A media narrative parallel with the 2008 Finals

[GreenEnvy]

We're definitely hearing some of the same things:  the Celts struggled to put away opponents, had a tougher path in the playoffs, didn't have the championship experience.

But, the big difference back them was that we were a dominant team the entire season.  The Lakers were the hot team, playing well since they landed Gasol, but we were still the #1 defense, the league leader in point differential, etc. The media picking against us was, in my mind, almost disrespectful in how unanimous it was.

This season, the "experts" (lol) aren't as decisively pro-GSW, and we do have a few legit question marks, unlike that 2008 team.

Aren’t we the team that dominated the regular season and they are the hot team? Seems like a lot of parallels with our group not having the experience and theirs having the vets who have been there already.

Statistically we should be favored (and analytically we are pretty overwhelming favorites). I wouldn’t quite put going 7 against the defending champs or #1 seed on the same level of brow-raising as going the distance with that Hawks or Cavs team.

I think the tough losses in the previous two rounds will only help the Celtics, not hurt them. They went up against two elite offenses (albeit one without their second-best scorer) and two elite defenses. Just like having to sweat out an unexpected game 7 against an #8 seed or losing HCA against battle-tested former champions made people doubt the 2008 team.

[Goldstar88]

Most of the media are picking Golden State to win the Finals, which makes sense considering their team and experience.

However, I’m kind of surprised at how many media people are picking them mostly because the Celtics struggled in round 2 and in the ECF and had to play two games 7 to get there. Just like in 2008 where the Lakers were favorites for the media in large part because the Celtics struggled to get out of the East.

I was perplexed back then because I thought, matchup and mentality wise, the Celtics were clearly better than the Lakers - which they proved in the Finals. And I simply don’t understand the argument of looking at past series to predict the outcome of a new one, with different personnel and stakes. I just find it lazy and non pertinent at all, you can struggle in previous rounds and be great in the last one and vice versa.

Anyone else feeling the same way ?

I mean, the 2008 Celtics had 3 first ballot HOFers and in my opinion, KG is the most talented PF to ever play the game. I didn’t think anyone could stop them in 2008. In this series, the Warriors have 3 HOF players and they’ve won 3 championships together. The 08’ Celtics squad was on a different level than either of the teams playing in this Finals series. They would have destroyed both of them.

[liam]

Most of the media are picking Golden State to win the Finals, which makes sense considering their team and experience.

However, I’m kind of surprised at how many media people are picking them mostly because the Celtics struggled in round 2 and in the ECF and had to play two games 7 to get there. Just like in 2008 where the Lakers were favorites for the media in large part because the Celtics struggled to get out of the East.

I was perplexed back then because I thought, matchup and mentality wise, the Celtics were clearly better than the Lakers - which they proved in the Finals. And I simply don’t understand the argument of looking at past series to predict the outcome of a new one, with different personnel and stakes. I just find it lazy and non pertinent at all, you can struggle in previous rounds and be great in the last one and vice versa.

Anyone else feeling the same way ?

I mean, the 2008 Celtics had 3 first ballot HOFers and in my opinion, KG is the most talented PF to ever play the game. I didn’t think anyone could stop them in 2008. In this series, the Warriors have 3 HOF players and they’ve won 3 championships together. The 08’ Celtics squad was on a different level than either of the teams playing in this Finals series. They would have destroyed both of them.

I think this might be true but those Celtics teams did get pushed to two game 7s and two game sixes. The Hawks with Horford, Iso Joe, josh Smith, etc pushed that team to the wall. The LeBron Cavs also went 7. Those Celtics teams were at their peaks and this team is still on the rise.