A RiDirkulous Summer

A reputation - good or bad - is a hard thing to gain, and an even harder thing to lose. Rightly or wrongly, there are certain reputations that NBA fans attach to certain players and teams, and these reps end up sticking to the players (for better or worse) for the majority of their careers.

Kobe is clutch, Kobe is selfish. LeBron is a choker. Durant is a nice guy. The Spurs are boring. Gasol is soft. The Lakers are flashy.

But reputations, at best, are simply a lazy man's description of things that he may not have the time or the motivation to delve further into. It's easier to describe someone in one word than worry about all the details, even if, from a different angle, those details prove the reputation wrong.

For the better part of the past decade, I've been guilty of this several times with Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks, all up till the NBA Finals concluded this June. And this despite the fact that the Mavs have had their shares of success in this period: In 2011, the Mavs completed their 11th consecutive 50 win season. The only team to have had as much regular season success as them in this period have been the Spurs. But the difference between the Spurs and the Mavs was that, in the last 12 seasons, the Spurs had won four NBA Championships. The Mavs had finished with the NBA's best record, even entered the Finals, but never won a ring to show for it.

During this period, they had some great highs, but what was worse was the spectacular falls. These included losing the NBA Finals to Miami in 2006 after being up 2-0, losing in the first round to the bottom-seeded Warriors after finishing with the best record in the league in 2007, and in 2010, despite being the number two seed, they lost in the first round to the seventh-seeded Spurs.

The reputation so far: The Mavericks are a great regular season team, and will be trouble for anyone facing them in the playoffs, but don't place your championship bets on them anytime soon.

And then there was their leader, Dirk Nowitzki. One of the best scorers that the NBA has ever seen, Dirk's rise and fall matched that of his squad. He got the credit for their regular season successes and their few long playoff runs, but he also got the blame for their lack in mental strength, their shattering playoff defeats and upsets. Before the 2010-11 season, Nowitzki had an All Star nine times, named to the All NBA first team four times, in the second team five times, and won the regular season MVP in 2007. Meanwhile, he became the franchise's greatest ever scorer, and became one of the most unstoppable scorers in NBA history.

But Dirk was not considered to be tough enough, mentally and physically, for the 'hardcore' NBA Playoffs. Despite being part of a balanced franchise with numerous supporting players over the past decade, he could never get it done.

(*Sidenote: At various points in the past 11 years, the Mavs have fielded some of the NBA's most deepest squad besides Dirk, including Steve Nash, Michael Finley, Antawn Jamison, Antoine Walker, Nick Van Exel, Josh Howard, leading up to his supporting cast today of Jason Terry, Carol Butler, Shaun Marion, Jason Kidd, and Tyson Chandler)

Dirk though, did earn my respect during this period in one extremely important way: along with Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, and Paul Pierce, he was amongst the NBA's only superstars to have spent such a long time with only one team. The 2010-11 season was Dirk's 13th with the Mavs. He was the one true symbol of a young franchise with little notable history before the Nowitzki era. Think of it as what the Cavs would've had, if a certain Decision hadn't been made.

Now let's get to this year: It had been another ho-hum great 50-win season for the Mavs. They had finished with a 57-25 record, their best since 2007. Nowitzki finished the season averaging solid if unspectacular 23 points and 7 rebounds a game. This was his lowest scoring average since 2004, but an ageing Dirk improved his efficiency dramatically, posting up the highest field-goal percentage (0.517) of his career. With the Mavs finishing at 3rd place in the West, all signs pointed towards another probably second-round finish while the Lakers/Heat/Bulls/Spurs/Celtics stood above the rest of the field as the real title challengers.

I had even predicted that, if there was going to be a first-round upset, it was going to be the Blazers over the Mavericks. The Blazers, probably the most dangerous lower-seeded team in the West, seemed to be the perfect team to surprise the playoff-unreliable Mavericks. But it wasn't to be: with the series tied at 2-2 after four games, Nowitzki took control to see that there was going to be no upset this time around and the Mavericks defeated the Blazers in 6 games.

The second round, and once again, I bet against Dirk's squad. This time I had a valid reason though: the Mavericks were facing two-time reigning champs the Lakers, with the Lakers holding on to the home court advantage. But it was the Mavs, not the Lakers, who showed the late game mettle, toughness, and surprising poise in clutch situations. The Mavs won both games in LA, and then won both games back home in an amazing sweep of the reigning champs. Most people may talk about their Finals triumph, but in my eyes, beating the Lakers in four games was their highest moment in the season. Dirk was completely unguardable, and his dominance of Pau Gasol made the latter shrink into a shell and dent his own reputation.

Okay, okay, on to the Conference Finals, and I thought: this has to be it, right? The Mavs aren't for real, are they? I'm gonna go ahead and pick the young and spunky Thunder to defeat them. Wrong again! Dirk Nowitzki had a historic Game 1, scoring 48 points off of just 15 shots, making all 24 of his free throws on the way for a win. Nowitzki averaged 32 ppg over the series, making the Thunder look like the inexperienced young pups that they were. It took just five games, and the Mavs were back as Western Conference champs and back into the Finals. What made the last two series more amazing for the Mavericks was that, at several times, they found themselves in a deep hole, and every time, they used a massive run, usually ignited by Nowitzki to make a comeback and win the game. It was as if the tables had turned with this team, and their rep was changing before our very eyes: long considered to be the overrated ones likely to collapse, they were now becoming the underrated ones likely to achieve the improbable.

Hindsight is an easy thing: looking back now, I realise how amazing Nowitzki and the Mavericks were in the run to the finals, but of course, I saved giving them the credit they deserved until the very end.

The very end to this 'RiDirkulous' summer came in the NBA Finals versus the Miami Heat, a rematch over Dwyane Wade to 2006 that Nowitzki may have personally cherished. But this was a different, much stronger, more LeBron-ed Miami team. And it was also a mentally stronger Mavericks side.

Looking at Nowitzki's individual playoff success again, I realise now that he had been gifted in his team with just the right team-mates to fulfill the exact shortcomings that he was known to suffer from. Can't play post-defense or rebound too well? Bring in Tyson Chandler. Can't play perimeter-defense too well? Bring in Shaun Marion and DeShawn Stevenson. A problem with ball handling and leadership? That's what Jason Kidd is there for. Is his emotional toughness in doubt? No one tougher in the side than Jason Terry. And this group of players surrounding Nowitzki had one other advantage: they all knew their roles and they stuck to it.

In this fashion, Nowitzki became a rare superstar to win a championship without at least one more all star in his side. In recent years, most of the championship winning teams had at least two (going backwards in time): the Lakers twice (Kobe and Pau), Celtics (Garnett, Allen, Pearce), Spurs (Duncan, Ginobili), Heat (Wade, Shaq), and the Spurs (Duncan, Ginobili). In 2004, it was the amazing Detroit Pistons who won the championship with just one current all star player, Ben Wallace.

Despite their depth, the Mavs weren't supposed to be favourites in the Finals either, mainly because they were going against the hyped LeBron-Wade-Bosh trinity. 7 and half quarters into the series, with the Heat leading 1-0 at home and threatening to go 2-0, it seemed that the fairytale for the Mavs was over. But Terry, Nowitzki, and the rest of the squad sparked an incredible Game 2 comeback, capped off by Nowitzki's game-winning lay-up over Bosh, to equal the series and remind everyone that they're still pretty tough. Heat won the third game behind another great Wade performance, but nothing was going to stop Nowitzki and the balanced Mavericks from there onwards. They won the next three to win the series 4-2 and win their first ever NBA title.

Hindsight, I repeat, is an easy thing. All of a sudden, we started looking back at Nowitzki as he really was the next coming of Larry Bird, possessing the most deadly mid-range jump shot in the league and the heart of a true champion. We started looking at the Mavericks as a team that never-says-die. It was incredible to say it, but then again, seeing their history, it wasn't: Dallas Mavericks, NBA Champions. Dirk Nowitzki, Finals MVP.

Despite his below-average regular season, Nowitzki truly elevated his game in the playoffs, averaging 27.7 ppg and 8.1 rpg over the course of the 21 games. He may not have the same pure talent he had back in 2006-07, but in the midst of his run he played the most inspired, efficient, and tough basketball of his career: hitting big shots, grabbing big rebounds, showing up as a true leader, and never backing down to anyone.

It's a pity that most casual fans will look back at the Finals as LeBron's Collapse Part II. True, LeBron James and the Heat fell, but more importantly, Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavs rose.

Yes, reputations are a difficult thing to earn, and a difficult thing to change. With one incredible summer, Nowitzki's reputation has definitely changed in my eyes. I look at him now as a winner and a leader that he has been for several years but couldn't prove it. Funny, how a championship changes perspective like that.

What's funnier is that, the man Nowitzki defeated in the Finals, LeBron James, finds himself in the same boat Nowitzki did for all these years. Despite incredible individual and team success, Nowitzki couldn't shake the championship monkey off his back, and when he finally did, the glory was unmatchable. Will LeBron's brilliant-but-maligned career follow the same route?

Dallas Mavericks are the 2011 NBA Champions

I doubted them from the start. This year, they proved me wrong on every step.

On June 12, 2011, The Dallas Mavericks ended a 31-year barren run, after being founded in 1980, to finally lift the NBA Championship, beating the Miami Heat 4-2 in the NBA Finals. Averaging 27 points, 9.4 rebounds, hitting countless clutch shots, and surviving a tough fever-ridden night, Dirk Nowitzki was deservingly won the Finals MVP award. The Mavs lifted the trophy in Miami after winning Game 6 on the road, 105-95.

It seems eons ago now, but when the Playoffs began two months ago, back in mid-April, the Mavericks meant little to me. I had them ranked behind the Lakers, Bulls, Heat, Celtics, and Spurs as my title favourites. To me, they were equal to the Magic, and on certain cocky days, I even pretended that the youthful Thunder could get the better of them.

I had reason for my doubts: Five years ago, the Mavs were near the top of the basketball mountain, leading 2-0 over the same Miami Heat (with many different characters), and planning a victory parade. It all came crashing down, and the Dirk/Mavs choker tag took shape. The next season, Nowitzki won MVP, the Mavericks won a season-best 67 games, but their season came crashing down after an embarrassing 1st round meltdown against the Golden State Warriors. A year ago, now ranked 2nd in the West, facing the 7th place Spurs, the 'choke' happened again. Mavs went out in the first round.

So I thought, why wouldn't history repeat itself, right? Hell, if you look back at my first round predictions now, you'll see that I predicted that the sixth-placed Blazers, the pre-playoff surest bet of the strongest lower seed, would upset the Mavs. Of course, that upset didn't happen, and many others did. Then, I thought that the reigning champs Lakers were going to cruise in the Mavs series, but the exact opposite took place, as the Mavericks swept LA in impressive fashion, 4-0. They were mostly unstoppable against the OKC Thunder in the Conference Finals, reaching the Finals with ease. And even then, I bet against them. I bet that a more defensive minded team - a Bulls side or a Heat side - would defeat the 'softer' Mavs, led by their 'softer' leader Dirk. But Dirk didn't let that happen either. Game after game, the Mavs showed against resilience to bounce back over and over again, and upturned a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 lead.

Through this incredible journey, the Mavs embodied everything that people expected an old-school 'team' to embody. In Jason Kidd, they had the league's elder-statesman, a 38-year-old point guard using his savvy instead of his athleticism to get the better of his opponents. They brought in an amazing addition in Tyson Chandler, who offered the team previously missing confidence and toughness in the post. They lost Caron Butler - who I believed to be their second-best player on paper, early in the season, but his shoes were filled aptly by Shaun Marion, who saved his best performance on both ends of the floor against Miami in the Finals. They boasted of the best support players in the league, getting invaluable contributions from JJ Barea, DeShawn Stevenson, Brendan Haywood, Peja Stojacovic, and even 'The Custodian', aka, Brian Cardinal. Their bench was obviously led by none other than Jason Terry, who stepped up to the plank when required to secure the ring.

And the leader of this crew, the undisputed MVP of this squad, was Dirk Nowitzki. In the list of active NBA players who have spent their entire career with just one team, Nowitzki stands third, only behind Kobe Bryant (15 years) and Tim Duncan (14), after spending 13 years with the Mavericks. He's tied with Paul Pierce (13 years with Celtics), and now, all four of those names have a championship.

Behind Dirk's mental toughness, this team has buried that 'soft/choker' tag in style. They made improbable comebacks, hit big shots, and won by DEFENSE at the end of several close games. They beat everyone who came their way and used every weapon they had. They became deserving champions.

Nowitzki is not only the Finals MVP, but in my book, the Playoffs MVP too. He averaged 28.1 ppg during the playoffs along with 8 rebounds a game. Countless things have already been said about how, Nowitzki, with this win, buries over a decade of mockery and haunting meltdowns. From a skinny, quiet German, with one unmatched skill (a seven-footer with a jump-shot), Nowitzki added more and more every year to his resume. He added leadership, he added toughness, he added rebounding, he added the ability to attack the basket, and more than anything this year, he added resilience, a quality that trickled down to the rest of the team.

This win also ends an arduous road for Jason Kidd, who got bounced around from Dallas to Phoenix to New Jersey and then back to Dallas for his search of the promised land. Before June 12th, he ranked at the top of the list as the player with most playoff games played without a championship (141). Nowitzki was 2nd with 123. You get the sense that this win had a long, long way coming.

And now, what happens to this team next? Well, they only get stronger. They get Caron Butler back. They hope to resign Tyson Chandler. They hope to entice other veteran free agents to jump on the bandwagon for another year.

I used to believe, before the 2011 playoffs, that the Mavs were a perfect roster, with a perfect coach in Rick Carlisle, and a good owner in Mark Cuban, but their only weakness was their mental toughness. This year, they have shattered that notion. This team could easily repeat it next year.

And of course, we can't end the talk of the Finals without a mention to the losing side. The Miami heat were a seven-minute meltdown away from a 2-0 series advantage. Instead, Game 2 changed everything. Miami lost a double-digit lead in the game's last seven minutes, and even though they won Game 3, the belief was in Dallas that they could overcome any adversity. Miami, who looked like the far better team after the first three games, lost their swagger in the last three.

Dwyane Wade, Miami's most valuable player in the Finals, goes back unsuccessful in his attempt to repeat the 2006 Finals domination over the same squad. But that doesn't say that he didn't try - before a leg injury altered his aggressiveness in the last 2 games, Wade was the best player of the series, threatening to carry this squad, almost single-handedly to another title. In the end, Wade was just not good enough. Blame injury, or blame pressure, Wade screwed up too many times in end of game situations, and as he shouldered most of the weight of this team, he is showered in most of the scorn of their defeat.

Of course, he shouldn't have had to do it single-handedly, right? A certain 2-time MVP's meltdown in front of the world's eyes made sure that Wade was mostly all alone. LeBron James, considered by many to be the NBA's most talented basketball player, and considered foolishly to be the next (or better) Michael Jordan in Scottie Pippen's eyes, was anything but great in this series. He was barely 'good'. James continued his awful NBA Finals record, and the world will look back at the last two weeks and wonder what the hell happened!!! James TOTALED 18 points in the six four quarters of the Finals, averaging just 3 points a game in the fourth. He was passive, he was the incredible 'Shrinking Superstar', he was third-best to Chris Bosh in his team. This happened after a near-perfect performance in the Conference Finals over reigning MVP Derrick Rose. This shocked everyone, even ardent LeBron haters. This happened in the Finals, the biggest stage of his career, and playing with the strongest NBA team he's ever played for.

If this is the world's most talented player, then the world has a very wrong notion of what 'talent' is.

Miami will bounce back, of course. They're too 'talented' not too. Just like Nowitzki learnt from years of near-success, LeBron will learn and come back stronger, too. And he has Wade on his side. And he has Bosh, or the trade value of Bosh, on his side. We must not forget that, after all, this team has essentially only been together for less than one year. Champions aren't formed overnight - the Celtics Big Three did it in 2008, and the Heat nearly did it this year, and we should give them credit for getting a winning, defensive team mentality so soon.

But today, they stand second best to the Mavericks, who have finally avenged 2006 and now stand alone as NBA Champions.

I'm not going to ponder any further about what will happen next season, because I don't even know if the next season will happen. The Lockout is a very clear and frightening possibility. I'm too depressed by the potential notion of the 'L-Word' to even think about it - as long as I block the thought from my head and remain ignorant, it's not going to happen. Unless the day it happens, of course.

So if these Finals were the last act of NBA basketball before a longer-than-usual intermission, then they were a fitting exciting finish. Let's celebrate the Mavericks' achievement now - next season is next season.

NBA announces digital partnership with Times Group

In a move that the Financial Times called a 'slam dunk' for basketball in India, the NBA took another major step in making sure that it increases its visibility in India, and ultimately, promote the game here, by announcing a 'digital partnership' with Times Internet Limited (TIL), a subsidiary of the Times Group that brings you The Times of India. This move comes just in time for the 2011 NBA Finals, as the Dallas Mavericks get ready to face the Miami Heat.

This partnership will ensure that the NBA will now have a dedicated section on the Times of India website: www.timesofindia.com.

The NBA becomes the second sports league after the Indian Premier League (IPL) to partner with the Times Group in India, highlighting the growing popularity of basketball and the NBA in India.

The new dedicated NBA section on the Times of India website will reach more than 12 million users per month. The NBA section will provide fans with comprehensive daily updates on the latest NBA news and scores, and will feature original columns from Times Group journalists. Daily video highlights, photo galleries and articles from NBA analysts will be offered, as well as in-depth features on the league and its players. Furthermore, journalists from the Times Group will travel to the 2011 NBA Finals to provide on-site and behind-the-scenes coverage for fans in India.

“We are proud to be associated with one of the most recognized sporting leagues in the World,” said Rishi Khiani, CEO, Times Internet Limited.” The NBA is the premier men's professional basketball league in North America. With the growing popularity of basketball globally, and more recently in India, we plan to leverage our audience to help popularize the sport further and drive newer audiences to the game.”

“The Times Group has unrivaled reach in India and they are an ideal partner to help showcase our game and engage more NBA fans throughout the country,” said Heidi Ueberroth, President, NBA International. “We are in the midst of one of our most exciting playoffs in recent memory and the innovative, in-depth sports coverage provided by the Times Group allows us to bring fans in India closer to the game.”

I check out the NBA section of the TOI website and it looks pretty good: Nothing too fancy, just simple, clear information, especially targeted towards the new, growing fanbase of the league in India. It has several news articles and features of current events - i.e., the Finals - sourced from NBA.com, and it also features generic information such as profiles of other NBA teams, and some facts about the history of the NBA, such as previous champions and a list of the NBA's greatest players, with credentials and all!

(I'm kinda offended that my personal all-time favourite player Gary Payton isn't on it. Come on Times of India, show The Glove some love).

Good move by the NBA though - it will help promote the league to a bigger, more mainstream audience.

2011 NBA Finals Prediction: Heat vs Mavs, the Sequel

Before we talk about the present, it's important that we talk about the past.

Five years ago - May/June 2006 - and the last two remaining teams in the NBA were the Miami Heat and the Dallas Mavericks. The Heat, with their young superstar Dwyane Wade (who was just finishing his third year in the league) and with still not-washed-up Shaquille O'Neal, played some inspired basketball to get to the Finals, but once there, they were against the NBA's deepest and most talented squad in the Mavericks.

It was the first time in the history of either franchise to make the NBA Finals. And it would be a first ring for either of these two teams. Led by Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavericks were odds-on favourites: they had broken a vicious cycle out West - Since the Jazz did it in 1998, no other team except for the Spurs or the Lakers had won the Western Conference - and even before the 2011 Finals were set up, the Mavericks were the only other team in the West since 98 to win the conference.

What happened next? As expected, a deeply talented Mavs squad won the first two games easily, taking a 2-0 lead over the series as it shifted to Miami. Game 3 looked like it was going to be more of the same: but Dwyane Wade went into superhero mode, scoring 42 points to erase a 13-point 4th quarter lead and help Miami secure a win. Credit Gary Payton for hitting the game-winner, and the series changed.

And from then onwards, it was the Wade show - Wade scored 36, 43, and 36 points in the next three games, putting up the most impressive individual performance I have ever seen over an NBA finals series, and helped Miami win in six games, 4-2, clinching their first NBA title. Unfortunately, the story of the series weren't Wade's heroics - it was the many, many, (many, many, many) arguable calls made by the referees that went Miami's and Wade's way.

On the other end - it was a bitter pill to swallow for Nowitzki, who was so close to etching his name into the Finals' greats, but wasn't good enough in clutch situations to match Wade.

History lesson done, perspective acquired; it's now 2011.

2011: And the two best playoffs teams in the NBA find themselves deservingly facing off in the Finals in a repeat of '06. Some of the names are the same, and some are new, adding a lot more complexities to this already exciting match-up. Seeing how both these teams changed the level of their play between the regular season and the playoffs, I'm not even going to bother looking back at their season match-ups. All you need to know is that Miami hold home-court advantage, and Miami haven't lost at home in the playoffs. The Mavs have only lost once.

The Conference Finals were surprisingly one-sided. I was wrong in predicting a Bulls win after Game 1, because Chicago went on to lose the next four, and their biggest problems were exposed - lack of depth beyond Rose, and their youth/inexperience. Meanwhile, Dallas took care of business versus another very young Thunder team, and most impressively, making two massive comebacks to show heart and hunger that they have never shown before.

And I know LeBron had an incredible series, but I have to give the player of the Conference Finals award to Dirk Nowitzki, who was deadly efficient, especially in that first game where he had 48 points of just 15 shots.

Phew... So we're in the Finals now... And here's what these Finals would mean from the point of view of all the crucial parties involved, in last-name alphabetical order:

Chris Bosh: The man who has suffered innumerable jokes (it's not the big three, it's two and a half men) found his aggression when needed and stepped up to help Miami beat Chicago, completely dominating his opposite number, Carlos Boozer. This could really mean redemption for Bosh, and even though he isn't of the Wade-James-Nowitzki class, he's still an all star (with feelings). Bosh will also have the toughest time in this series as he attempts to defend the league's most unstoppable force right now in Dirk Nowitzki.

Rick Carlisle: It's about time that Carlisle, one of the most efficient coaches of the last decade, is finally getting his shot at the big deal. He has had some up and down years as a coach, but has never wavered his discipline - the work he has done with this Mavs squad, especially in the playoffs, is tremendous: both in the tactical viewpoint as well as inspiring them to stay hungry and make the big comebacks.

Mark Cuban: The owner of the Mavs and a billionaire on the side, there was no man more outspoken about Miami's "unjust" 2006 win than Cuban. A great recent article by Yahoo Sports writer Adrian Wojnarowski's talks about how Cuban never gave Miami the respect for winning that title, and criticised them on their rebuilding plan. Well, here we are now - and for his own team's championship, Cuban has to go through his Miami nightmare once more.

LeBron James: Ah.. LeBron James. It's hard to read the word NBA these days without seeing his name nearby. Talent-wise, he deserves to be one of the league's best-known player, but without a championship, talent is nothing but potential wasted. This is James' second trip to the Finals - the first one was a forgettable affair when his over-achieving Cavs got swept by the Spurs in 2007. So what does he do after going nowhere with Cleveland? He makes a Decision and comes to Miami, teaming up with Dwyane Wade to make the most deadly duo since Nagraj and Super Commando Dhruv started to fight crime together.
(FYI: LeBron is Nagraj, Wade is Dhruv).
Anyways - it was a major decision, and it was going to have major repercussions - anything less than a championship was to be an under-achievement for Miami. And as the regular season went, with teething troubles in alpha-dog status, Wade and LeBron suffered those troubles. But the playoffs have been a whole different animal: as the two of them have perfected the art of surviving and thriving together. Meanwhile, LeBron, especially after his performance in the Bulls' series, has been the best player in the Playoffs in the Eastern Conference.
But nothing in the past matters - The Decision was made to win a championship - and so far, the plan seems to be on track for the currently ringless 'King'.

Jason Kidd: Those who know me personally know that I have never been a fan, but even I can't deny what Kidd brings to the table. The last of the remaining 'true' point guards before the era is fully handed over the Rose's, Westbrook's, and Wall's of the world (I know CP3 and Deron Williams will have something to say about that), Kidd's game will never be appreciated by someone who just looks at box scores and recaps. He uses his brain more than his 38-year-old body, and after two unsuccessful runs in the finals nearly a decade ago, this veteran has one final shot. This time, he has a squad better than anything he has ever worked with before. Kidd was brought into Dallas almost three years ago to bring a mature presence to the frequently not-so-responsible Dirk, and he did just that. Will this future hall-of-famer finally get his ring?

Dirk Nowitzki: The nightmares of 2006 must be crashing back in front of Dirk now, and if there's ever been a man on a redemption mission, it's him. Nowitzki has been the best player in this year's playoffs, and is playing at a higher level than I've ever seen him play before. It is fitting then, that, his second chance at the ring once again goes through Miami and through Dwyane Wade. He seems to have left behind the jitters that labelled him a 'soft' player or a 'choker' - but it is this final stand that could make or break his legend, that could decide whether he was one of the greatest or just a damn good player.

Pat Riley: One of the greatest coaches ever, and my personal favourite, and the man who led Miami to that 2006 victory: but this time, Riley is looking for a different kind of win. Now as Heat's team president Riley pulled off a miracle by getting LeBron and Bosh to join the side, and had faith in his young coach Spoelstra to oversee this team make its way to the Finals. Now, he's four wins away from adding to his illustrious trophy collection, and once again, it is the Mavs that stand in his way.

Erik Spoelstra: The man who shouldered all the blame for Heat's early struggles is still here, still standing, and now, in the Finals. The Heat coach always had the support of Riley and always preached defense first. Couple his defensive philosophy and hand him two of the league's best players, and its easy to see why this team is successful - it is just hard to believe that they are successful so soon! While fans were calling for his head early in the season, this post-season performance has turned everything around and made sure that he remains a coaching mainstay for years to come.

Jason Terry: The other star from the 2006 losing Mavs team, Terry has been in the Mavs for a long time, battling alone with Dirk and looking for that championship. It will be a great reward for the fruits of his patience and labour on the bench all these years. Plus, he had a Larry O'Brien trophy tattooed on his arm before the season even began. He better win to justify something like that.

Dwyane Wade: The man who was the undisputed legend five years ago is now being looked at as the third-best player in 2011. Funny how things change - because Wade's game hasn't gotten much worse. His explosive 2006 performance saw him average 33 ppg and 7.8 rpg through the series, and those numbers don't take into account how well he performed in clutch time situations. LeBron came to Miami to play with D-Wade and go to the Finals, and here they are now. Wade had a bad series against the Bulls, but he came up big when most required, scoring 10 points and making massive plays in that incredible 4th quarter rally that saw Miami defeat Chicago in Game 5 to close the series. If there was any time for Dwyane Wade to rediscover himself, it was right before a finals rematch with the Mavericks. And here they are now...

And my Prediction: These two teams are way to close to call, because both have shown grit and heart to win. Mavericks have a deeper squad, but the Heat are more top heavy. In a situation like this, I go to my thumb rule, which is: 'If the difference between 2 teams is too close to call, always go with the better defensive side.'
It's the playoffs, and I'm going to call Defense - which is Miami. Dirk will have a big series, and so will LeBron and Wade, but it will be the Heat's defensive intensity that will end up limiting Nowitzki, and on the other end, their superstars will take care of business, especially during the clutch periods. Plus, having home-court advantage will help Miami, too.

So my Finals Prediction is Miami Heat win 4-2.

And as for Finals MVP? Well it's the question that has been in my mind ever since the season started. Between LeBron and Wade, who will be better when it mattered most? Well, that question could be answered very soon: LeBron has been a better all-round player, but Wade has a reputation of being the best when the chips are down. And in this series, I say that the Mavs will suffer a Dwyane Wade nightmare again. Also, I have a Wade bias. And it's my blog - Dwyane Wade wins Finals MVP

So what are your predictions? Who will be the champion? How many games will they play? Who will be Finals MVP? And who will be the X-Factor?

Almost Michael... But Not Quite

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I remember, back in 6th Grade, my English teacher Mrs. Bona forced a great many, supposedly simple pieces of poetry on the class. I've never been a huge fan of poetry, but one particular poem by Shel Silverstein always stuck in my head, as much for its content as for its rhythm.

The poem was called "Almost Perfect... But Not Quite", about a girl called Mary Hume who goes through life finding little problems with everything that came her way. From the tablecloth at her seventh birthday party, to her boyfriend, to even heaven... Everything for Mary was Almost perfect... but not quite.

And if there is one player in the basketball world who wouldn't even be satisfied with anything but perfection is Number 24 of the Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant. Perfection in basketball is symbolised by Michael Jordan, and as much as Kobe continues to succeed, he will have to be content with being almost Michael... but not quite.

The world watched as Kobe Bryant captured his fifth NBA title yesterday. We watched as he won his second successive Finals MVP award. We watched as, for the second year in a row, the NBA champions were his team, not Shaq's, who led the Lakers and Kobe in the first three title as the beginning of the last decade.

If there was any question about Kobe's legacy as a top-10 player of all time, they should all be buried six feet underground now. Kobe is the greatest player of the modern era. Forget that LeBron James has been overshadowing him in the MVP battle, the real reason for Kobe's NBA existence is Championships, and he collects them like few others. These were his seventh NBA Finals, including his third straight. No matter what happens in the regular season, it is (almost) always certain that Kobe Bryant will be in the spotlight when it matters the most.

But despite his successes, his brilliance, his ability to always find a way to win, Kobe Bryant will never be the player he wants to be, or rather, the player he wants to be better than... Michael Jordan.

You must have heard the comparisons all before. The wagging tongue, the sweet mid-range jumper, the height, the position, the scoring spurts, the clutch shots, the fourth-quarter takeovers, the mean streak, the cold-bloodedness, the anger with which he motivates his teammates, the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat... Kobe has so many things common with Michael that it's eerie. The world still remembers Jordan as the one player that rose above the NBA, above basketball. Jordan was transcendent, he was so damn good that he became bigger than the game itself. He was, and remains, the Greatest of All Time.

And then there's Kobe, the hungriest player in the league today, the one player who really as a shot at being the Greatest, both in terms of talent and success. He is the only today who can seriously start thinking about being the same heavenly company as Jordan. And his own personal strive, his ego, his ambition is so lofty that he won't rest until he becomes better. Until he becomes the best ever.

The only problem is that he won't.

Kobe will always be almost Michael... but not quite. On the basketball court, Jordan could never take a bad step, never a wrong decision, or at least that is what the legends will have us believe. Kobe on the other hand seems to be incomplete version of the Jordan legend, a slightly faulty piece of the perfect which works (almost) as well as the original. The Lakers are again favourites to win the championship next season, and Kobe may soon be the proud owner of as many rings as Jordan, but that won't make them equal... far from it.

Jordan was the undisputed MVP for his 6 championships - Kobe was Shaq's sidekick for the first three, and in the most recent one, no intelligent basketball mind would've been surprised if the Finals MVP had been handed to Pau Gasol instead of Kobe. As a matter of fact, Kobe had one of the least overwhelming Finals MVP performances of all time in this series. This is not to take away from his brilliance - it is to say that there is no chance that Michael would've struggled like Kobe did in the Finals.

With his fifth ring, Kobe has surpassed the two other biggest winners active in the NBA today: Shaq and Tim Duncan. He even dropped a jewel of a quote reminding us about it after Game 7: "I just got one more than Shaq!" Bryant said happily. "You can take that to the bank … You guys know how I am. I don’t forget anything."

Indeed, you did overshadow Shaq, Kobe. And what more, the player known as Black Mamba was his cold-bloodedness in clutch still has three or four years left of all star level basketball. With the brilliant supporting cast of teammates working with him, Kobe could easily bag up a few more championship rings. He will be remembered for being the most historic player of this era, with his championship rings, his winning mentality, those scoring spurts (he once had nine games straight with over 40 points, and once had five with over 50), and that 62 points in three quarters game against the Mavericks, and those 61 he dropped at the Madison Square Garden, and his Finals MVPs, and All-Star MVPs, and Olympic Final Takeovers, and countless game winners and clutch performances, and even that Slam Dunk Championship, and how he almost became the best player of all time.

Oh ya, and he once scored 81 points in a basketball game. See it to believe it:



But he will never be Jordan. By the time he retires, Kobe's legacy will lie competing to become, or maybe even becoming, the greatest Laker of all time, challenging the likes of Jerry West, Kareem-Abdul Jabbar, and Magic Johnson.

Being the second-best shooting guard of all time? If Kobe could live with it, then that would be a spectacular distinction for his career. Only that he won't. As I said, Kobe is too much like Mary Hume, and until he overtakes Jordan, his career will remain almost perfect... but not quite.

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The LA Lakers are your 2010 Champions

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No matter how much the colour commentators try to colour it, or the sensational writers tried to sensationalise it, or the hyped-up players themselves try to hype it up, the Game seven of the NBA Finals, the one game to decide it all, was an ugly, gritty, tough affair. No pretty basketball, just hustle and defense.

Just the way I like it!

And in the end, just four point separated the Champions from the Runners-Up. But as the rapper Nelly once said (and I'm sure he was quoting someone too, I just don't know who): "Two is not a winner and three nobody remembers."

And the winners this year were familiar - so familiar that we'd seen them do this same thing at this time last year. Los Angeles Lakers survived the Game 7 against the Boston Celtics to win the franchise's 16th NBA championship. Despite a horrible offensive game, Kobe Bryant shone brightly out of everyone else who offered a faint glimmer and won the Finals MVP.

And now that the NBA 2009-10 season has come to a close, I can't say that the Lakers didn't deserve it. The Lakers were the most talented team on paper when the season began, and ended up as the best in the West, perhaps an underwhelming end to their regular season. But then Kobe came to life, suddenly ignoring his finger and his knee and his so-called, "old age". Gasol became the best big player in the league, overshadowing the likes of Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh, etc for good. Andrew Bynum played until his knee killed him, but he played. And Ron Artest... Oh, I'm going to have a lot more to say about Ron Artest in the coming days - a player who fought all kinds of demons, mostly from within himself, to become the hero. It was deserving that their biggest challenge came from their biggest rivals, the unlikely Celtics, who even took a 3-2 lead. But the Lakers stood tough, and played the Celtics way, and won the Celtics way.

The entire Finals were a tumultuous, up-and-down series, with favourites shifting nearly from game to game. The Lakers were brilliant in Game 1, winning by sharing the ball as a team, and from domination by Bryant, and particularly, the key match-up between Pau Gasol and Kevin Garnett, which Gasol won emphatically.

Lakers had a similar game in Game 2, but there was one difference with the Celtics... Ray Allen! Ray aka Jesus Shuttlesworth broke an NBA Finals record when he made EIGHT 3-pointers in the game, leading the Celtics to a victory, with the help of some amazing clutch play by Rajon Rondo.

The series shifted to Boston, but the Lakers came out undeterred in Game 3. Kobe was brilliant, perhaps playing his best game of the series, as he scored 29 points to go with 7 rebounds. But the game's hero was Derek Fisher, who scored 11 of his 16 in the final quarter and rallied his team to victory. Although this game saw the reawakening of Kevin Garnett, it wasn't enough to stop the Lakers from taking a 2-1 lead.

Celtics came back strong in Games 4 and 5. Relatively quite so far, Paul Pierce began to play like the 2008 Finals MVP again as he led his team in both these games. More importantly, the Celtics found their defense against Kobe again, making him into a bad volume shooter, shutting down Gasol's influence, and forcing their bullying ways on to the Lakers. Game 4 was won by the brilliant Celtic bench efforts - Glen Davis, Nate Robinson, Tony Allen, and Rasheed Wallace. Game 5 became the Paul Pierce show. Bryant had 38 points, including 23 straight for his team and 19 in the third quarter, but it wasn't enough to beat the hot-shooting Celtics.

The series returned to LA, and perhaps facing elimination, Kobe rallied his team together. But he had to back up his words with better team-play: the Celtics had managed to turn the Lakers into their worst fear, a selfish, Kobe-never-pass team. In Game 6, Kobe played much better, scoring 26 and 11, and his teammates Gasol, Odom, and Artest got involved, too. The most important thing was that the Lakers played defense, holding the Celtics to just 67 points, which is the second lowest finals point total of all time.

And so the stakes were set for an exciting, winner-takes-all Game 7 from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The Lakers trailed the game most of the way, thanks to excellent Celtic defense. But they found an unlikely hero in Ron Artest who came them alive. Also, they held a huge advantage in rebounds, led by Gasol, Bynum, Odom, and Kobe. Kobe had an awful shooting night, going 6-24, but made up for it by grabbing 15 rebounds. Gasol was brilliant, especially in the end, scoring 9 of his 19 points in the fourth and grabbing 18 rebounds total. Artest had 20 points, including clutch plays all game.

And when the dust settled, the NBA Champions were crowned Lakers again. They repeated, Kobe had five rings, one for each finger on his hand, and Derek Fisher did, too. Gasol won the key match-up against Garnett and got redemption for two years ago. And the rest of the squad did just enough to survive the Celtics.

The game followed by some classic quotes in Artest's post-game interview, and Kobe, who finally led his guard down and admitted how important this victory was to him.

"This one is by far the sweetest, because it’s [The Celtics],” Bryant said after the Lakers beat Boston for the first time in a Game 7. "This was the hardest one by far. I wanted it so bad, and sometimes when you want it so bad, it slips away from you. My guys picked me up."

And of course, he didn't forgive his old pal turned enemy Shaquille O'Neal for all those years of rivalry, for Shaq telling Kobe to "tell him how his ass taste" two years ago. "Just got one more than Shaq," Kobe said after the game, "You can take that to the bank. I don’t forget anything."

And so it's over. The Champions have been decided, the confetti fallen, the champagne spilled, the metaphoric ass tasted. The Celtics had an amazing run, but finally had their age catch up with them at the worst time possible - the fourth quarter of the game seven of the NBA Finals. They were four points away from glory, but there can only be one winner.

The Lakers are your 2010 NBA Champions. It's all about Number One. Cuz two is not a winner, and three nobody remembers.

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One Game

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October 27th, 2009 was the first day of the 2009-10 NBA Season. June 17th, 2010 (or early morning of June 18th, if you're around my time zone) will be it's last. The Boston Celtics were involved in the first (against the Cavs) and will be involved in the last. For only the second time in the past decade, the NBA Finals will be decided in game seven. The Celtics and the Lakers are tied 3-3 in the best-of-seven series, and the Game Seven, the one game to rule them all, will be played in less than two days.

I had predicted earlier that this series would go down to the last game - and now, this Game Seven is going to be by far the single biggest basketball game of my NBA-watching life, maybe closely followed by the 1999 NBA Finals when my New York Knicks lost Game 5 against the Spurs by one point to lose the series 4-1. That was some depressing ish.

But here we are - two of the most succesful franchises in NBA history go head to head again. The Lakers and the Celtics ARE the NBA Finals. The two teams are the last two champions (Celtics in 08, Lakers in 09), they have met each other 11 times before in the NBA finals, and after Game 7, 33 out of 64 NBA Championships would've been won by either won of these two teams. There is a lot at stake on just this one game.

48 more minutes. (And maybe overtime)

If Celtics win, this would be their 18th championship. The 2nd one for their starting five, and Glen Davis, and Tony Allen, and Rasheed Wallace (who won his first won with the Pistons), and of course, Brian Scalabrine. It would be coach Doc Rivers' second victory over Phil Jackson and the Lakers. It would further solidify Garnett, Pierce, and Ray Allen as future Hall of Famers, and surely propel Rajon Rondo as unarguably the best point guard in the league.

If Lakers win, this would be their 16th championship, and they would become back to back winners. Kobe Bryant would equal Magic Johnson with five rings for the Lakers, and what more, would also join Magic as one of the few Lakers to lead their team in a Finals victory against the Celtics. Kobe and Derek Fisher would also become the active players with the most amount of rings - Tim Duncan and Shaq have four. What is scary is that Kobe is much younger than any of them, and still has fuel in him to go on for three or four more servicable seasons. And of course, he would only be one championship away from Michael Jordan's, although Jordan was the undeniable main man aka Finals MVP in all six, whereas Kobe was Shaq's sidekick in his first three. Still, a win here would cement Kobe's legacy into another stratosphere. The rest of Kobe's crew, in Gasol, Bynum (who skipped the 08 Finals), and Odom would double up their rings. Of course, legendary Lakers (and former Chicago Bulls) coach Phil Jackson would be the proud owner of an unprecedented 11 rings as head coach.

What is perhaps most intriguing that, after just one more game, either Nate Robinson or Ron Artest will be sitting pretty with a championship ring.

There are so many equations, statistics, stories that are going to add up to this one final game. All the history between these two franchises, Kobe's strive to become the greatest of all time, the 'old' Celtics proving to the world that their teamwork and chemistry is the key to success, the Big 3 of KG, Pierce, and Allen, and the future that is Rondo, and Pau Gasol becoming the best big man in the league, and Rasheed Wallace and Nate Robinson and Ron Artest sprinkling their bits of crazy. It would be Artest's redemption after the infamous 'Malice at the Palace' and all the questions that were raised when he was brought it to the Lakers after they lost Trevor Ariza. And Doc Rivers vs. Phil Jackson, and the beautiful Hollywood faces at Los Angeles vs. the passionate basketball fanatics at Boston.

Game Sevens are a myth of their own. They have caused broken hearts, cemented legends, caused embarrasment, caused exultation. Hell, there's even a book about it.

This had already been a classic series, going back and forth, and there still isn't a clear-cut favourite. Right now it's the Lakers because they blew out the Celtics with awesome defense in Game 6. A few days ago, it was the Celtics, as they took a 3-2 lead with great balanced play. A little more than a week ago, it was the Lakers, when they excelled on both sides of the court to win Game 1 in LA.

The Lakers, who hold home court, and momentum, and the greatest closer in the game - Kobe - are probably the favourites now. But the Celtics have shown time and again all postseason that they will never be discounted, never be down. Whether they ended fourth in the East to start the playoffs, or lost by 29 points to the Cavs at home, or destroyed a perfect Magic team in the Conference Finals, or shocked a Lakers squad with a 3-2 lead just a few days ago.

Less than two days to find out what happens. Just one game to make history.

One more game.

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Lakers vs. Celtics - The Great Battle Begins

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I wrote this article in collaboration with Jonathan Rego at iSport.in, and the article was published on iSport on June 3, 2010.

Jonathan Rego is a huge Celtics fan, and Karan Madhok favours them too. While Jonathan feels that the Lakers are a no-brainer to repeat this year, Karan does not agree.

So to settle they have have decided to go public with their spat. Once again for the record, Jonathan = Lakers, Karan = Celtics.

It's not every day you get to see a team cast off as washed up and done, steam roll their way into the NBA finals. And nothing makes me...make that us (Karan and me) happier than to see our beloved Boys in Green (read KG) in the Finals once again.

They shifted gears when it mattered and showed Dwight and his Magic a team game that kills you on all ends of the floor rather than from just beyond the arc and in the paint. The CELTICS ARE BACK BABY!!!

Ahem.

The Lakers did not have it easy this time. Kobe, Gasol and (shockingly) Fisher kept bailing them out of tight spots. Right from their surprisingly tough series against the OKC Thunder down to a resilient Suns team that almost took them to a Game 7 (damn you Artest!), the Lakers have been a bit unpredictable this playoffs. They were written off and exalted in the same sentence. From being cast as mediocre to being hailed as the eventual NBA Champs, the Lakers have seen it all this time.

So now that they are up against the resurgent Celtics, how will this Finals play out?

Will Kobe cave in under the responsibility and do a repeat of his 2008 debacle, or will he put on one of the greatest series of his career? (A second championship in a row will his etch his name in titanium and wipe all previous aberrations including the aforementioned 2008 Game 6 stink bomb).

Will the Celts stop showing up after 20 point leads and see off the final window for a shot at the Championship, or will they gather their best men and steal the O'Brien trophy from under the nose of the defending champions?

Without further ado, I am drawing first blood.


Jonathan R: A healthy rested Kobe + A consistent Gasol + A resurrected Fisher have delivered throughout the playoffs. What makes you think they cave in now? Also, the Lakers have home court advantage and are 28-3 in their last 31 home court games.

You may also want to consider that Phil Jackson is 47-0 when he wins the first game of a series.

And is thinking of quitting this year.

And will coach his backside off because of that.

You still picking the Celtics, my friend?


Karan Madhok: So here we are - at the biggest stage in the world of basketball, and who do we have in front of us? None other than two of the most storied franchises in the league, who have shared 32 titles between them and will add a 33rd by the time the dust settles on this series.

Taking care of business. One super star at a time.

Now, anyone following basketball all season would've probably agreed with your points about the Lakers - Kobe's playing well and healthy, Lakers have home-court advantage, Gasol's consistency, etc...etc. But as we know, the playoffs are a whole different game, and for the Lakers, the Celtics are going to be a matchup nightmare.

Yes, the Lakers DO have home court advantage, but guess what? The Celtics are the only team to ever reach the Finals after performing better on the road than at home! So to the Celtics, as you can see, home and away doesn't really matter.

Hell - they're probably happier to be on the road!

Kobe IS playing well and healthy, and no, there's no denying he will be the best player in the series. But so far, he has come across defences in the West that are more porous than chai-sifters! No one on the Thunder, Jazz, or Suns was equipped to stop him. The Celtics on the other hand, have stopped three All-Star starters in the last three rounds: Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Dwight Howard. As the 2008 Finals showed us, if there's anyone that can stop Kobe, it's the Celtic defence.

And finally... Gasol. I love Gasol and love what he brings to the table, but the man has consistently suffered against Garnett. While he probably will average more points than him, KG will make his Gasol's miserable, forcing him to compromise on his efficiency. Gasol was bullied and made worthless in the '08 Finals. The winner of this match-up will win the series I feel, and I'm going to give KG the edge here.

I'm surprise you missed out one important point. How do you think the Lakers plan to deal with Rajon Rondo, who has arguably been the best player on the best team in the playoffs so far? Are you seriously suggesting Derek Fisher's old legs are going to keep up with the fastest player in the league?!


Jonathan R: I like where this going.

Firstly, my worthy adversary, we both know that the Celtics are not winning two games in a row against a healthy Lakers team. (Yes, I think this series goes 7) which means that even if they were to win Game 1 at LA and take home court advantage, the Lakers come back and beat them in Game 3 at Boston, where, as per your cited record, the Celtics aren't as good as they should be. LA is 34-7 at home (2nd best in the league) and on the road and 23-18 on the road (just three games short of Boston's home record). That Boston record you brandish? May not help.

Secondly, as much as I liked the chai-sifter comparison and want to admit the Celtics are a great defensive team, I'd like to take us moment to remember who shut Kobe down during the 2008 campaign. Yes, James Posey. The same Posey who was infamously let go by the Celtics the very next season! Considering their weakening knees the Celtics can play good team defence for a maximum of two games at a stretch. In Game 6 against the Magic they weren't half as good as they can be; they won that game only because the Magic kept missing wide open shots and shot an abysmal 27% from 3pt.

The Heat, Cavaliers and Magic are all one dimensional teams. Wade won one and Lebron won two games on their own and the Magic won two games because of Dwight and their dead-eye

3pt shooting.

Now the Celtics have to deal with two superstars in Kobe and Gasol a borderline star in Odom.

Thirdly, I think the following are key factors to the series.

1. Rondo-Fisher
2. Bench Strength
3. Garnett-Gasol

Rondo, if healthy, will take Fisher apart. But, if his (Rondo's) injury holds up, I think Rondo and Fisher will cross each other out. Also, Fisher hasn't really been a pushover in these playoffs. You don't want to leave him open.

Yes, the Celtics have a better bench. But expect Phil Jackson to get into the heads of Bynum, Brown and Farmar to deliver their backsides off. This has legacy potential for Phil Jackson, i.e. one of the few coaches who has won back to back titles with two different teams!

Also, the technicals on the Celtics are a huge factor. Phil Jackson is a sneaky customer. He will play Bynum on Perkins just to piss him off.


Karan Madhok: Good points all, Jonathan,

Yes, Phil Jackson being the master of all coaches, will be playing to piss off Perkins (and possibly Rasheed Wallace) and forcing a slew of technicals.

Yes, James Posey was the one that defended Kobe the best in 08,

Yes, the Celtics are an older, weak-in-the-knees squad,

But...with the Celtics, it has never been just one person - this Celtics team have defended as well as they did two years ago, this time without Posey.

Also, injury woes could crop up in the case of Andrew Bynum, who was supposed to be the X-factor for the Lakers - Bynum played minimal minutes against the Suns, a team that was supposed to let offenses thrive.

As the playoffs have shown, the Celtics have had no change in desire whether playing home or away, and especially after Game 3 against the Cavaliers, they went on to win six straight games, both at home and away. This is proof that they are more than capable of winning several games in a row.

Sure you may term the Heat a one-dimensional team, but the Cavaliers and Magic had two of the best three regular season records this year. Cavaliers actually had a better record than LA. You can't tell me they were a one-dimensional team all season?! The Celtics FORCED them to become one dimensional. I feel that Celtics will do the same against LA, i.e. force Kobe to make all the offense work thereby disrupting team chemistry.

Finally, I feel that the winner between the Gasol-Garnett match-up will decide who wins the series. If Gasol can hold his own and be productive, Lakers will have a chance. If KG steps up, he will negate Gasol both offensively and defensively.

I agree that this series goes seven games, but I feel that it will be Boston that will be left crowned champions at the end, ultimately due to KG's match-up against Gasol.

What do you feel?


Jonathan R: While it is true that the Celtics did win 6 games on the trot (both at home and away) I disagree with the observation that the Cavaliers and the Magic aren't one dimensional teams.

The Cavaliers did not progress only because the Celtics crowded Lebron and forced the rest of the team to beat them. Similarly with the Magic...stay tight on Dwight and force the team to beat you from the 3pt line (the Magic shot the lights out in the two games they won).

The Lakers are not one dimensional. They have three people who are legitimate threats to break the 30 pts barrier and keeping an eye on all three will be a task for the Celtics. Even if they lock down others and force Kobe to win this game on his own, we all know Kobe can deliver. Besides, as much as I love Allen, he is a defensive downgrade from Posey. His responsibility on Kobe will undoubtedly affect his own offensive game.

I agree with your Garnett-Gasol analysis. However, in my opinion, it is the Celtics bench that can win them this series. Everyone from Glen 'Big Baby' Davis to Nate Robinson have to deliver if the Celtics are serious about winning this series.


Karan Madhok: You make a good point about the Celts bench - during the regular season, they weren't much to count on, but they have definitely stepped up in the playoffs. When Nate Robinson and (gulp!) Rasheed Wallace are being productive, you KNOW the team's going to be hard to beat.

Lakers have fallen victim to their own complacency in the past, when they lost two games to the Thunder, and were one lucky-Ron-Artest-tip-in away from being down 3-2 to the Suns. The Celtics are a far more efficient team than those two, and what's more, they have improved as the playoffs have progressed. I feel the Celtics can mentally break the Lakers down.

For all the talent they have the Lakers are just not strong enough to keep on responding to Celtic attacks. Phil Jackson and Kobe maybe, but the rest of the team do not share the same consistent toughness.

When the dust settles, I say Celtics in 7!


Jonathan R: Are we really talking about complacency on the part of the Lakers when the Celtics are famed for giving up 25 point leads? They will need every ounce of will power to keep them going (no matter the lead) and that is something the Lakers understand.

Look for them to make the Celtics work. Work Hard.

Lakers in 7

LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!!

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NBA Finals: Celtics, Lakers, History...

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No one expected it at mid-season, and no one in their right mind expected it when the playoffs began. Sure, the Lakers were always the favourites in the West, where the debate contiunally raged on about who would finish at second place. The East was supposed to be the Cleveland LeBrons, um, Cavaliers to lose, and if they did lose it, it was most likely going to be the Magic. Most likely.

I predicted a Cavaliers-Lakers final in February, and I predicted it again when the playoffs began around six weeks ago. The Lakers are here, the LeBrons are back home. Instead, every Laker's favourite (not) opponent the Boston Celtics, after finishing a humble fourth in the Eastern Conference seedings, beat down Wade and the Heat, LeBron and the Cavs, and Dwight Howard and the Magic to surprise everyone and reach the Finals again.

So here we are, looking over the 12th NBA Finals meeting between these two legendary franchises. I almost titled this piece "Celtics and Lakers ARE the NBA", and that wouldn't have been too far off. These two teams have won 32 of the 63 NBA championships between each other, and after this one, it will be 33 of 64. That is about 51.6 percent. They are also the last two champions, Celtics beating the Lakers in 2008, and the Lakers winning over the Magic last year. I'm feeling like its the mid-80s all over again. Bird. Magic. Pierce. Kobe. Garnett. McHale. Gasol. Abdul-Jabbar. etc. etc. etc.

But before I delve into this incredible finals match-up, let's talk about the Conference Finals a little bit. I predicted both the Celtics and Lakers to beat their opponents, and although both the series started to look like potential easy pickings, Magic and the Suns showed enough life to keep things interesting.

When the Magic took on the Celtics, I had a feeling that Celtic Ubuntu was going to be too much on the softer Magic squad. Dwight Howard is a strong player, but he is not a tough player. Celtics easily (more or less) breezed through the first three games, which were mostly a nightmare for Dwight Howard. And for Rashard Lewis (who scored 15 points TOTAL in those three games). And for Vince Carter (those missed free throws in Game 2 will haunt him forever). Jameer Nelson showed some sign of resilience, and under his lead, Magic won the fourth game in overtime, and (with the help of some dodgy refereering) took Game 5 in Orlando. Although Boston looked old and beaten, they were back up to their old tricks in Game 6 and easily closed out the series to become Eastern Conference Champions.

Rondo continued his steller play in this series, but he was helped greatly by an improved Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. Pierce, specifically, is looking extremely dangerous and poised to take over the Finals. Rasheed Wallace, Kendrick Perkins, and Glen Davis all did an awesome defensive job on Howard, and Wallace and Davis showed up on the offensive end, too. Plus, when Nate Robinson took over in Game 6, I momentarily lost my sense of reality. Nate friggin Robinson, the Knick sideshow, whose only real success has come in the Summer League and the Slam Dunk Competition, played the best 10-something minutes of his life in Game 6. And all this without my favourite Celtic Kevin Garnett playing a lot more subdued than he did in the Cavs series. The Celtics did it like they always do it - teamwork and hustle.

On to the West now, where the shooting percentages are higher, the scoreboards have more triple figures, and the courtside celebrities look better. Lakers looked great in their first two games against the Suns at home, and the Suns defense was all over the place. In Phoenix, Suns showed great resilience to make an amazing comeback and tie the series 2-2, thanks to Amar'''e, Steve Nash, Grant Hill, and a strong bench. Game 5 was the most exciting one of them all, as a fury of amazing plays from Nash brought the Suns back from a huge deficit to tie the game in the end, only to lose out to a tip in by... Ron Artest. The biggest shot of Ron Ron's career gave Lakers a crucial 3-2 lead. In the closing Game 6, Kobe, Ron Ron and the rest of the Lakers did their thing to hold the Suns' comeback and make it back to their THIRD STRAIGHT Finals.

And oh, I nearly went a whole paragraph without mentioning Kobe. 'Mamba' was amazing all series, scoring a shade below 34 ppg, and getting near triple-doubles on several occasions. Most importantly, he was clutch in nearly every win for the Lakers, especially in Game 6 where he hit dagger after dagger to silence the Suns' surge. Like Lamar Odom said, "Kobe is so good, he makes incredible normal for us." Bryant has (unsurprisingly) improved his play considerably in the playoffs and truly answered back to all those who doubted him all season.

But now comes the biggest challenge that either team has faced all playoffs. And fittingly, it happens at the game's biggest stage, the NBA Finals. And Hoopistani predicts...

Lakers vs. Celtics: Celtics in 7: I have been contemplating this result more than you think... Each game of the Conference Finals changed my opinion, each result gave me doubts, and now that these two teams prepare to see each other again, I have finally settled (sort of) the see-saw of my thoughts to decide on a prediction.

All season, I would have picked the Lakers to repeat as NBA Champions. I picked them at the start, at the mid, and near the end. Even when the Conference Finals began, I gave them the benefit of the doubt. But the Celtics kept on improving. They got better and better, and then the Lakers didn't look so strong after losing two games to the Suns, and then the Celtics looked old and battered when they lost Game 5 at Orlando, and then Kobe became godly again and Lakers won the series, and then Celtics improved their play, too.

Phew!

So to make the picture a little clearer, I'm going to compare and contrast what the two teams will be going against here, and add up their advantages...

Point Guard: Rondo vs. Fisher: Rondo has been the best player in the playoffs. Fisher hits important shots sometimes, but Rondo is going to eat him alive. ALIVE I tell you. Kobe might have to respond like he did with Russell Westbrook in the first round against the Thunder and try to stick with Rondo. I don't think it will work. Celtics

Shooting Guard: Ray Allen vs. Bryant: Oh, and these two are semi-rivals, too. Ray Allen is an amazing shooter, but Kobe Bryant is Kobe Bryant. Lakers

Small Forward: Pierce vs. Artest: I love Ron Ron. You don't know how much I love Ron Ron. I've always said that if Artest is in any sort of a decent squad, he will take up to a higher level. Don't ask me exactly how he does it, but it is a combination of great defense, ill-advised but sometimes important three-pointers, and his own brand of crazy Dennis-Rodman-ness. That said, the 2008 Finals MVP aka Paul Pierce aka The Truth is looking incredible right now and could well be the main main in this series. Artest will trouble him, but Pierce is better. Celtics

Power Forward: Garnett vs. Gasol: This match-up I feel is the closest and the most important of them all. So much so that, whoever dominates between these two will be the one in the winning squad. And although Gasol has been incredible all season and Garnett has not, KG has picked up where it counts, and if there is anyone who can make life hell for Gasol, it is him. KG won't score much, but he doesn't need to, for he will dominate Gasol defensively and make him want to shoot himself. Celtics

Center: Perkins vs. Bynum: Perkins is a mean man. Bynum is a nice little boy who is hurt a lot. Bynum is technically more talented, but he won't overcome Perkins. Celtics

Bench: Davis, Wallace, Tony Allen, Robinson, Finley, Daniels vs. Odom, Waltom, Farmar, Vujacic, Brown, Mbenga. Lakers bench, hands down, is much better, thanks mostly to Lamar Odom. For the Celtics bench to have a chance, they will need consistency from Rasheed Wallace and Nate Robinson, but asking that is like asking for consistency from the friggin moon. Sometimes you get it full and bright, sometimes it shoots dumb three-point air-balls. Lakers

Coach: Rivers vs. Jackson: Doc Rivers is a good coach, and has succesfully watched his plan come to good as the Celtics saved their energy for the playoffs. Phil Jackson though, is the best, perhaps the best ever. The 'Zen Master' always seems to be a step ahead of his opposition coaches, and will once again be an important factor tactically on the Laker sideline. Lakers

Health: Lakers' only issue is Andrew Bynum. Celtics have issues with everyone. Lakers

And of course, it is well known that no result in sport is as simple as stats, match-ups, and players on paper. I must add one more category here: call it heart, call it desire, will to win, the hustle... I'll just call it The Edge. And coming into the 2010 Finals, Celtics have the edge over the Lakers. They will win the loose balls, they will get more offensive rebounds, they will have the emotional runs, they have the team chemistry. Lakers have the most cold-blooded man in the world right now in Kobe, but that won't be enough of an edge. Celtics

Final score? Celtics 5 Lakers 4. I told you it's gonna be close. Celtics in 7. And it's hard to choose an MVP from this squad of numerous stars, and although Rondo and Pierce have been the go-to guys the last few rounds, I have a feeling that it will be Kevin Garnett who will be the X-Factor and the one to elevate the Celtics over a tough LA team.

Despite what I predicted all year, the Lakers will not repeat as champions, and although I believe that this will be a much tougher series for both teams than last time around, Celtics will beat the Lakers again, just like 2008.

2010 Champions: Boston Celtics
Finals MVP: Kevin Garnett

Can't wait for this series to begin. Thursday night in Lost Angeles, Friday morning on my TV in India. Lakers vs. Celtics, Part 12. Here's another chapter in the history of the NBA Finals...

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