While I cannot claim to be a die-hard Boston Celtics fan, I can claim to have a deep appreciation for the team, as my Dad’s love for Larry Bird and all things Celtics growing up influenced me to root against the Lakers, and despise the Pistons. Then Michael Jordan entered the universe, and my allegiance to the Bulls was secured forever. Or so I thought. Upon his multiple retirements, it seems that my allegiance was to MJ. As an NBA fan, I have loved the regular season and playoffs every year since the last Bulls Championship in 1998. However, this year, with the resurgence of the Celtics, I have found another team that I care about. Of course, the fact that my Dad and I can enthusiastically follow them makes this team even more likable. That, coupled with the fact that I picked the Celtics in my first NBA playoff pool back in April. With all that being said, I have been a big fan of ESPN.com’s Bill Simmons, aka The Sports Guy. Every once in a while, he will post a running diary for a sporting event. My brother Mark once did this for a St. Louis University basketball game, and I had always wanted to try it. Tuesday, June 17th, was the perfect night. So without further ado, let’s enjoy Game 6 of the 2008 NBA Finals. Celtics-Lakers. Where Running Diaries Happen.We’re coming to you live from the Fingerhut Fenton Mansion.
What was a promising evening of male bonding with my brother and Dad has turned into a solo endeavor, with Mark’s softball game starting around halftime and Dad scouting SLU tickets at the new arena. Dad will be back for the second half, and Mark may show up for crunch time, but until then, here I am! I have hijacked Dad’s laptop, and will do a Sports-guy-style running diary for what could be the biggest Game 6 of my life since Michael Jordan struck a pose in Utah ten years ago.
Wired:
Phil Jackson: “Do you want to be here right?” You can actually hear players say, “Yeah.” For some reason, that seems odd to hear. C’mon, Phil, you’re better than that.
Doc Rivers: “Strength is in our numbers.” I thought the strength of the wolf was in the pack. Oh yeah, this is the Celtics locker room, not Phil Jackson’s halftime segment.
11:57: Lakers win tip, the crowd is all ready chanting defense. Kendrick Perkins, with some serious bandages on his left shoulder from his Game 4 dislocation, opens the game with a foul.
11:39 Uh oh, Kobe with a long swoosh—I mean, swish.
11:17 Wow, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen with bad misses on one possession. But Rondo looks great.
10:24 Rondo with a steal, out to Ray Ray for a BUCKET!!! Good to see Ray getting going early, and Rondo looks possessed.
10:01 Jeff Van Gundy: “Rondo is driving to pass.” 9:42 After 2 free throws, the score is Jesus Shuttlesworth 5, Lakers 4.
9:28 Kobe with a pretty three.
9:13 KG is doing his wimpy little tip pass/rebound thing. Like Anthony Bonner once said at a Mr. Maurer St. Louis University High School Basketball Camp, “Just get the DAMN BALL!”
9:03 Oh dear. Kobe with a long three, nothing but net.
8:41 Paul Pierce with a weak pump fake, then jumps into his defender. The refs pass on blowing the whistle, thankfully. That was practically European.
8:21 KG “calling for the ball,” gets it and is fouled by Lamar Odom. I just was reminded that LO went to Rhode Island years ago. Great uniforms. And God Shammgod played there.
Ray with another free throw. , C’s down 10-8.
7:52 KG butts Gasol to the floor, gets an easy lay-in.
7:01 Funny sequence, Perkins gifts wraps a pass to Kobe, and to beat the shot clock or draw a foul, he heaves it like a girl and ALMOST MAKES IT.
6:35 Rough play, people are flying all over the place, looks like the refs are letting them play.
5:58 Rondo, dared to shoot--twine from the corner.
5:28 Kobe are you kidding me? (These words spoken simultaneously by me and Van Gundy) The Mamba fakes Ray Ray, steps aside and beats the shot clock for a 3. Kobe looks good.
5:25 First commercial break, Kobe has 11, and REM is singing “I Am Superman.” Old song, but apropos at this moment.
Commercials and other thoughts:
“I Survived a Japanese Game Show? Please.
Bill Belichick in the house, along with Stephen Tyler’s lips.
4:49 Boston 3-15 shooting so far, while Kobe is hot. Not too good, but it’s early.
4:28 Ray with a strong lay-up, but is poked in the eye, and may have to fly back to Boston for a family matter. Sorry, that was mean. And here comes the slo-mo HD replay! Lamar with a finger into Ray Allen’s Hypothalamus, that’s gotta hurt.
And the split screen, Pip-like tunnel cam. C’mon, he’s not in wheelchair, is this necessary?
4:20 Tied up at 14 all.
4:06 KG with an aggressive, backing down, post up on Kobe, Bring it, KG!
3:51 Luke Walton, smelling colors and getting his 3rd and 4th points of the finals. I think.
3:31 PJ Brown comes in, makes Luke go to the line to earn his 5th and 6th points.
3:15 KG: Bucket from about 18 ft, looking good.
2:59 Oh yeah, James Posey came in at some point, watch out.
2:47 KG with a strong turnaround, falls away on Gasol, rattles home a basket for 8 points in the first quarter. I see an usher in the distance put up both hands. How great would it be to be in Boston tonight?
Commercials and other thoughts:
Questions, as this Lincoln spot has some nice sound effects: Can’t some car company play off a DaLorean theme, you know, with Back to the Future music, going 88 mph to outrun Libyans in a VW van? Is Christopher Lloyd too busy these days to make a cameo?
KG’s pregame locker room meal: PBJ sandwiches. Sign me up!!!
Mike Breen: “The secret is out.”
Van Gundy: “He’ll change his name from the Big Ticket to the Big Loaf.” Okay. Hope he doesn’t get pinched.
Mark Jackson: “You been sitting on that one, haven’t you?”
2:04 Pierce, misses a 3, is 0-5. Pick it up, Truth.
1:44 PJ Brown with an ALLEY-OOP to Garnett!!! Great success! He was so open, I love it.
:48.8 Rondo goes for his 4th steal, but fouls Farmar as Kobe is denied more points in this quarter.
:36.7 Pierce drives, pulls up, and gets on the board with a pretty J.
:22 Thank you Kobe, for missing that 25 footer from just inside half court—looked good. Leon Powe is in the game.
:1.8 Pierce gets me excited by crossing Walton over, but Luke fouls him because they have a foul to give, like he wasn’t trying to play defense.
1.8 Eddie House darting around, Leon Powe gets it, and takes too long on his lay-up; it comes after the buzzer. KG, with 10 pts and 3 rebounds, leads Boston to a 24-20 lead at the break. NBC treats us again to another view of Odom showing Ray Allen exactly how Lasix eye surgery is done.
Baby trading stocks. Okay, great, I’m just not impressed. What, Bruce Willis wasn’t available for “Look Who’s Talking 5?”
Commercials and other thoughts:
Another car commercial idea as the Michelin man enjoys his Michelin dog: a Ghostbusters theme! You know, some Prius hybrid defeating the marshmallow man? Can someone revive Rick Moranis
NBA Commercial with Kevin Durant. Shouldn’t that Sonics jersey be pulled off to reveal an OKC jersey? NBA. Where franchises leaving happens.
Michelle Tafoya interviews Phil Jackson for about 37 seconds. In the words of my brother MF, “Ground Breaking Stuff.”
And the 2nd Quarter begins, Lakers debut Ronny Turiaf and Sasha Vujacic, aka the Agitator, or as Dad cynically says, “Chitch.” In case anyone didn’t hear, the Sports Guy hilariously observed that Sasha looks like he could be the lost villain from John Lithgow’s crew in “Cliffhanger.” I love that.
11:17 Kobe goes mano y mano with Posey, puts up a fantastic fall away against Posey’s fantastic defense., and barely misses.
AND HERE COMES BIG BABY! The crowd comes alive. He’s making his debut in the Finals.
11:02 Kobe is fouled by Powe on the perimeter, and Posey shoves Kobe after the whistle. Van Gundy has been talking about this habit for a few games now; it’s fun to watch out for.
10:49 Chitch for a long 2.10:35 Eddie House comes alive, instant offense, with a long 2.
Mark Jackson: “Great offensive guys say, “Ay, I can get mine at any time.” I think foreign guys say that a lot when they’re visiting Asian countries.
10:13 Lamar Odom at the line, and Belichick, in the direct line of camera sight, Spygates him into missing a free throw. Who is the blonde? I bet if I followed Boston sports closer, I would know it was his new floozy after divorcing his wife or something. Who cares?
9:57 Doc gets T’d up, and looks like he wants to go Ron Artest on the ref.
9:49 Pierce fires a long 3 for a 5-pt lead, 29-24.
9:30 I don’t think Powe’s expression ever changes. He’s like the Nicolas Cage of the finals, only Powe’s expression isn’t one of “I am perpetually feeling vexed.”
9:12 Chitch with some full court pressure. As annoying and ugly as he is, no one can deny that he is a tenacious defender.
8:48 Leon Powe must be so strong; he twists his way to a lay-up.
Both benches are playing heavily, the Celtics are all over the place. Kobe is missing.
Commercials and other thoughts:
If you aren’t’ watching regularly, you can really get with this Denali guy who works the players’ parking lot. If you have watched all the games, he’s annoying. So is this couch-surfing geek. Hey coolie, get a job (just kidding, that’s my inner Dennis Miller talking. I am jealous of this cat, except I would do it internationally).
Love Guru. Are you KIDDING ME? Mike Myers been gone so long, and he comes back with this? I’d rather see a “Wipeout” spot for the 89th time and cringe/laugh for the 89th time as some slob goes hurtling into the mud.
Tropic Thunder. Robert Downey Junior? That looks like Don Cheadle!
We’re back, and Ray Ray is STILL out. Not good.
8:08 Gasol, Fisher, Kobe, Turiaf, and Chitch for LA. Pierce, Posey, Big Baby, Powe, and House for Boston.
John Havlicek is shown sitting next to some blonde. Everybody’s got one.
7:54 Bill Russell is shown as Celtics called for illegal defense. No blondes for him.
I love Turiaf’s hair. Maybe it’s because he went to Gonzaga, maybe it’s the absence of a headband, but unlike a lot of times when cornrows are involved, he doesn’t come off as thuggish.
We had Chris Mihm come in the other night. Can’t we get a Scalabrine minute?
7:13 Posey with a man-size rebound after about 5 non-calls on rebounds, then BURIES a 3-pointer from deep in the corner.
6:41 Pose deflects a pass from Chitch, down court to KG under the basket, out to House in the same corner Posey just owned, and the ball finds bottom. Lakers call timeout, “sleaze” dancers enter the floor, and Red Auerbach considers lighting his cigar somewhere.
Commercials and other thoughts:
Hey Denali guy, Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Then again, NEVER. LET. UP.
NBA: Fear. The dream could die. Win. Great spot.
Followed by this guy getting nailed by a car. What is the plot of this 70s show, and why couldn’t Ashton Kutcher ever get hit like that?
Wired: Aw, Scalabrine’s in a suit. At this point, our best bet to see him is in Game 7 if the Celtics lose and Ray Ray is out with an eye.
Boston up 38-29 with 6:20 to play, Kobe is woefully short on his shot and good vibes.
Michele Tafoya says an eye doctor has come in, and “is taking longer than an eye shot should.”
BUT WAIT, here comes RAY!!!, and Eddie House’s son gives him a high five.
Eddie House and Derek fisher in a foot race, Eddie casually pushes him into a camera, Boston’s ball to the crowd’s delight.
5:53 foul on Fisher, here’s yet another look at Ray Ray’s head swerving into the path of an oncoming finger from Lamar Odom. Breen: “His eye still looks a little red.” I couldn’t tell.
5:33 Pierce steals from Kobe, comes down and dumps it to Pose, who sends a 3-pointer bucket-ward, swishing through for a commanding 43-29 lead. Not just yet Red, but soon!
4:33 Gasol over big Baby for a hook shot, lead down to 10.
4:07 Pierce drives, baseline pass to Garnett outside, nothing but net. 7 assists for PP, and KG is on.
3:56 Vlad Rad with a shot that thuds on the rim.
3:48 Vlad Rad with an “inexplicable” foul on Pierce for his third, to go with 0-1 shooting. Enjoy the bench, big guy. Pierce 2 Free Throws and 8 pts.
3:37 Celtics with ANOTHER illegal defense call, up 14, and Tom Thibodeau is up and scowling. I think he’s mad he didn’t get the Bulls job; John Paxson couldn’t wait till the end of the playoffs and opted to go with Vinny “Of the Black” Del Negro. Well, Vinny’s hair is more interesting.
3:04 I sense something brewing between Odom and Garnett, they have been swiping each other up and down the court. I am probably wrong, but this could be fun to watch develop.
Commercials and other thoughts:
Nice appearance of the LeBron jury commercial, which offsets this stupid Denali guy.
NBA lead-in with Pierce French kissing the trophy. They didn’t do this on tape delay back in the 70s and 80s, did they?
2:58 Pierce on the line, with the graphic saying this is his 63rd playoff game, most by Celtic without a title. Updates at 11.
2:47 Graphic as Celtics steal: Kobe has gone 14:26 with only 3 Tech FTs.
2:14 Lakers down 15, Farmar goes to the line. He’s only 21, from LA, and UCLA. Life has got to be sweet for him. Plus, his first name is Jordan. Good job, Jordan.
1:58 Garnett does the Dream shake and ABUSES Gasol for a fall away swish, then rebounds Odom’s just-miss at the other end.
1:18 rondo is silky smooth, fakes a pass and teardrops a one-handed shot to beat the shot clock. 18-pt lead.
:38 KG in the lane, hangs, hangs, hangs, gets clobbered, hangs, possibly lands, and throws the ball up almost like a baseball. It slams off the back board and in, the crowd erupts, and I unleash a scream in this house to match KG’s. C’s by 20.
:23.6 Perkins hard-works for a lay-up underneath, for a 58-35 lead, the Garden is electric!!! Kobe misses a 3, then Garnett throws up a half-court prayer to end the half.
0:00 Breen: “the Celtics are 24 minutes away from the NBA Championship.”
Halftime. I gotta get this laptop fired up. Lakers have shot 29% in the first half, and the best of “Wired” is coming up. Life is good.
KG 17 pts, 6 reb, 3 asst
PP 10 pts, 3 reb, 9 asst
Good stuff to close out halftime.
Stu Scott: The Lakers have 8 shots. Kevin Garnett has eight shots.
Mike Wilbon: LA has to swing from the heels. Go small ball, and play like it’s Nov. 1st.
Jon Barry: Phil Jackson is saying, ‘Who are you? And you are? This is not the team I know. Have some pride and come out to play.’
D-Wade: I gotta give props to Marquette graduate Doc Rivers.
All of them pretty much concede the championship to the Celtics. I’m just saying.
Celtics huddle up with Scalabrine hovering on the outside resplendent in a navy blue suit.
Here we go
11:46 Tony Allen to Rondo in the corner for an easy 2.
Van Gundy: “Hard to stop the Celtic train right now.”
11:28 Lamar goes strong to the hoop, as Van Gundy lets us know the Lakers had NO offensive rebounds in the first half. Wow.
Jim Clemons still on staff with Phil, Odom cuts lead to 24, at 60-36.
Breen & Jackson remind us there have been some runs in this series. I wouldn’t mind seeing Kobe make it interesting, but he just missed AGAIN.
10:51 Rondo underneath dribbling, out to Allen for a 3. This is. . .getting to be over.
Ray Ray has 11 on 3-4 shooting, 2-3 on 3’s
10:18 Fisher misses a 3, KG rebound.
9:52 Fisher takes it hard to the paint, wills in a lay-up and a foul. Perkins leaves with (what?) 5 fouls??? Wow, that snuck up on everyone. Well, by everyone, I mean, me.
9:41 PJ Brown hacked by some Laker foreigner. I would think Doc Rivers would have worn a flashier suit and tie. He went with a plain dark suit, white shirt, and a bland black-and-white diagonal striped tie. Blah.
9:11 Pierce slicing and dicing, no pun intended, through the Lakers and Odom for a bank lay-up.
8:49 Rondo follows a Vladimir Radmanovich 3 with a reaching, one-handed scoop shot while getting bumped by Kobe, gets the FT, and the lead is back to 26, 70-44.
Papa Joe and Mom arrive, happy with their season ticket location choices for the upcoming Billiken season. Dad settles in for an enjoyable stretch of basketball.
8:30 Fisher hangs in for a close jumper. Not that he’s keeping them in it, but it doesn’t seem like any Lakers really want to score.
8:08 Ray misses a jumper, and the ball bounces lazily to the free throw line, where KG runs it down; Lakers are just not giving effort right now.
7:37 Ray Ray pitches a tent in the corner, orders a pizza, eats it, and drills the 3. I wonder if he tipped the delivery guy.
7:07 Odom throws it in, Kobe does a jump shot alley-oop from about 5 feet. Nice shot.
6:48 Mark Jackson: “Hondo loving what Rondo’s doing.” The blonde is gone. Don’t know if Mark Jackson noticed.
KG puts in 2 FTs for 19 pts.
6:37 Kobe misses a fall away, he cannot get a shot, or isn’t trying.
6:25 Danny Ainge is shown with some fat on his face. Mitch Kupchak is yawning, as his team falls dwon 29 pts. Mark Jackson: I give him credit, he’s yawing, I couldn’t sleep if I was down 29 pts. Dad and I love this observation.
Rondo is playing fantastic, racing around for assists and steals, just playing well.
5:57 PJ Brown has played in more playoff games than regular season games.
5:40 Kobe lets fly yet another missed fall away.
5:09 KG forces a jump ball with Gasol and turns into a lion, King of the Jungle. Mark Jackson says, “This a match-up of strength. Garnett wins it.”
5:03 Vlad Rad makes things interesting with a 3, 79-51.
4:43 KG with an almost lay-up on Lamar, but Rondo tips in rebound.
4:22 Kobe, finally, works and works, reverses under with a left hand for 2 pts.
4:21 Mark Jackson praises Rondo as Gollum, er, Sam Cassell, scowls on the bench.
KG has 22 pts, 10 rebounds.
4:03 Lamar breaks a Hubie Brown commandment, leaves his feet without a plan, and throws away the ball. Pierce grabs it, splits two defenders and gets the foul called.
Pierce has 14 pts, 9 rebounds
Celtics have a 31 point lead with 3 minutes left in the 3rd. I just wonder what Kobe’s reaction will be after this game. They need some size, but they were the FAVORITES coming in!
This will be 1st time in 30 yrs Boston has clinched a championship here in Boston.
Dad celebrates the forthcoming championship by pulling out his dental floss to pretty up his chicklets.
2:48 PJ Brown expertly plays Gasol in the post, tricks him into backing into nothing, and falling down on his arse.
2:31 Rondo has 5 steals, 13 pts, 3 assists, and the graphic says his favorite player growing up was Isaiah. Let’s see, I want to make a joke, but the one thing that does come to mind is that the sexual harassment verdict with Anucha Browne-Sanders came in at just over $11 million, which is probably at least 3 times as much as Rondo’s salary in the NBA until now.
2;17 Kobe comes in strong for a bank lay-up.
1:48 I hate to say it in such a great performance, but Kobe just breathed on KG, and KG fell over like a rag doll.
Hondo is shown with TWO blondes on both sides of him. Although it seems he doesn’t even notice them. Flomax must be working.
Van Gundy says, “Can you look any better than that?”He was 1974 Finals MVP. Hondo, not Van Gundy.
1:35 Tony Allen in for Garnett, with Posey.
1:18 Papa Joe: “Chitch is in,” said with disdain. Gasol with a mini-hook, cuts lead to 25.
:53.2 Rondo comes back with a hanging lay-up.
:36 Kobe stuffed by PJ Brown on an acrobatic lay-up.
:25.4 Rondo to PJ for a wide open 11-foter.
0:00 Posey just shuts down Kobe, forces a missed fall away.
Breen: “the utter destruction of the Lakers in Game 6.”
Through 3 quarters, the Celtics have a 29-point lead. Right now, Red Auerbach is cutting the cigar.
Dad is wrapping some floss around the handle of a hand-mirror.
4th Qtr begins, Michele Tafoya gets Doc rivers to say “Just keep playing.”
11:56 With Kobe on the bench., Trevor Ariza joins Odom, Chitch, Farmar, Turiaf. Big Baby, Posey, PJ Brown, Ray Ray and Rondo for the Celtics.
Kobe and Pau have surrendered looks on their faces as Rondo adds a lay-up for his 18 pts.
11:11 Big Baby makes the most of his time on the court with his 2nd foul of the quarter.
Breen: “Ubuntu, the idea of collective success, has been said before every game.”
10:47 Chitch misses a 3, long pass to Rondo cherry picking, goes up for the one-handed stuff, but is undercut by Farmar, the ball rolls in, and Farmar gets a Flagrant 1.
KG back in for PJ, who leaves to a standing ovation.
10:37 Big Baby almost has a dunk on Odom’s grill, but is slammed to the floor, and makes 1 of 2 to bring the lead back to 30, 95-65. Farmar comes back and hits a 3 as Andrew Bynum, on the Laker bench in a brown suit, contemplates what might have been, and what could possibly be in the future.
10:04 Ray Ray with a laser 3 from the corner. Thing of beauty. I love Ray’s pseudo smirk when things are going right.
9:31 Turiaf for a tough two-pt jump shot. Kobe nowhere in sight, Boston crowd chanting “LET”S GO BOSTON!”
9:07 Ray Ray puts a three right in Odom’s face. Stick of Butter.
Phil gets a timeout.
Commercials and Other Thoughts:
Wasn’t this assembly line worker on a car commercial also the guy who found love on e-harmony.com?
Just can’t get enough Wipeout. But I’ll never watch it. It’ll be better watching highlights on Youtube rather than being stretched out between commercials and annoying hosts.
NBA: There are heroes. There are Superheroes, and then there is Hancock. Great Promo. Not only has Robert Horry won like 17 championships, he is starring in a July 4th blockbuster coming to a theater near you!
Big 3 Back in the game with Posey and Rondo. Kobe is back as well to go through the motions.
Mark Jackson: “If the Lakers signed Hancock, I’d still pick the Celtics.”
8:37 Ray Ray AGAIN in same spot from corner for 3 more.
8:15 Kobe LONG 3 miss over KG, Rondo gets it, brings it down, KG makes a short jumper for a 36-point lead. I think Red just lit his cigar.
7:26 Rondo is slowing up with an eye, Eddie House comes to the table, Farmar muffs an alley-oop which goes off the rim, then Pierce comes down and throws the ball out of bounds for Rondo to come out. Reminds me of Hockey.
Breen: “Perkins hugs Rondo. The questions were, Can the Celtics win a championship with Perkins at center and Rondo at PG. I think that question has been answererd.” Well put.
Van Gundy: “You have to give credit to management.”
Everyone is practically giving a parade, with over 6 minutes left.
6:01 Posey follows a Farmar three with a strong layup. Posey has simply been indispensable in the playoffs for the Celtics.
5:35 Ariza dunks for a meaninglsess bucket.
5:20 Ray Ray hits his 7th 3, pouring salt in this wound. Ray Ray has tied a Finals record for 3’s.
5:07 Odom tries to come in for a lay-up, Garnett mercilessly slams him to the floor for a foul and a snarl, Odom doesn’t like it. The place is going nuts.
Commercials and Other Thoughts:
Charles Barkley is still hanging tough with Dwyane Wade and the T-Mobile spots.
Nissan with an absolute bollocks GPS commmerical. Marco. Polo. Puke in my mouth.
How does this Arbor foundation have a commerical in the Finals? Doesn’t this air time cost like $2 million dollars or something?
NBA trophy promo: Doc Rivers: “I haven’t touched the trophy. I want to earn it. Then I can touch it whenever I want to.”
Celtics, and Rivers are all smiles. 5:07 left, 113-78.
24 wins last year. 66 this year.
5:04 Boston begins the Na-Na-Na Goodbye chant.
4:51 Pierce gets knocked in the face from Lamar as he knocks down the 3.
The Bye Bye chants are thundering.
4:01 The Big Three leaves the game together for the final time of the 2007-08 NBA season. Lots of hugs, head taps, love gestures to the crowd, a menage-a-hug with Rivers. Luke hit’s a 3.
3:29 Kobe still in the game, Tony Allen wants to score, misses but Powe puts in the rebound.
3:10 Lamar Odom shows up and drives hard, gets fouled. Garnett and Ray Ray have 26, Pierce has 17, I think Rondo has 20. KG is giving five and G-hugs to everyone in the vicinity of the bench.
3:01 Powe with a dunk.
2:49 Kobe misses a 3. What a bad night for him.
2:35 Posey just doesn’t care, sticks a fall away 3 for a 38 pt lead.
2:15 Kobe, 22 pts on 7-22 shooting, has a look on his face that says, “Well, at least I am not somebody’s girlfriend in a prison somewhere.” As a father, I can say that he’s probably looking forward to seeing his two daughters right after the game, and get this Lakers debacle out of my mind.
My brother Mark shows up victorious from a softball game for the last 2 minutes.
Commercials and Other Thoughts:
“WNBA. Expect Great.” Just not Great English.
2:21 Wait a minute. Scalabrine is in uniform!!! He’s got a warmup on!!! What’sd going on here??!!!
2:11 Odom is suddenly playing like it’s Game 6 of the NBA Finals. Oh wait, it is. Too bad they’re down 37 with 2 minutes to go.
2:07 KG is player of the game. The Lakers bench is forlorn. Or melancholy. Or distraught.
1:54 Mark Jackson just talked about how Scalabrine and Scot Pollard went back and put on their jerseys so they could be a part of everything. Good for them. I just went and got a cheese snack so I could be part of everything.
1:39 Big Baby puts one down on the break.
1:22 Eddie House underhands an alley-oop to Tony Allen for an explosive reverse dunk.
1:09 Farmar skies a shot that hits for 3. Lead is 40, the biggest finals margin was 42, ‘98 Bulls vs. Jazz. I was in my girlfriend’s basement watching that—no really, we were watching the game.:54.5 Chitch for a 3 from the corner, and I think he’s whining for a foul. Hilarious.
House is running the clock out. Misses a 3, Powe pushes off on the rebound for a foul. Doc’s jacket is drenched. Pierce hit him with some red Gatorade. Thank goodness for HD. That’s great!
His white shirt is stained red, and he spreads the stain to Danny Ainge with a big hug. I hope the NBA “Wired” Staff is repairing the damaged remote mic right about now.
Mom goes, “Don’t they do that in football?”
Hondo is signing an autograph between blondes.
Bill Russell has some white hair. Can we see some Gino on the scoreboard?
Pollard is in a tank top. I hope they show his Thai wife.
Doc Rivers’ son is on the bench with his Dad’s arm around him, Perk is holding a small child, probably his. Everyone has their arms around each other.
:28.7 FT’s missed and the crowd is hugging the court. This is surreal. Celtics can’t dribble it out, shot clock violation.
0:00 Final: Celtics 131-92. I’m Shipping up to Boston, OH OH OH!!! Let the mayhem begin!
Postgame moments:
Confetti falls, hugs exchanged. The cheerleaders are on the floor. The Big three contribute to a baseball-style mosh pit, chanting, “Celtics WHOO!” and of course, KG bellows UBUNTU, and seems to faint. “I got you,” Leon Powe says.
Michele Tafoya sticks a mic in his mouth. “ANTYTHING IS POSSIBLE!!!” Somewhere, an Adidas PR person is slapping their forehead and saying, “Kevin, how many times did we practice this? Impossible is Nothing! Geez, just once!”
The sound goes out--was that profanity?
“It’s all right,” Michele says.
KG: 26 pts, 14 rebounds and one incomprehensible shout-out to something involving his Mama.
KG to Michele, “I’m certified. You look good tonight girl.”
I heard “We are the Champions.” Now “glory Days” is playing.
KG: “Whatchyou gonna say now?”
Hug with Bill Russel, KG says, “I got my own. We made you proud.”
Bill Russel gets a hat, that’s cool.
As commerical comes on, the HD Slo-mo revisits the Gatorade bath, and the cop in the background is spectacularly shown getting splashed while cringing.
Tribute commercial, including Red lighting a cigar, banners raised, Ray Ray dreaming. “Become Legendary.” Awesome.
Trophy Presentation: Stuart Scott’s left eye is booed by Boston. Oh wait, they’re booing David Stern.
Commish, “There can only be one, he says. Wyc Grousbeck, the Celtics owner, is pumped.
Wheaties box is being held up by Scalabrine.
“Let’s give them the trophy.” Wyc is happy.
Doc touches it. Congrats, Doc, you’ve earned it.
Jesus Shuttlesworth is all smiles, and has a seriously curly haired kid. I hope he’s healthy.
Doc has a red collar. This is classic. Forevermore, in all the films and pictures, he’ll have Gatorade on his shirt.
Doc tears up talking to Stu Scott about his Dad Grady. “Grady would say, ‘Well Done. It’s about time.’
Commish, to present the MVP, says, “It is the Truth.” You gotta feel good for Pierce. Just don’t throw up any gang signs right now, Paul. Fight it! don’t do it!
I hear people yelling UBUNTU in the background.
Everyone is saying all the right things.
Doc gets hugged by Hondo, Jo Jo white.
Pierce: “You all stuck with me, and we did it! Championship #17!”
Ray Ray had a finals record 22 3-pters.
Queen comes on again.
Man I wish I could be in Boston tonight. I wouldn’t go to bed until 5 am. Jumping out of cars on the street with strangers chanting UBUNTU!!!
Breen sends us to a commercial with Pierce clutching the MVP trophy and yelling.
Here comes the Couch surfer guy.
Congratulations Celtics, thank you for everything you have done for the NBA, America, and my Dad this year. Happy times.
Now we can all start going to bed earlier starting this week.
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