USA Today poll ('08 Celtics vs. '09 Lakers)

[PosImpos]

Yeah, this year's finals are pretty lame.

[Toine43]

Last year's Celtics team -- or this year's team, healthy -- would crush the Lakers. 

let's not be ridiculous here.  we didn't crush a weaker Lakers team last year and we didn't exactly crush the Lakers when we played this year.

We most certainly crushed the Lakers last year. Don't let the fact that it took 6 games distract you - we crushed 'em.

[Drucci]

Last year's Celtics team -- or this year's team, healthy -- would crush the Lakers. 

All is said and done here, TP.

[Moranis]

Last year's Celtics team -- or this year's team, healthy -- would crush the Lakers. 

let's not be ridiculous here.  we didn't crush a weaker Lakers team last year and we didn't exactly crush the Lakers when we played this year.

Moranis, did you watch Game 6 last year?  Ummm...

of course as well as the other 5 games that were close and the 2 games the lakers won in the regular season this year (when the C's were at full strength). 

Let's not kid ourselves, the C's of last year would have beaten LA this year (of course I'm not so sure the C's of last year get by the Cavs of this year playing a game 7 in cleveland).

[BballTim]

Last year's Celtics team -- or this year's team, healthy -- would crush the Lakers. 

let's not be ridiculous here.  we didn't crush a weaker Lakers team last year and we didn't exactly crush the Lakers when we played this year.

Moranis, did you watch Game 6 last year?  Ummm...

of course as well as the other 5 games that were close and the 2 games the lakers won in the regular season this year (when the C's were at full strength). 

Let's not kid ourselves, the C's of last year would have beaten LA this year (of course I'm not so sure the C's of last year get by the Cavs of this year playing a game 7 in cleveland).

  Why would they have played game 7 in Cleveland?

  And the Celts clearly improved as the playoffs went on. People tend to forget that none of the top 6-7 players had played together in the playoffs aside for a handful of minutes Paul and Perk might have played together a few years earlier.

[Rondo_is_better]

Moranis you're being vaguely ridiculously for all of the reasons BballTim and RAcker cited.

On another note--if the Lakers win a ring this year it will be the most diluted, soft, illegitimate, and insignificant championship that I ever had the displeasure of watching.

Its looking like the Fakers are the "default" championship. We were decimated by injuries and Cleveland got screwed by match-ups, leading to unusual circumstance--the Fakers were always going to be in the Finals since the west was so weak, and the East just happened to shake down in the worst way possible. The worst of the 3 teams legitimately contending to represent the East somehow emerged as the Eastern Conference Champions, arguably because of one fateful night in Utah. 

[youcanthandlethetruth113]

I just cannot watch the Lakers-Magic series anymore...Magic should be up 3-1 and instead they are the ones on the brink of elimination. During the Magic-Celtics series, I admitted I was wrong about the Magic- that they really did have a killer instinct. But after watching a sub-par Lakers team beat this incredibly soft Magic team, I am left disgusted.

This isn't a series of amazing plays and strong desire, it is a tired Lakers team watching the Magic screw everything up they possibly can. Of course the 08 Celtics are better than the 09 Lakers. It just sux that the Lakers/Phil are going to get another championship...it is total bs.

Very well said. My thoughts exactly!

[Moranis]

Last year's Celtics team -- or this year's team, healthy -- would crush the Lakers. 

let's not be ridiculous here.  we didn't crush a weaker Lakers team last year and we didn't exactly crush the Lakers when we played this year.

Moranis, did you watch Game 6 last year?  Ummm...

of course as well as the other 5 games that were close and the 2 games the lakers won in the regular season this year (when the C's were at full strength). 

Let's not kid ourselves, the C's of last year would have beaten LA this year (of course I'm not so sure the C's of last year get by the Cavs of this year playing a game 7 in cleveland).

  Why would they have played game 7 in Cleveland?

  And the Celts clearly improved as the playoffs went on. People tend to forget that none of the top 6-7 players had played together in the playoffs aside for a handful of minutes Paul and Perk might have played together a few years earlier.

both won 66 games in the respective years.  This year when KG went down Cleveland and Boston had the same amount of losses, but Cleveland finished the season on fire, while Boston was losing more frequently just prior to KG going down.  Therefore it is a reasonable assumption that Cleveland would have had the best record and therefore Cleveland and Boston would have played a game 7 in Cleveland.  And since in each of these years the home team has won every single game, logic dictates whoever had homecourt would have likely won the series.

[BballTim]

Last year's Celtics team -- or this year's team, healthy -- would crush the Lakers. 

let's not be ridiculous here.  we didn't crush a weaker Lakers team last year and we didn't exactly crush the Lakers when we played this year.

Moranis, did you watch Game 6 last year?  Ummm...

of course as well as the other 5 games that were close and the 2 games the lakers won in the regular season this year (when the C's were at full strength). 

Let's not kid ourselves, the C's of last year would have beaten LA this year (of course I'm not so sure the C's of last year get by the Cavs of this year playing a game 7 in cleveland).

  Why would they have played game 7 in Cleveland?

  And the Celts clearly improved as the playoffs went on. People tend to forget that none of the top 6-7 players had played together in the playoffs aside for a handful of minutes Paul and Perk might have played together a few years earlier.

both won 66 games in the respective years.  This year when KG went down Cleveland and Boston had the same amount of losses, but Cleveland finished the season on fire, while Boston was losing more frequently just prior to KG going down.  Therefore it is a reasonable assumption that Cleveland would have had the best record and therefore Cleveland and Boston would have played a game 7 in Cleveland.  And since in each of these years the home team has won every single game, logic dictates whoever had homecourt would have likely won the series.

  We lost 2 close games to the Lakers and the Spurs, it's not like we were on a losing streak. We started the season 27-2, lost 7 of 9, then won 14 of 16. The Cavs had won 11 of their last 16 before KG went down. They'd also lost 2 games right before KG went out, btw. We were surging past them and had an easier remaining schedule. They were unlikely to finish ahead of us if not for KG's injury.

[housecall]

Before KG went down i was looking at a 70ga.win season...however things happen but Kobe and Fisher knows its now or never for the Lakers.I noticed the extra hunger in those two this finals... at first i thought it was all because of their loss last season but its a little more to it than meets the eye.They both know and feel if they do not get their 4th ring now,the king of the hill will be back next season and probably for the next 2 seasons to spoil their chances,the Celtics.If the Magic lose this series their wiindow of opportunity will be lessen also.

There definitely will be a new NBA champion in  june 2010

[hwangjini_1]

i admit i am surprised by the lakers in this series. they have not looked dominant, and that is all the more amning since orlando simply is playing their best.

the lakers are good, no doubt about it. but the celtics from last year would spank these lakers and send them home losers.

i am already getting revved up for next year.