Celtics vs Lakers Game 4 Thread

[Brady_to_Moss]

Here's my favorite line from his running diary:

8:48: Just when I thought this couldn't get any better, they just cut to a replay of Vujacic punching a chair and fighting back tears on the bench. That wasn't just the best moment of the Celtics season, I think it was the best moment of my life.

lol...hes great

 

[Bella*chick]

Didn't Simmons say the Celtics didn't have a chance against the Lakers? Am I remembering wrong?

It is fun to read those diaries, but frankly, the most enlightening part was when he linked to the past column about shady officiating in the 2002 playoffs. That was very interesting in light of the recent allegations.

 

[Patjew]

Didn't Simmons say the Celtics didn't have a chance against the Lakers? Am I remembering wrong?

He claims it was an attempt at a reverse jinx. In subsequent columns he picked the C's.

 

[IcyPatriot]

One of my avorite plays getting no airtime was with a few minutes left Odom went to create contact on Posey. Posey stepped back and Odom with no contact there stumbled and threw up a brick ... it was great I hope someone catches it for a highlight.

 

[weswelker#83]

I don;t think there was anything special about the coaching. The team just finally responded to his call to play tenacious defense.

"....The biggest adjustment was Rivers' decision to go small by inserting Eddie House and James Posey into the lineup. Those two 3-point shooters provided the spacing Boston lacked with Kendrick Perkins and Rajon Rondo on the court, and repeatedly burned the Lakers when they tried to double Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce......."

Rivers punching all the right buttons
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2008/columns/story?columnist=hollinger_john&page=Rivers-080613

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I don't think I've ever seen that written before.

Well, there is apparently a first time for everything. It would seem Donnie is a very observant fan...lighting placement as well as stanchon placement and angle varies from venue to venue.


"Known for his attention to detail during a lengthy game-day routine, Allen recognized that the Staples Center lighting could be a problem when shooting from certain spots. Turned out to be no problem as all, as Allen made five 3-pointers and scored 25 points, keeping the Celtics in the game on a night when fellow All-Stars Paul Pierce [stats] and Kevin Garnett struggled.

"I just made the assessment when I was shooting how in the corners, the lights in the corner were real bright," Allen said. "When I followed the arc of my ball I was looking into the lights, so it kind of blinds you. That’s why I go to the gym as early as I do, so I can adjust to what I’m doing out there on the floor, and it didn’t affect me at all."

BUT as a Laker player noted:

"A lot of times they don’t have the full game lighting up during the practice day, so you shoot when there’s shadows and all of a sudden you show up for the game, it’s like concert lighting going on, so then you shoot out of the corner and there’s like a big spotlight in the other corner."

Most changes wouldn’t be noticeable to the average rec league player. Allen compared it to a pro golfer, who recognizes minor differences in equipment that a weekend hacker wouldn’t.

"When you play in a building for so many nights that’s your home building, you develop a comfort with everything," he said, "with certain people in the building, the way the seats are, the baskets, the color of the baskets, the lights, everything. And when you go on the road you change, and when you get there you settle in and you find your own comfort zones in that building on the road and you notice the differences.

"And I think the good players that play on the road, they make those differences theirs. You just adjust to the new climate and you say, ’This is now my building.’"

I believe after 2 games in LA, the Celtics are now there...



http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/...6_12_Arena_lights_an_issue_in_the_NBA_finals/

 

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

Instant classic! What is it with these game 4s between the Lakers and the Celts? 1984's was an all-time classic. 1985's probably would have swung the series in the Celts' favor if it wasn't for the first year of the 2-3-2 format. 1987's was classic for all the wrong reasons. 2008's tops them all and that's saying a lot.

Living on the west coast, it was around my older daughter's bedtime midway into the 3rd quarter. I've been kind of a richard during these playoffs, ignoring her for the most part when I get home from work to catch the games. My wife has been very helpful during these games, taking over the bedtime routine that is normally mine so I can watch the games. I figured last night I'd be the good father and do the routine that I should be doing, so I left the room with the 20pt Lakers lead whittled down to 15 and commented to my wife, "If they can get it to 9 by the end of 3, I'll be happy." While getting my daughter ready for bed, I hear my wife yelling "It's down to 11!" "It's down to 9!" "It's down to 6!" "Four!" "TWO!!!" My wife joined us for the final storytime and goodnight kisses, then when we got back to the living room it was a 75-75 game...

Maybe I should spend more time with my daughter when the Celts are down.

Regards,
Chris

 

[dhamz]

He claims it was an attempt at a reverse jinx. In subsequent columns he picked the C's.

Like with everything else, Simmons is full of it. He picked the Lakers over the Celtics at the start of the playoffs. He picked the Lakers over the Celtics the week before the series when it was obvious that would be the match-up.

Then to suck up to his base which was no doubt skewering him in emails - he picks the Celtics the day the series starts. And now he will play it off like he always thought the Celtics would win.

What do you expect from a guy who is 40 years old and still calls his friends by nicknames?

 

[IcyPatriot]

10:14 pm Game 4 ... How's everyone doing? Scout? Kdo5? Still around?

Is richpats still doing shots at the bar with Kobe?

 

[Char2na]

One of my avorite plays getting no airtime was with a few minutes left Odom went to create contact on Posey. Posey stepped back and Odom with no contact there stumbled and threw up a brick ... it was great I hope someone catches it for a highlight.

I laughed too when I saw that. He stumbled because Posey DIDN'T get in his way. What a terrible shot. That was great.

 

[richpats]

Going back to last month, I called this self proclaimed "Pats" fan out for the secret squirrel Jet fan he REALLY is....TONIGHT proves he's an undercover lying weasel Rats fan...that's right, Rich...you know what you are...

Hah ha...go Lakers!!...I'm a Yankees fan!!...oh....and I'm really a Pats fan too!! I just criticize EVERY SINGLE THING THEY DO because I'm so concerned!!

the Rat is out of the bag for everyone to see now....

Yeah, why don't you go and read my posts and see how many pro-Jet statements I've ever made, jackass. I'm wondering how Game 4 "proved" I was a Jets fan.

My god, a Yankees fan? I'd rather pull for Satan's Army.

Unlike you I actually paid attention to my basketball team for the last 5 years

And oh yeah, Belichick made the wrong call on 4th-and-13

BTW, say hello to your new pals on my ignore list. It's a shame because we all root for the same team in the fall, moron.

 

[richpats]

Is richpats still doing shots at the bar with Kobe?

Much rather be doing that than ever root for the Celtics GO LAKERS!!!

 

[richpats]

Yup, and when what they consistently express is the fact that they are kneejerk, frontrunner fans who feel so insecure they turn tail on a play by play basis or game by game basis, or miserable trolls like rich, they get expressed right back at them just what they deserve from fans they harassed in a game thread. What you and rich did was so lame, at least have the stones to own it. This is a forum, but it isn't your forum, it's a fan forum.

Oh, Mo, your holier-than-rich routine is so tired. "OMG we disagree on certain things - TROLL!" If you have read my THREE THOUSAND POSTS on this board, it would be very hard to prove that I'm anything but a Pats fan, but you go on your little crusade, I'm sure it's all you have to do anyway.

For the record, I don't mind getting my comments served back- what I do mind is these sweeping assumptions that since I pull for the Lakers and went out to a bar for the 2nd half, then I "turntailed" and apparently pull for the Jets

 

[JoeSixPat]

"....The biggest adjustment was Rivers' decision to go small by inserting Eddie House and James Posey into the lineup. Those two 3-point shooters provided the spacing Boston lacked with Kendrick Perkins and Rajon Rondo on the court, and repeatedly burned the Lakers when they tried to double Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce......."

Rivers punching all the right buttons
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2008/columns/story?columnist=hollinger_john&page=Rivers-080613

I'm happy to give Rivers credit for putting Posey in for Perkins down the stretch- but don't you think Perkins' injury had anything to do with that as well?

I'm just saying that Rivers has done a great job coaching all season in my opinion. He's grown tremendously throughout the season and I see far too many people who were blaming him for Celtics losses during the playoffs, and then those same people would sing his praises when they'd win.

It's also perfectly natural for the media to jump on the bandwagon.

I just take issue with all those who suggested he's been lacking as a coach this season.

Creating a balanced team with three major talents and egos and keeping all personalities in check isn't easy at that level - and Doc made it look easy. And that's just one aspect of coaching.

Whenever the Celts have lost its been because they've had major lapses on Defense.

I find it difficult to blame Doc for that - and I'd be interested in knowing why others feel he deserves the blame when his players don't perform.

 

[Kontradiction]

richpats, why don't you just eat some crow and admit that the Lakers were completely embarassed last night? Especially after this gem...

Typical "know it all" Boston fan I'm not from Boston or LA - I chose both teams because of 2 close relatives who are big fans - my grandfather who loved the Pats since they were formed and my aunt because she lived in SoCal forever and loves the Lakers.

Now go buy yourself some Kleenex so you can wipe your tears away after the Lakers destroy your hobbled, road-phobic team.

 

[Run DMC]

Vujacic having a hissy fit-in a word, hilarious! My vote is for Ray Allen-MVP for the Finals!

 

[JoeSixPat]

Kobe's reaction to how he's going to deal with the loss on ESPN right now.

"Beer, shots...maybe 20. Digest it and get back to work Sunday."

At least he has a sense of humor. Then again, he may be serious.

Nice role model for the kids on how to lose graciously...

Drink heavilly... attempt alcohol poisoning.

There's gonna be some backlash on this before Game 5!

 

[scout]

Much rather be doing that than ever root for the Celtics GO LAKERS!!!

Richpats, what the hell do you expect after you come on a Celtic forum and talk trash? From my standpoint, I hate the Lakers with a passion. I was sick of the media drooling all over them, and that was in the 60's, nothing changes. Your team took a unprecedented lead in last nights game, and what did you do, egg on Celtics fans. Did you bother to come back when the Lakers blew the biggest lead in NBA Finals history, no. So don't come off as some deserving fan who expects respect. This is Celtic country and its time for you to eat some crow.

 

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

Ramblings after last night’s epic win:

- Eric Wilbur at boston.com made a great point about how there’s a generation of Celts fans that are too young to have witnessed previous epic Lakers/Celts finals games like “Henderson’s steal in game 2, 1984”, “McHale clotheslines Rambis in game 4, 1984”, “Kareem needing oxygen in game 5, 1984”, or just simply “Game 7, 1984”. Even in the series the Lakers won there some classics like game 4 in 1985 (DJ wins it at the buzzer) and game 4 in 1987 (Magic’s baby skyhook). Wilbur correctly points out that finally, instead of hearing about these games before their time, this younger generation now has a classic to fondly remember in this rivalry.

- Comebacks are great only if the team can finish the job. The Celts and Lakers played a game in February 1988 (I think) in which the Celts were down by 20 at halftime at The Forum. The Celts came out for the 2nd half and blitzed the Lakers 36-12 in the 3rd quarter for an improbable lead heading into the 4th. Unfortunately, the Celts couldn’t sustain the superior play…nor did the Lakers continue their futility…and the Lakers ended up winning going away. Last night it looked like the Celts might have run out of gas after tying the game at 73. For the next few possessions the teams traded baskets and each time the Lakers missed, the Celts just couldn’t break the tie. Then the Lakers went up by 4 on an emphatic dunk by Kobe and the Celts called timeout. This was the moment of truth. Start hitting shots after this timeout or else the comeback will fall by the wayside. When Posey nailed that 3-pointer to bring them within 1, I knew they were going to pull this out.

- Ray Allen might have edged out Paul Pierce for series MVP with his two huge drives to the hoop to secure the tenuous lead the Celts had finally garnered. That up-and-under reverse layup was a poor-man’s “Dr. J in the 1980 Finals” moment. The nail-in-the-coffin drive past Vujavic and the late-arriving Gasol was Jordanesque in how he seized the moment, the aggressiveness of the move, how silly he made the other team look and how only a man with ice in his veins could pull that off. Two memorable plays.

- Phil Jackson appeared to have found a solution to defending the Celts by having Kobe play off Rondo, allowing Kobe to double quickly whoever Rondo passes to and thus dare Rondo to beat them with the jumper. Rondo appears terrified of shooting so the plan appeared to bear fruit. Doc countered by putting in House for Rondo, forcing the Lakers to play him straight up. Great move by Doc. Jackson’s logical counter to that would have been pressuring House, a mediocre ball handler at best, which would have forced turnovers by House or forced Allen or Pierce to bring the ball up, which would have slowed the offense, especially Allen running off screens. That pressure never came. Baffling. And this guy has 9 rings?

- Posey’s 3 to stretch the lead to 5 with a minute to go was reminiscent of Vujavic’s late 3 in game 3 to effectively ice that game. Did the Celts miss any shots down the floor after taking the lead on House’s jumper? Sure didn’t seem like it.

Regards,
Chris

 

[scout]

Ramblings after last night’s epic win:

-- Phil Jackson appeared to have found a solution to defending the Celts by having Kobe play off Rondo, allowing Kobe to double quickly whoever Rondo passes to and thus dare Rondo to beat them with the jumper. Rondo appears terrified of shooting so the plan appeared to bear fruit. Doc countered by putting in House for Rondo, forcing the Lakers to play him straight up. Great move by Doc. Jackson’s logical counter to that would have been pressuring House, a mediocre ball handler at best, which would have forced turnovers by House or forced Allen or Pierce to bring the ball up, which would have slowed the offense, especially Allen running off screens. That pressure never came. Baffling. And this guy has 9 rings?

Regards,
Chris

Maybe this will expose Phil to what he actually is, the most overated coach in NBA history. Nine rings thanks to Jordan, Shaq an Kobe. Then again, **** Vitale is in the Hall of Fame.