The rambling rant alarm has been sounded read on at own risk.

Since the Perkin's trade I have heard this horrific statement so many times on tv, radio and have read it in print.

"All of you said that Perkins was the difference in game 7 and that is so not true. Even worse it is pathetic and the Lakers could easily say the same thing about the 08 finals regarding Bynum"

First off, let me say that even though I do fully believe we win game 7 if perk does not blow out his knee, I also believe that saying to lakers fans (or anyone else) that the title is some how cheapened and you didnt really "beat" us is a sore losers mentality and ridiculous to say.

The game was played and (gulp) the team with the most points at the end won, those are the rules. More power to the Lakers

Now to debunking, the debunking of, the game 7 "myth". Maybe it just bothers me because I finally heard even Shaugnessy say it but we did loose that game on the boards! I know, I know our offense went into a shell from the the 8 min mark of the third through the rest of the game but there were some big reasons for that:

• The lakers forced the ball away from PP and KG. Even doubling PP at half court on 3 consecutive possessions after he hit the 3 from the top of the key.
  
  Kobe ignoring the existance of rajon rondo to swallow up any defensive rebound between the charge circle and foul line. That is where so many of the cheap offensive rebs are found during a game and we got none and Kobe had 15+ boards.
  
  Rondo was petrified to penetrate and go to the line.
  
  Ray couldnt throw it in the ocean until the last 2 mins of the game

All that being said, the lakers couldnt score either. We were still keeping them from getting any good looks at the basket through their initial O. The only thing that kept them from shooting below 25% in that game was THE PUTBACKS! If Kendrick had bodied up Gasol (which with Bynum's limited minutes he almost definitely would have) so KG could go back to Odom as in 08. I believe we have 3 extra defensive boards and can seal the game away.

Also, Kendrick was our only big man that would actually box out, his absence was a big reason (imo) that KG only had 3 boards. Perk and KG were a great pair defensively, perk cleared the space KG cleaned up the board.

But most importantly last year Perk was an established player. We know what Perk could do (and what he couldnt do) so saying that he was worth 5 points in a slug it out defensive battle of a game 7 does not seem that far fetched to me.

Here is why it is 100% different then someone trying to sell the lakers loss in 08 as a gift because bynum was out.

1 - bynum to that point had started less than 82 games in his career! He was still a huge work in progress. There is no way to have any understanding of his value to the team. The lakers played the final two thirds of the season and the entire playoffs without him. They didnt just randomly lose him two nights before the final game of the season and have to adjust on the fly.

2 - Most importantly, the Celtics THRASHED the laker's. Bob Ryan referred to it as the first ever "6 game sweep". The lakers were not winning that series and in fact 1 of the 2 games they won, happened to come in game 5 when perk did not play!

08 was a much better team handling a very good team

10 was two very good teams battling it out and one of those teams losing a pretty nice piece for the deciding game.

Both titles were earned and well deserved but to

Gresh, Zo, Dale (RIP), Felger, Mazz, Curly Haired Dan and every other person who has said that 08 and 10 were the same situation and even out. I am definitively telling you - they were not.

God I want the Celtics to beat LA in June