<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (igotask8board @ Jun 13 2008, 10:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>One game at a time. It's probably over, but the if the Lakers play good defense and create offense off of defense, they can win three games in a row against the Celtics. If Kobe pulls this off, he is as great as Mike. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Voodoo Child @ Jun 13 2008, 04:03 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I'm a fan of NBA players and not NBA teams. Personally, I think it's, well, not neccesarilly stupid, but something close to that to actually get behind and be loyal to an NBA team. I don't want to start an argument on that, but with the money, the commercialism, the lack of enthusiam from the fans in the lower bowls, and the lack of loyaly from players, I never thought the NBA could even touch the NCAA, and I still don't, especially after the whole reff scandal. So with that said, I entetered this series sort of rooting for Boston, simply because I really wanted to see Garnett and Allen win titles, specifically Garnett. It's crazy that a player who is arguably the best power forward to play the game (maybe you could say it's Duncan, but it's either him, KG, McHale, Malone, or Barkley without a doubt), has never won a ring, and I was really rooting for him to get that ring as a person. On the other end of the perspective, I feel like Kobe has the chance to go down as the greatest player who ever played the game (although as Moo2k4 and I were talking about on AIM, his durability will play a large role in that, because as one of the first high school players in the league, he's been in the league just as long as say, Ray Allen, so his body and performance could diminish quicker than we think), so I wanted to see Kobe win a title without Shaq to cement his legacy for the people like me who have objectively seen him as one of the greatest ever, if not the greatest, and those who, like me, think this year should have been his third or fourth MVP season. So either way, as a fan of players and not teams, I had a positive way to spin this series, and while I don't feel it's quite as over (never sleep on a team led by Kobe), I'm very happy for Garnett, very happy. I'm from the generation that started not watching but being a diehard of basketball right before the lockout, so Garnett entered the league right when I started watching intently and has been in it until now, so this is really a long time coming for general fans like me. Although, you have to ask yourself, if this was in February/March'ish, and I asked you, could the Lakers win three straight games, one at home and two on the road, against good competition, the answer from most people would be, "Hell yeah! It'll be tough if the competition's good, but this is arguably the best team in basketball. Of course they'll be able to win three games in a row, against anybody." So I wouldn't ditch hope as easily as a lot of Laker fans seem to be doing.</div> This coming from a former Grizzlies' fan. I am a fan of good basketball. Good basketball players, teams, and games. </div> Yeah I'm happy to hear people think like this at least.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (igotask8board @ Jun 13 2008, 10:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>This coming from a former Grizzlies' fan. I am a fan of good NBA basketball players, teams, and games.</div> I was never really a fan of the Grizzlies. I just knew a lot about them and went to their games because I was living in Memphis. The only pro loyalty I really ever had was with the Suns, and that was really more because I was a Kidd fan. The year he was traded was the year the Grizzlies moved into town and the year I really started to care less about NBA teams. Anyway, does anyone else see this as a sign of great things to come for Rajon Rondo? At only 22 years of age, he's about to win a ring as a starting point guard. There were some real question marks about him at the beginning of the season, but he's come a long way. There have surprisingly been a lot of times throughout the season (especially in the Cleveland series) where Rondo was a bigger difference maker than any of the big three.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Voodoo Child @ Jun 13 2008, 04:03 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I'm a fan of NBA players and not NBA teams. Personally, I think it's, well, not neccesarilly stupid, but something close to that to actually get behind and be loyal to an NBA team. I don't want to start an argument on that, but with the money, the commercialism, the lack of enthusiam from the fans in the lower bowls, and the lack of loyaly from players, I never thought the NBA could even touch the NCAA, and I still don't, especially after the whole reff scandal. So with that said, I entetered this series sort of rooting for Boston, simply because I really wanted to see Garnett and Allen win titles, specifically Garnett. It's crazy that a player who is arguably the best power forward to play the game (maybe you could say it's Duncan, but it's either him, KG, McHale, Malone, or Barkley without a doubt), has never won a ring, and I was really rooting for him to get that ring as a person. On the other end of the perspective, I feel like Kobe has the chance to go down as the greatest player who ever played the game (although as Moo2k4 and I were talking about on AIM, his durability will play a large role in that, because as one of the first high school players in the league, he's been in the league just as long as say, Ray Allen, so his body and performance could diminish quicker than we think), so I wanted to see Kobe win a title without Shaq to cement his legacy for the people like me who have objectively seen him as one of the greatest ever, if not the greatest, and those who, like me, think this year should have been his third or fourth MVP season. So either way, as a fan of players and not teams, I had a positive way to spin this series, and while I don't feel it's quite as over (never sleep on a team led by Kobe), I'm very happy for Garnett, very happy. I'm from the generation that started not watching but being a diehard of basketball right before the lockout, so Garnett entered the league right when I started watching intently and has been in it until now, so this is really a long time coming for general fans like me. Although, you have to ask yourself, if this was in February/March'ish, and I asked you, could the Lakers win three straight games, one at home and two on the road, against good competition, the answer from most people would be, "Hell yeah! It'll be tough if the competition's good, but this is arguably the best team in basketball. Of course they'll be able to win three games in a row, against anybody." So I wouldn't ditch hope as easily as a lot of Laker fans seem to be doing.</div> so you're a fan of coaches then? it's the reason why I could never pick a single NCAA basketball team myself. With a gun to my head I pick Syracuse because I've attended a few games there in person and saw Mello play the one year he was there. Instead I just randomly pick teams based on players I like. Also I think the follow NBA players not teams is a byproduct of Free Agency. When FA was not big and I was growing up, it was more logical to pick a team. Stars generally stayed with their teams for their careers. It's a different era of ball now, so I can see how younger ppl can think that way. I love my Celtics, but I enjoy other teams and players too, except when they're playing against the Celtics, or playing for the Lakers
Down 3-1? Anything can still happen. It's not over till it's over. Almost all games in this series have been decided within the last 3 minutes of the game on both courts. Kobe is capable of doing anything, I still believe anything can happen. Ofcourse it isn't likely, but if you're a true fan, which i am not saying you are, you should stick by your team and believe till it's over and not give up when down.
I'm calling this series over. I just want the Lakers to put up a fight. Send it to at least 6, and if we lose in game 6, lose with dignity. Congratulations Boston and its fans, you deserved it this year. Next year, BEWARE OF THE A-BOMB!
