Great Moments in Bollywood & Basketball

"Yeh International game hai - Deemag is khela jata hai, gussey sey nahi"

(This is an international game, played by the mind, not with anger).

The wise words above were first spoken by Indian movie superstar Hrithik Roshan as he faced Aishwarya Rai in a 1-on-1 basketball game / flirting session in the film Dhoom 2. Now, I'm sure that the Zen Master aka Phil Jackson would've been very proud of Roshan's 'Zen' advice, but this isn't the only classic moment of Basketball in Bollywood. The Indian film industry, the largest in the world, may not have produced hoop-related classics such as He Got Game, Hoosiers, Rebound, White Men Can't Jump, Space Jam, The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh, Above The Rim, Basketball Diaries, and etc, etc, etc...

But, inspired by this article by Sportskeeda's Dibyasundar Nayak on the Top 5 Bollywood Movies on Sports (the list included cricket, hockey, football, and cycling), I decided that it was time to reveal to you some great basketball scenes from Hindi movies. Yes, there have been rumours circulating off and on for nearly a year about '4 PM on the Court', India's first basketball movie, but until this film is released, we have to make do with the limited amount of Bollywood Hoops action we have.

So, without further ado, I would like to present to you the Top 3 Great Moments of Bollywood & Basketball. I have embedded the videos, and below them, added my extremely detailed news. All three of the movies mentioned below were superhits, which can only lead me to conclude that Basketball + Bollywood = gold.

3. Koi Mil Gaya (2003)

Dhoom 2 wasn't Roshan's first stint with basketball: that moment belonged to the movie Koi Mil Gaya. Although I haven't had the heart or the motivation to sit through the entire film, I can guess that the story-line was a cross of ET, Forrest Gump, and in the basketball sequence, Space Jam. Basically: Rohit (Hrithik Roshan), a full-grown man of limited intellect, finds an alien called 'Jadoo' who helps him get achieve supernatural things. In this classic 9-minute scene, Roshan's team - the 'Paandavs' - which include him and four children, play a game of basketball for the 'Hero Cup' against the mean-looking 'Kasauli Tigers'. My running notes are below the video:



- There is something about the skin-tight vests on everybody.
- Paandavs have sneaked in the alien 'Jadoo' on to their sideline.
- Good touch in naming the team Paandavs, by the way. The Mahabharat's 5 brothers, five guys on the court.
- Jadoo has given Roshan some ill dribbling skills... Leads me to believe that Allen Iverson may have also had close encounters of the third kind.
- Oh man! Hrithik goes FAAAR above the basket for that 2-handed dunk. His WAIST is aligned with the basket there.
- I know Hrithik's the best player but dammmn he's being selfish out there. This is like Kobe in 2006. Who's Kwame?
- At 1:49 - NBA goaltend, probably legal by FIBA and thus India rules though.
- Good call by the Tigers to FINALLY quintiple team Rohit aka Hrithik.
- HAHAHAHAH 2:20 the Tigers player Freddie Weis'd the little Sardar kid... HAHAHAHAHAH
- Bruce Bowen would be a good fit with the Tigers, specially after 2:50.
- After 3 minute mark.... the kids are jumping but can't release the ball. No travelling call REF!!! What is this? A bunch of LeBrons playing here?
- That's a whole lotta dunks in this game. Now I wanna see Blake Griffin suit up for the Tigers.
- Halftime at 4:09 after a 49-0 tigers run (DAMN!).
- 4:38: AAAh so that explains the shooting slump for the Pandavs. Jadoo cant help them cheat if the sun isn't out.
- And so Roshan prayes to God for sunlight... Obviously no matter how great the Jadoo-led Pandavs become, they will never do well in the NBA indoor stadiums.
- 5:30 onwards... All I can say is DAMMMN!!!!!!
- And now, the Pandavs, who are taking Jordan's 'Air-time' concept to another level, are introducing you to the new unstoppable No-gravity offense.
- 6:56-7:05: Roshan with perhaps the greatest move EVER? He gets the ball at his own free throw line, flies and bounces to dribble once at the halfcourt (this bounce may have been repeated here to show its full awesomeness) and then dunks it in.
- Paadavs have responded with their own 42-0 run to make it 48-49
- Ref didn't call a single shooting foul all game by the way. Good clean fun, this.
- I'm sorry, I take back what i said a minute ago. 7:58 - 8:09 is the greatest move ever. Hrithik intercepts a shot, jumps, does three body flips in mid air to land his feet on top of the oppositions rim, and then drop the game winner. Incredible.
- Not fair, Paandavs cheated and had the alien with them. We need the Tigers to get some assistance. I suggest have Donague bet on them and then officiate the game.
- Cheater Paandavs won the Hero Cup.

2. Dhoom 2 (2006)

And now we arrive to this famous scene in Dhoom 2 that I mentioned earlier: Aishwarya Rai Bachan vs. Hrithik Roshan 1-on-1, a scene vying to be the greatest movie 1-on-1 battle since Ray Allen (Jesus Shuttlesworth) vs. Denzel Washington in He Got Game... Again, this is a movie that I haven't seen in its entirety, but the plot is something about international criminals, most of whom are sexy. In this scene, Rai and Roshan play against each other in the dark, in the rain (for the love of the game, I presume).



- I would also like to mention here that Aishwarya Rai (aka Sunhari) will refer to herself in third-person during the entire duration of this clip.
- Take note boys: If you dribble the basketball in slow motion in the rain, Aishwarya Rai will stare at you.
- Both in Koi Mil Gaya and this one has stayed surprisingly consistent to his basketball-playing gear, which has included a tight vest and trousers. This time though he has a bandana on, which means that he is badass.
- Also to further emphasize that basketball is hip, the director would like you to hear people rapping.
- 0:47: "Hey... Are you like, Checking me out?"
- 1:20: Time to play. Aish strips down to her mini-skirt. Recently, FIBA controversially discussed the idea of more revealing uniforms to sex up the women's game: Aishwarya Rai here is Exhibit A.
- Ok so it's ON!
- Roshan and Aish have their own modified version of flirtatious trash talk that Gary Payton may or may not approve of.
- 2:48: That's a carry Roshan, seriously. I'm serious about him getting as many travel calls as LeBron.
- By the way, Hrithik Roshan doesn't shoot the ball at the basket, he throws it, kind of like I did when I was 8.
- 3:06-3:12: Aish displaying her back to the basket skills.
- 3:20-3:23: Woah, what? Travelling, Aish.
- Roshan can ball but obviously need 'Jadoo' to dunk.
- 4:10-4:20: Some sick handling skills by Roshan, sort of.
- Roshan: "Yeh International game hai - Deemag is khela jata hai, gussey sey nahi". Someone teach him the Triangle Offense already, he already has the attitude!
- If you haven't gotten it yet, they aren't talking about basketball, they're talking about crime. Which is also an international game, played by the mind, not with anger, apparently.
- 5:46: Money shot!

1. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998)

Aah.. We're now at the main event. This one movie single-handedly turned a whole legion of young Indians to take basketball a little more seriously. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai is one of India's greatest romantic classics, and this particular scene features a basketball game between two former friends who find and love each other later in their lives. This is the only movie of the three featured here that I have seen fully. So it's Shah Rukh Khan, one of India's biggest stars ever as Rahul vs. Kajol (Anjali). When they were in college, they were best friends, and she used to kick his ass. Now, they have a frosty relationship, but maybe hoops are going to bring them closer together. Let the love and basketball resume.



- I'm getting a flashback. The two kids are actually pretending to fight to make the two main characters play ball again and thus, eventually become close again.
- The debate within the kids and the adults here is: Can girls play ball? I think we're about to find out.
- 1:13-16 Kajol challenges him - it's ON!
- 1:50: And they're FINALLY on the court. I guess it's going to be a full-court 1-on-1. Although this looks like a small court.
- Yes, before you ask, Shah Rukh is going to keep his tie on.
- And yes, Kajol is playing in a Sari and barefoot. Man, I wonder what David Stern and the NBA's strict dress code regulations have to say about this.
- 2:10-2:15: Flirtatious trash talk during basketball is obviously something us Indians are great at.
- There is obviously no one to referee in this game, and Shah Rukh is being allowed to commit multiple violations in each possession.
- 3:20: Kajol steals the ball, but then has to fix her sari before the jump-shop. #IndiaBasketball
- Are they both shooting at the same basket. Wtf?
- 3:33-3:36 Oh no he didn't. If Ginobili was Kajol in a Sari, he would've flopped at that gentle touch of the waist and won the foul right there.
- 3:58: Shah Rukh Khan has clearly learnt dribbling from the finest.
- 4:03: DAMN she tripped him! REFF!!!! That's a potentially career-ending type of foul. Andrew Bynum would be proud.
- 4:40 onwards: Hahahah... So this part is, basically, "Let's all mock the Loser Girl while she stands sadly in the middle of the court."
- Of course, it all ends up all well and good, and hoops makes them friends again.

So that's it folks. Basketball helped underdog kids and Hrithik outdo the 'bullies' with magic, helped two young criminals spark a special friendship, and brought back two friends closer together again.

Moral of the story: Basketball in Bollywood, Bringing People Together. And ensuring blockbuster movies.

The greatest sportsperson ever

I picked up today's copy of the the Times of India newspaper this morning, panned my eyes down to mid-way on the front page, and saw the words: "Is Sachin Tendulkar the greatest sportsperson ever?" The article was aiming to set off a debate and a poll to decide the best athletes amongst each sports best, the greatest of the greatest. The inclusion of God himself, aka, Sachin, was itself of certain debate, since many cricket purists believe he's second best to cricketing legend Don Bradman, but in my eyes, that debate had been put to rest decades ago. Sachin and Bradman are to cricket what Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain are to basketball: Bradman and Chamberlain hold the craziest records (Bradman's 99.94 test average, Chamberlain's unearthly averages of 50.4 ppg and 25.7 rpg in the '61-62 season). But both these greats played in a different era of the sport, and experts in both fields will agree that in terms of true talent, Sachin and Jordan are still the Greatest of All Times (G.O.A.T.) in their respective sports.

A few minutes after putting the newspaper down, I happened to pick up my gold edition copy of SLAM magazine's awesome Jordan Issue, a heady volume of all things MJ, from interviews, rare photographs, greatest dunks, his years at North Carolina, his championship stories from Chicago, his influence on the international game, and many, many Air Jordan shoes!

The Jordan reminders got me thinking deeper about this issue: this is an argument that I (and I'm sure, many of you), have had several times before, so kudos to TOI for making it sort of official. One player has been chosen from each major sport that is relevant to Indians (Sorry Baseball, Babe Ruth), and Tennis gets two sportsmen, male and female. Jordan is obviously basketball's representative, but I was a little disappointed that the article barely mentioned His Airness.

Once again, this is the list from TOI:

Cricket: Sachin Tendulkar
Basketball: Michael Jordan
F1: Michael Schumacher
Cycling: Lance Armstrong
Track & Field: Carl Lewis
Tennis Men: Roger Federer
Tennis Women: Martina Navrativola
Hockey: Dhyan Chand
Boxing: Mohammed Ali
Football: Pele
Gymnastics: Nadia Comaneci
Golf: Tiger Woods

Already, this list is controversial, to say the least. Is Roger Federer even the greatest tennis player of his era, now that Nadal has his number? Maradona (and some Zidane fans) may have a thing or two to say about Pele's selection. And forgive me, gymnastic fans, but I have no idea who the hell Nadia Comaneci is. I'm sure she was talented.

Anyways, despite my basketball addiction now, like every other Indian child, I grew up a Sachin Tendulkar fanatic. I liked him much more than I liked cricket, and I know that I will probably lose half my interest in the sport once God retires. After his 50th test century in South Africa a few days ago, his legend gets greater and greater. It was true poetic justice that Sachin was the first man to get to 200 in an ODI. And he owns more cricket records to his name than records that exist in other sports.

But despite everything, I don't think he's the greatest of this list. For Indians, yes, no doubt, but definitely not worldwide. This is why Michael Jordan is special. MJ has not only done the same record-wise for the NBA that Tendulkar did for cricket, but he has won the biggest prize over and over again with a more lethal precision and perfection than anyone else in any sport. In a competitive league of stars, Jordan shone brightest, winning 6 of 8 championships in the 90s, only losing the two years in the middle to pre-mature retirement.

But like Sachin, his influence on his sport, and the world of sports in general, actually extends BEYOND the sport. Jordan is bigger than basketball. You will still meet people around the world who haven't heard of basketball but know the name Michael Jordan. Jordan's coach Phil Jackson once famously said that he could be nowhere in the world, hiking up a mountain in Bhutan, and see a monk in a Chicago Bulls hat. This was much BEFORE NBA became famous internationally. Jordan made sneakers famous too - he made it possible for stars to have signature shoes, and shoes to be sold on brand name of the stars alone.

Sachin, too, has had that kind of effect on Indians. In a country separated by language, region, caste, economic status, religion and oh-so-many other things, Sachin is the one unifying factor, the strongest one to represent all India since Gandhi, and I don't believe that's an exaggeration at all. He is the only one in India beyond criticism, because for 21 years he has done more for the image of a successful Indian than any other.

Other athletes like Pele, Mohammed Ali and Tiger Woods have had similar 'beyond-sport' influences on the world. Ali, especially is a favourite to be revered as the best of the best in this list.

But call it my basketball bias. Call it the fact that I just respect sportsmen who dominate team-oriented sports more than others. And cricket, I'm sorry to say, is an individual's game masked behind a team concept.

This is why my vote for the G.O.A.T. will stay with Michael Jordan. Hail to His Airness!

The RonDemption

Share|

"Everybody in LA expects a second ring. And if we don’t then yeah, they should point it right at me, throwing tomatoes and everything." Ron Artest, September 2009.

11 months ago, still hoarse smoking the victory cigar, the Los Angeles Lakers made the boldest of bold moves. Staring forward Trevor Ariza refused to agree and extend his contract with the Lakers, instead signing with the Houston Rockets. The Lakers immediately made a move, signing the then 29-year-old Ronald William "Ron" Artest from the Rockets. It was a move that raised a considerable amount of controversy for the defending champions, as if life for the Lakers wasn't already crazy enough.

The pros said that Artest would bring the neccessary toughness and defensive tenacity that the Lakers had been lacking - if Kobe was Jordan and Pau was Pippen, Artest was supposed to be the Dennis Rodman - unpredictable, efficient, tough.

But there were many cons, many questions about his character and his decision-making. Could Kobe and Phil Jackson tame the Ron Monster? Artest made the quote above in September last year, a couple of months before the season began, taking full blame if the Lakers weren't to repeat as champions. And he was right, too - on paper, his virtual trade-off for Ariza was the only difference that Lakers 2009-10 were going to have from Lakers 2008-09.

Fast forward to June 17, 2010. Less than a week ago. It is Game Seven of the NBA Finals, the biggest stage in the NBA, Artest's Lakers going against historic rivals Celtics, just one game to decide the fate of both teams. Blame me if we don't repeat, Artest had said. He had one shot at redemption, one game to turn around all the other crazy shit that he has gone through in his life.

This is my re-imagination of what went off in the head of Ron Artest, aka Ron Ron, aka Tru Warier, minutes before the biggest basketball game in his life.

- Childhood, in the ghettoes of Queensbridge, New York, where he was born on November 13, 1979.

- The murder of Lloyd Newton: Playing basketball in one of the toughest neighbourhoods in the world. During a YMCA Sanctioned Basketball tournament in 1991, Artest witnessed the on-court murder of 19-year-old Newton, who was stabbed in the back with a broken-off table leg during an altercation. "It was so competitive, they broke a leg from a table and they threw it, it went right through his heart and he died right on the court. So I'm accustomed to playing basketball really rough," Artest had said.

- Early success in basketball, in New York's Summer Tournaments, high-school basketball at La Salle Academy and college basketball at St. John's University.

- And with the 16th pick of the 1999 NBA Draft, the Chicago Bulls select... Ron Artest!

- During his early years with the Bulls in the NBA, drinking Hennessey cognac during halftime of the games. "I [kept it] in my locker. I'd just walk to the liquor store [near the stadium] and get it."

- With the Indiana Pacers, getting suspended twice in 2003 - the first time for destroying a television camera during a Knicks game at the Madiscon Square Garden, and the second time for a confrontation with then-Heat coach Pat Riley.

- Having the best season of his professional career that same year, averaging over 18 points and nearly six rebounds for the Pacers, making the 2004 All Star Game, and named Defensive Player of the Year. The Pacers ended up with the best record in the NBA, but lost to the eventual champions Detroit Pistons in the Conference Finals.

- Once showing up to practice with the Pacers in his bath robe.

- Being suspended again, for requesting his coach for a month off because he was tired from promoting an R&B album for the group 'Allure' on his production label.

And at this point, halfway through the flashback, there is a glitch in Ron Artest's memory. There is something he can't remember, something big, something important. He looks up from the court and sees a fan holding on to a cup of beer. That's when he remembers.

- November 19, 2004, the Malice at the Palace, probably the worst brawl in NBA history: Still with the Pacers, with less than a minute left in their game against the Detroit Pistons at the Palace of Auburn Hills, Artest got into a little confrontation with the other great defensive stalwart, Ben Wallace. During the argument, Artest laid down on the scorer's table. A spectator, John Green, then threw a cup of Diet Coke/beer/unidentifiable liquid at Artest while he was lying on the table. Artest responded by running into the stands and punching a man whom he mistakenly believed was responsible. Artest's teammate Stephen Jackson also ran into the stands shortly after and threw punches at fans, and eventually players from both teams entered the stands while many fans spilled out on to the court to escape the altercation. Another melee started when Artest was confronted on the court by two fans, both of whom Artest punched/knocked out. Jermaine O'Neal intervened by punching one of the fans in the jaw after a running start. The scene became chaotic and outnumbered arena security struggled to keep order. As the aftermath of this melee, Jackson, O'Neal, and Artest, and five others from both teams were suspended by the NBA. Artest's suspension was the longest, for the remainder of the season (73 regular season games and 13 playoff games). Artest lost approximately $7 million in salary due to the suspension.



- "Betraying" the Pacers in 2005, when he demanded a trade, and received it, to the Sacramento Kings for Peja Stojakovic.

- Succeeding with the struggling Kings team, and bringing them back to the playoffs.

- Releasing his first album 'My World' in October 2006, which was a mix of rap, R&B, and crazy.

- Spending 10 days in jail in 2007 after being arrested for domestic abuse, and subsequently, being suspended by the Kings.

- June 17, 2008 - AFter the Lakers had lost Game 6 of the NBA Finals (and the Championship) by an embarrasing 39 points to the Boston Celtics, he approached Kobe Bryant in the locker room after the game, while Kobe was taking a shower. "I want to come help you," Artest told Kobe. "If I can, I'm going to find a way to come to LA and give you the help you need to win a title."

- Being traded to the Houston Rockets in 2008, and helping them reach the second round of the playoffs for the first time in 11 years. Also, making life hell for Kobe Bryant, who was on his way to the 2009 Championship.

- Becoming a Laker in July 2009.

- Changing his jersey number from 15 (in honour of his father) to 23 (in honour of Michael Jordan) to 91 (in honour of Dennis Rodman) to 93 (because it apparently looks like qB- Queensbridge) to 96 (same reason) to 37 (because that's how long Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' was on the top of the pop charts).

- Going crazy in LA, from releasing random work-out videos to showing up at a talk show in his boxers.

- Still defending harder than a mutha. Still taking stupid three-pointers.

- May 27, 2010: Game 5, Conference Finals, Phoenix Suns. The buzzer-beater that made him famous, again, that made him a hero, banking a shot in at the final second to give Lakers the win and a 3-2 lead against the Suns.

- Shutting down 2008 Finals MVP Paul Pierce for most of the NBA Finals.

- Running what is now being called The Worst Offensive Position in Finals History in Game 2 - Artest did a Benny Hill impression, where his foolishness helped give the game away to the Celtics.

- Still defending harder than a mutha. Still taking stupid three-pointers.

And then he blinks. And then he's back. Game 7. This was his chance at redemption. At burying the horrors of that YMCA tournament in New York, of that Chicago Bulls locker room, of the brawl at Detroit, of all those suspensions, and fines, and criticisms, of Trevor Ariza's shadow, of Game 2.

Here was his chance to show the 'good' Artest - that which won defensive player of the year, that which made every team he was ever a part of better, that which hit the game winner against the Suns.

And at the biggest stage of his life, here he was. Artest has a game-leading 12 points in the first half, and he finishes the game with 20, second highest for the Lakers. He also holds Paul Pierce to a 5-15 night, and has clutch play after clutch play, including a dagger three, and becoming the hero of the Game, as Lakers win the title.

After the game, Artest gave perhaps the second-greatest post-game interview ever (my favourite is still Garnett's in 2008). He thanked his hood, his family, and his psychiatrist, who helped him "relax a lot." He even manned-up for betraying the Pacers, saying that he felt like a coward after bailing on his teammates.

And then he stops, and he has a flashback again, and adds one more memory to his life.

- Ron Artest, NBA Champion.

Share|

One Game

Share|

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.

Share|

Lakers vs. Celtics - The Great Battle Begins

Share|

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!!!

Share|