If Nuggets win the west, do we need to contend for posterity?

[TitleMaster]

Right now, it seems like there's a calling for a re-match between the Celtics and the Lakers, for the complete humiliation they'd experienced during the 2008 finals.

I mean let's face it, many of us watch that game 4, again and again, for a 'Rocky'-like inspiration. Sports wise, maybe like that Stallone WWII film, "Escape to Victory" w/ Pele's Bicycle Kick which pretty much annihilated the Nazis, in their tracks.

Or perhaps that game 6, for the ultimate in Lakers bashing.

With the above in mind, if the Nuggets finally get their due, is it then the duties of the C's to make to the end, since there's no true rivalry between Denver and Boston?

I mean it's all important to win no 18 but for the sake of the league, does it matter as much?

[Donoghus]

If anything, I think there is a calling for Cavs-Lakers, not Celtics-Lakers right now.

[GranTur]

Are you suggesting that people win championships for the sake of the league?

I don't get it.....

[celticsclay]

thread of the year! i love it! I will give you a tommy point

[Roy Hobbs]

I don't understand what you've getting at.  Are you saying it's better for the league for the Celtics to reach the finals, but then lose?  Or for there to be a better matchup to play the Nuggets than the Celts?

[PosImpos]

I think the point is questioning whether or not there should be the same sense of urgency for the Celtics to reach the Finals (and win) if the Nuggets come out of the West as opposed to the Lakers.

My answer is of course.  Would it be as exciting for the Celtics to face the Nuggets in the Finals?  Perhaps not.  On the other hand, at least we could be sure that neither the Lakers nor the Cavs would win if that were the matchup.

Anyway, a Celtics championship is a Celtics championship regardless of who the C's beat to get it - you have to beat the best team in the West to get a trophy no matter what.

[TitleMaster]

If you guys remember back in '86, when Hakeem mopped the floor of the Laker's frontline, and then Sampson hit that prayer on the buzzer, there was a sense of disappointment, not only for Celtics nation, but also for the league.

That was really the year where the C's could have gone 4-0 or 4-1 against the Lakers, w/o a problem, and everyone wanted to see it, including folks from other cities.

In today's world, the matches people want to see are basically... the Cavs vs the Lakers or the Celts vs Lakers. The 1st one, to watch the primadonnas, LeBron vs Kobe duke it out, and the second, to watch the greatest sports rivalry with some *unfinished business* from the '08 finals.

[Donoghus]

Well, I'm sure that the TV execs, league office, and advertisers are probably hoping for a Cavs/Lakers or Celtics/Lakers Finals but the Celtics shouldn't think any differently about who they face if they get there.  Can't be picky.  A championship is a championship no matter who you go through.

[PLamb]

I really hope that the Celtics don't care who they face and play as hard as they can to win it all whether they are facing the Lakers, Nuggets, Mavs, Spurs or Thunder

The last four titles the Celtics have won where they didn't win against the Lakers were against the Rockets, Rockets, Suns and Bucks

Do you not count those four titles or love them any less because they weren't against the Lakers

I don't

Especially Banner #13 against the Suns where I became a Celtics fan when I watched the greatest game ever played in NBA history during those Finals

[dark_lord]

If anything, I think there is a calling for Cavs-Lakers, not Celtics-Lakers right now.

they dont even care for a cavs/lakers final......they want it to be a lbj/kobe final. 

[Donoghus]

If anything, I think there is a calling for Cavs-Lakers, not Celtics-Lakers right now.

they dont even care for a cavs/lakers final......they want it to be a lbj/kobe final. 

Touche.

[guava_wrench]

I get the feeling the league office is more concerned with the CBA than with who makes it to the finals. Whoever makes it makes it.

As far as the Celtics go, a championship is a championship.

[FatjohnReturns]

I dont think we can get outta the East this year. I love the C's but without a 100% of Kevin we cant hang with the upper tier teams in the East

[Onslaught]

If you guys remember back in '86, when Hakeem mopped the floor of the Laker's frontline, and then Sampson hit that prayer on the buzzer, there was a sense of disappointment, not only for Celtics nation, but also for the league.

That was really the year where the C's could have gone 4-0 or 4-1 against the Lakers, w/o a problem, and everyone wanted to see it, including folks from other cities.

In today's world, the matches people want to see are basically... the Cavs vs the Lakers or the Celts vs Lakers. The 1st one, to watch the primadonnas, LeBron vs Kobe duke it out, and the second, to watch the greatest sports rivalry with some *unfinished business* from the '08 finals.

Our rivalry now isn't even close to what it was back in the 80's. Not even in the same ballpark. We as Celtic and Lakers fans probably still hate each other. But the rest of the world really doesn't think much about it anymore.

But even if what you think was true then the Celtics would still want to win. LA is getting too [dang] close to us in banners. We need to get what we can now because it looks like
they could win a few more with what they've got now.

[housecall]

First i think its myth about Sterns and the league wanting specific teams making it to the finals,next i dont think any team cares who they face as long as they make it there and win.A championship is a championship no matter who you face.