Series Thoughts through Game 4

I have been gone for the last week with no access to a computer or the internet but I managed to watch Games 2-4 of the NBA Finals. Here are some of my thoughts.

• The free throw disparity of 38-10 in Game 2 was a little much. You could argue the Celtics were more aggressive which they were and it is also apparent in the NBA that home-court advatange consistently benefits the home team in regards to fouls and referee calls, but a 28 free throw disparity in a 6 point game is unfortunate.

• Back to Game 2, great comeback by the Lakers, but again too little, too late. Paul Pierce had a sensational game. When Pierce and Allen are making practically every 3-pointer that they take, the Celtics are unbeatable. Similarly, if the Lakers are hitting every 3-pointer that they take, they can come back from a 20 point deficit as they did in this game. As much as the Celtics' defense has dominated the Lakers at times during the series, Great Offense will always defeat Great Defense.

• The small lineup (benching Lamar) was very effective during the comeback and Phil Jackson may have to employ it early and often tonight if the Lakers are to extend the series.

• Game 3 was simply a sloppy game that the Lakers pulled out at home. Nothing much more to say about that. Kobe had his best game of the series and Sasha Vujacic, the best of his career. Those 2 were all the Lakers needed to win the game. Unfortunately this is not true for the series. Ray Allen continues to stroke which makes Laker fans wish we would have been fortunate enough (as Detroit was) to have his shooting slump during our series.

• Now on to Game 4. I almost cannot even write about this. I have never been so emotionally vested in any team in my life as I have been with this Laker team. I watched that game at a Pizza Parlor in the small town of Sangar, CA with numerous intoxicated Northern Californians rooting for the Lakers' demise. Not to mention it was my 22nd birthday. Just a horrible game, a horrible day, and my worst birthday ever.

• Enough of the national media has blasted the Lakers, their coach, and their MVP that I really do not need to go into it. I do not feel like defending them because the next great thing that they do will be praised only to be followed shortly thereafter by another bashing. The media in this country is ridiculous and that is really all that can be said. I may write more on this topic after the Finals.

• Final thought. I believe this series will go 7 games. I may be saying this as a Laker fan as I told you earlier, it is impossible for me to be completely unbiased when talking the Lakers. Every subsequent game is the toughest of the year for the Lakers. They can definitely win Game 5 in L.A., come out strong and steal Game 6 and send it to 7. If they somehow do that, Game 7 will be darn near impossible to win after the emotion and energy they would have expended to reach it, but Game 7 is Game 7 and you never know what can happen. The Lakers ultimate goal right now is not to win the series, but to reach Game 7. Let’s see if they can do it.

• Good Article regarding the media’s unfair treatment of Kobe by Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe, one of the best sports writers in America.