I cried last night and it's all Paul Pierce's fault. My struggles as a Celtic's fan through the years have been well documented. I've been loyal and patient and had no doubt watching last night's opening ceremonies would prove a poignant experience. Even seeing the anonymous assistant coaches and trainers get their rings brought a proud smile to my face. They called Doc and the role players, followed by Ray and KG. I applauded as if they were my kids and had just been accepted into the Ivy League. Still, I had no intention of losing my manhood until the camera captured Pierce, who was overwhelmed by the moment. I figured if Pierce was gonna cry that gave me the green light. With Jerry Goldsmith's booming "Air Force One" score playing in the background (am I a dork for knowing that?), they raised banner 17 to the hallowed rafters.
I must've made a dozen phone calls to friends and family during that five-minute span, though I'm convinced you must be at least twenty to fully appreciate what it means for your home team to win a championship. I realized this when my youngest brother, so fortunate to attend the game, texted me to ask if I thought goofy announcer Willie May was secretly banging all the celtic dancers. In all fairness, he later raised a valid question in wondering why a championship team couldn't find a suitable replacement for Lucky, the most irritating mascot on the planet. Anyway, everything was going beautifully for me until I discovered Reggie 'nut-sack' Miller was part of the TNT crew calling the game. My teeth clenched when I heard his voice, and that was before he called out Pierce for having had a "Notebook" moment, referring to the sappy, chick-flick. If I were there in person I would've strangled him and watched his girly legs flop as he gasped for air. How can someone so insignificant stir such a violent reaction from me three years after his retirement? It's a good psychology question. I'll just have to find appeasement in knowing that overrated fuck-stick never won anything and as such has no idea what he's talking about (I'll be right back. I need to down a shot and do 20 jumping jacks . . . SERENITY NOW . . . Ok, I feel better).
The good news is that Boston could very well find itself in the same position in 2009And while it won't be easy, I'm not sure it will be as difficult as many prognosticators say. Last night was a good first test, and the game went about as expected. It was close the whole way, the third quarter defense being the difference for the C's. Boston also had enough contributions off the bench to compensate for poor offensive games by Garnett and Allen. As usual, Lebron James didn't have that luxury. Yes, Cleveland added scoring point guard Mo Williams in the offseason, but they should've been far more proactive. The fact is if you combined the two rosters into a single starting line-up, James would be the only Cleveland representative. And on nights when he doesn't have his "A" game (last night Pierce outplayed him), it's gonna be really tough for the Cavs to beat anyone good. Fortunately for them, Lebron only has about five poor games a year. Cleveland gave Boston a harder time than any other playoff opponent last spring. Barring injuries, one them will reach the NBA finals in 2009.
Orlando isn't ready. Neither is Philly, Atlanta, or Chicago, despite top draft pick Derrick Rose. Miami's success will depend on Dwayne Wade's health and Michael Beasley's transition from the college game. They could contend and they could miss the playoffs. Washington doesn't have enough to overcome another injury to Gibert Arenas. Detroit probably has one playoff push left, but more than any other team in the East, they needed to retool. They should've tried to get something for Rasheed Wallace while they could. The one legitimate spoiler could be Toronto, who throws out the scariest frontline in the conference with the addition of Jermaine O'Neal. But they'll be tougher in 2010, with Chris Bosh, Jose Calderon, and an improving Andrea Bargnani.
Out west, not all that much has changed either. The Lakers are still the favorite, with New Orleans closing. San Antonio, Phoenix and Utah are the only other teams with real title hopes. I'm not buying into the media frenzy surrounding Houston. They had an impressive 22-game winning streak last season (broken by the Celtics, thank you), but I question whether this team will ever gel. Yao Ming seems destined to be a very good center, but not the hall-of-fame franchise changer many predicted. And T-Mac gets hurt once a week. The Artest addition is intriguing, but neither McGrady or Yao is tough enough to keep him in-line. The only place he could've been kept in check would've been San Antonio. That move could've made the Spurs dominant again, but I don't blame them for passing. Dallas will once again be good enough to beat anybody on a given night, but fall short in a seven-game series. Denver's always exciting, but losing Marcus Camby to the Clippers weakened an already poor defense. Had Brand not bolted to the east L.A.'s second team could've been impressive, but an inevitable Baron Davis injury will ultimately keep them out of the playoffs. The only other team of note is Portland, who is already without Greg Oden for the next month. They have the best young nucleus in the league, but if the big guy can't play ten minutes without pulling a hammy, they might be wise to trade him now.
Here are some other predictions for the 2009 season, including award winners (runners-up in parentheses)
Most Valuable Player - Lebron James, Cleveland: Last season he submitted the best fourth place finish of my lifetime (30 points, 7 assists, nearly 8 rebounds & 2 steals a night). He's a freak of nature and he's only getting better. In last night's opener he caught an ally-oop in the paint, contorted his body in a manner that defied physics, and finished a play most players wouldn't have attempted. For years I've been saying Kobe Bryant is the best player in the world, but the torch has finally been passed. In last year's finals Boston was able to neutralize Bryant. Nobody has yet figured out how to defend James.
(Chris Paul, New Orleans)
Coach of the Year - Jerry Sloan, Utah: I have a hunch this will finally be the year for the veteran coach, in his 20th season with the Jazz. The award usually goes to a coach who's never won it before. The only possible repeat in 2009 might be Mike D'Antoni, assumming the Knicks make the playoffs, which is a long shot. Sloan has quietly kept Utah competitive for the better part of two decades, avoiding a long rebuilding effort after losing John Stockton and Karl Malone to retirement. New players buy into his system and while not flashy, they win. If Utah can finish third in the west, this is Sloan's to lose.
(Phil Jackson, L.A.L.)
Defensive Player of the Year - Kevin Garnett, Boston
(Marcus Camby, L.A.C.)
Rookie of the Year - Michael Beasley, Miami
(Derrick Rose, Chicago)
Most Improved Player - Yi Jianlian, New Jersey
(Al Horford, Atlanta)
Sixth Man of the Year - James Posey, New Orleans;
(Shane Battier, Houston)
All-NBA Teams
1st
G Chris Paul, N.O.
G Kobe Bryant, L.A.L.
C Dwight Howard, Orl
F Lebron James, Cle
F Kevin Garnett, Bos
2nd
G Steve Nash, Pho
G Dwayne Wade, Mia
C Amare Stoudemire, Pho
F Paul Pierce, Bos
F Carlos Boozer, Uta
3rd
G Deron Williams, Uta
G Allen Iverson, Den
C Tim Duncan, San
F Chris Bosh, Tor
F Dirk Nowitzki, Dal
Playoffs (Division Winners Must Get Top 3 Seeds)
Eastern Conference
Boston
Cleveland
Orlando
Detroit
Toronto
Atlanta
Miami
Philadelphia
Western Conference
Los Angeles (Lakers)
New Orleans
Utah
Phoenix
San Antonio
Dallas
Houston
Portland
Conference Finals
Boston over Cleveland (4-2)
New Orleans over Los Angeles (4-3)
Finals
Boston over New Orleans (4-2) *
MVP: Kevin Garnett
* If L.A. beats N.O., they will go on to defeat Boston in 7. I suspect they'd win a rematch with a better game plan and a healthy Andrew Bynum. But that's assumming they have enough left in the tank after battling N.O. and the winner of San Antonio/Phoenix, either of whom could be good enough to challenge L.A.
So there you have it. Yes, I'm slightly biased toward my home team. But at the same time, I just don't see anyone else knocking them off this year. The only teams within striking distance who've made significant changes play in the west. Look for the Celtics to seize another opportunity in what is realistically a three year window. Hopefully when they're receiving their second championship rings, Reggie will be long gone, having been eaten by a hungry Charles Barkley who mistook his oval-shaped head for a giant avocado.
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