant trade and was never expected to be here. He seeks a 10th title, which would break Red Auerbach's record.
Edge: Lakers.

Chicago RED · #2 06-02-2008, 05:08 PM

Good write up Rook.

da_boy · #3 06-04-2008, 01:59 PM

rook, great analysis and best of all it's free! better than some of those u gotta pay for. anyways good luck to ya whichever way you're playing and i'm looking forward to a great series matchup...