The Celtics Stuff Live gang are paying their dues. Tonight, we will present another post game extravaganza (albeit with guests from other time zones Cool), as we fight off the fatigue factor.
Our first guest; Dr. Robert McChesney (A.K.A. Elrod Enchilada), the Celtics writer from Real GM, has been writing and posting on Celtics message boards, since the early days of home computing and has followed the team closely since the Cowens/Havlicek era. In his article for Real GM, following draft night, he clearly understood the implications of that shocking trade for Ray Allen and pretty much nailed the details.
This trade only made sense if another shoe would soon fall. ...it is part of a larger plan. It has to be....
...In my view the Celtics are now planning to trade for Kevin Garnett. This deal was to convince Garnett that Boston means business, and wants to win everything right away. It will take Big Al, Theo, Gerald Green, and maybe some of Gomes and Telfair...and a couple of no. 1 picks to get done...It is a far better offer than Minnesota can get from anyone else,...It is the only way the Ray Allen trade makes any sense at all. Then Danny is throwing his bouquet to Peter May and the Boston sports media who have been clamoring for immediate success. He will put all his chips on one number. Danny will roll the dice that a Perkins-Garnett-Pierce-Ray Allen-Rondo unit can win a title.
We will be joined later in the evening by Eric Pincus basketball editor and Celtics writer for Hoopsworld.com, who will again bring us the latest news from the locker room, as well as a Laker fan's perspective.
Here are some keys to tonight's game from his yesterday article:
The game plan is to bother Rondo with Bryant, focus the help on Pierce and Garnett and if someone is going to score . . . make sure it's Allen from the outside.
A team game got the Lakers to the NBA Finals; do they need to give that up and just give the ball to Bryant just to win it? If Odom and Gasol don't pull it together, the Lakers may have a serious problem evening the series.
The Celtics are perhaps the best defensive team in the NBA. They clog the paint exceptionally well. The release valve is accurate shooting from the perimeter. If nothing is falling for the Lakers, the Celtics can just pack it in.
Bryant's concerted effort to get to the paint was huge in Game 3. Those same opportunities may not be there in Game 4, but the Lakers need to penetrate as often as possible.
While most local commentators are looking to at least 2 of our 3 all-stars to step up, as the keys to victory, my own take is that those three disparate parts need the "seams" that make our offense one cohesive whole, to play well.
All season long our best games have come when Perkins and Rondo have shined and as I see it, this finals series will be no different.
Unfortunately they both have serious injuries that would preclude them from playing if it were a game of less importance, but suffering and sacrifice is what championships are made of.
Like Jughead, Jon and myself; exhausted from day jobs, family obligations and these late night presentations, I fully expect them to "suck it up" and play through their pains.
No one said it would be easy.
One final thought: Don't you think that "rogue ref" Tim Donoghy's revelations will create an intense focus on the officiating and at least to some degree, diminish the traditional Lakers' & league wide home court foul shooting advantages?
We hope you will join us.
If you want to participate in the show you can call our toll free number (1.866.751.9649), send us an e-mail to CSL@CelticsBlog.com, or join us in the “Pit” (the chat) during the broadcast.
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Topic: Celtics Stuff Live! Tonight-post game. W/Enchilada & Pincus. (Read 1893 times)