No Pain for SPain this time !

It was theirs to take even before the tournament began. They entered the tournament with a 16 game winning streak and they emerged as the only team of late to win every single match to lift the European Championship trophy (after France did that in 1984 or so).

From the very beginning they displayed their skills with the football. I always liked to watch them dribble and enjoy ball possession. They however lacked taking control in midfield especially against a strong defensive team like Italy. You don't see them making long passes across center line and their tiny framework against bigger-in-size European teams was not in best of their favor.
But they had speed, and Puyol and Marchena took care of business down their box intercepting almost everything that tried to sneak to Casillas. And Casillas had the safest pair of gloves on his recently insured hands. Xavi was impressive all along and David Villa became the hottest player in Europe.
Fernando Torres finally got the credit for such a great player that he is. Whoever saw his title clinching goal against Germany would agree, no body else could've done it. It was Torres and only Torres who went to the blind side of Lahm and outran him and flicked the ball just before Lehman could grab it.
Torres could have got one earlier but it hit the woodwork and added one more to his poor luck this tournament. But he kept running. kept fighting hard for the ball and he got his dew finally.
Torres and Fabregas almost never let anyone realize that they were missing their star striker and the leading goal scorer in Euro 2008 - David Villa. With a little more luck they could've got a couple more into the net. But in the end, they didn't need one. One of the surprising things was how Spain never let Germans into attacks in the dying minutes. They made it look like Germany had already given up. That was a stamp of how dominant Spain was.

They overcame quite a bit of history to win this. They first got better of Italy in quarterfinals and then broke the jinx of yellow jersey (??) against Russia in semis. The only doubt was if they can beat the 44 years of drought of a major title and Torres and Casillas and Co showed they meant Championship this time. Hail the Champions of Europe !

Boston TeaM Party

The reaction of KG said it all. Oblivious to the delirious crowd and his team mates in wild frenzy of celebration, he rushed to the center of the parquet floor, knelt down, kissed the leprechaun and collapsed. He had finally answered his own demons, he could stand up to him for once and forever here on. He wanted to savor this moment. He couldn't hold his breath when someone put a mic in front of him. He finally let his emotions flow, unrestrained, he nearly collapsed on shoulders of Posey. There came the biggest moment when Bill Russell walked over to him and hugged him and then he could once in his life say those proud words "I've got my own". Yes, he got his own. He quickly got approval from Bill when he asked 'Hope we made you proud'. For all those years in Minnesotta, he was alone. In Boston he finally found his home, he found a place where he belongs. The city that has seen it all in 16 NBA titles, was long waiting for it's 17th, so long that they could have even quit on basketball. With KG in off-season trade, they got their hope back, they got the reason to believe in the C's. They worshiped him all season. They knew the 17th banner was in the making.
In Boston, like in war, there is no prize for the runner up. Their legacy is so rich, anything short of a title is flat ordinary. KG knew it, Paul Pierce knew it well through the last decade and Ray Allen knew it too. They gave the city the reward for every single moment of faith it has shown in their revived green team.

When the scoreline says 131-92, no ones need a telling it was a no contest. But it came against the best offensive team in the league. They could have won game 5 in LA on Sunday and made their fans and fathers proud. But it was a close contest, and more importantly, KG had a 'garbage' game in his own words. KG was the most consistent player on either side of the board throughout playoffs for Boston. He, most of all, was not going to let this chance slip. But he didn't have a great series against Lakers and game 5 was his worst. But come game 6 and it was a totally new KG, rather the same KG we knew before, the KG on a mission. He was aggressive than ever and with clinical precision of not giving away fouls in aggression. He was there to take shots and to get boards on defense. Celtics' celebrated defense is built around him and he showed why, once again.

Ray Allen shot with a magical touch, anything and everything sliding out from his fingers would find the basket. He is unarguably the unsung hero for C's. He had a crap first 2 rounds in playoffs. Nothing would work for him, and media and fans doubted him but he never changed anything. He believed in himself. Doc Rivers, KG and Paul did too. He came alive against Pistons, he was the biggest factor in that win. He was the most consistent player against Lakers. Game 6 was no different.
Pierce was charging into paint, and he had Kobe silenced and perplexed. He's sacrificed his offense to guard Kobe. He did that against a more physical Lebron of Cavaliers. He could have easily scored 50 more points in the playoffs, but it wasn't individual honors for Boston. Paul, Ray, KG have seen it all - all sorts of awards and all-star selections. What they didn't have was the ring. Their own rafter, their ultimate prize, the Larry O'Brien trophy.

The best thing to see was Rajon Rondo in action. I have nothing against him, he is too young, and to be a point guard for a such a high profile team, is a big weight on those young shoulders. He & Perkins give the opposition a chance to flank the floor and use free safety on their shooters. He would miss free throws, and often his extra energy would give away a turnover. But that didn't matter. Doc always had faith in him. He accepted Rondo is not getting few things right, but he never criticized him. He missed shots and FTs here again but he gave them all important 6 steals. That put them in dictating terms. Even notorious Phil Jackson admitted it was Rondo, who took it away from Lakers. It was a big moment for him, at the biggest stage of his budding career with the cloud of doubts hovering over his head and he came out the winner. Perkins though sloppy on the offense, gets crucial blocks and forces turnovers. He's still to go a long way, and he sure will. One should never undermine the contributions from Eddie House and James Posey. Doc turned to them in game 4 when C's were ailing under a huge deficit. House and Posey played a monumental role in bringing them to life again and to take it all the way. Powe got them game 2. PJ Brown and Sam Cassell had their share of contributions. NBA commercials say "There can only be one" but in Boston, it was the TEAM, it never was individual glory. It is with that in mind, they got Garnett, Pierce and also Posey, Brown and Cassell.

The playoffs didn't start well for C's and it was more of being themselves on the court than any opposition for them. They struggled against Hawks and people thoughts Cavs would get the better of them. They survived Cavs and people would mock the seasoned Pistons would burry them dead. All thru the playoffs in the post-game conference the C's would say only one thing - All we think of is the Championship. Nothing less. Nothing else. I am sure it sounded like daydreaming to some. But they believed in the dream, they walked the dream. The extra games gave them a chance to trust each other to complement each other, to get their bench in action and build the on court chemistry. They didn't have a superstar like Kobe or Jordan or Magic, they proved they don't need one. When Paul left injured in Game 1, Doc quickly gathered the team and announced that they were a better team, and reminded them that they were going to win this, even if Paul won't return. Now that was game 1 and everyone was predicting a Lakers triumph. But the sentiment on Celtics bench was they were better, from the very beginning. They never let media or Laker fans get between their belief in themselves and the prized Championship trophy. Before game 6, in the dressing room, Doc again reminded them 'no one in this team wants this championship more than anybody else'. They were a team, with identical hunger for that ring.

This win, at the Garden in Boston, in front of their vociferous fans with the Celtics Legends Russell and Havlicek in the stands, over their old nemesis by 39 points - their biggest win in Championship finals, at the greatest stage in basketball when all of their big 3 shined, when everything fell in place like a scripted drama, was the best culmination to a dream season which goes as the biggest single season turn around in NBA history. It was the most the city of Boston could have asked from their team for their faith and support and the best Ray, Paul and KG and Posey, Perkins, Rondo, House, Davis, Cassell, Tony Allen, and Doc Rivers as a coach could deliver. With this the big 3 finally got their chance to get immortalized.

Weighed down by the pressure of those 16 banners hanging from rafters all season, they now have one of their own. They are right up there, with the Celtics Legends, as the Celtics Legends.
(all images from http://sports.yahoo.com)

It's not a dream anymore !!

Celtics v/s Lakers

Yes, it's true !

All the die-hard fans of NBA that soaked the Celtics Lakers rivalry in the 80s were praying for this dream to come true this year the moment they saw rejuvenated Celtics with the presence of KG and Ray Allen and they saw Kobe working it out with his teammates. But the Celtics didn't live up to their 66-16 record in the Playoffs. Minnows Atlanta stretched them to the limit, Cavs almost got the better of them, but Celtics survived. They hung in there, exhausted and old yet with a grit not to give up.


Personally, i never saw them going past the Pistons. For Pistons were well rested and Celtics had played 14 games in 28 days going into Game 1 against Pistons. Pistons are playoff seasoned, having made it to the East finals 6 years in a row. Pistons are smart, they know how to make adjustments playing on road, they have unarguably the best bench in the league, their leader Chauncey Billups is a supercool guy and a great 3-point shooter. Prince had found ominous touch against 6ers and Rip was looking as dependable as ever. But the Celtics despite blunders in giving away handful turnovers, missing easy shots, came over Pistons much better than against Hawks or Cavs. Hmm ......

I saw a different Celtics in game 6 v/s Pistons. They managed to bounce back in 4th Q on road which they hadn't done before. The most important thing i saw there was, that their big 3, all of them lived upto expectation in the clutch. In game 5 i saw Kevin Garnett passing the ball while wide open and well inside his normal shooting range. That wasn't acceptable, not from KG. Yes he had scored consistently in the first half, but that doesn't condone the no-shot in the 4th Q. What makes you 'big' is how you perform under pressure, how you put everything on line so your team can get home. You are the one who the teams looks up to. Game 6, KG was in foul trouble and he had made only 4 of his 13 shots. But in 4th, when it mattered, KG stood up and made 2 crucial baskets. Despite his poor shot%, he did not pass. Paul Pierce was firing with all the gun-power he had, very much similar to game 7 v/s Cavs. Ray Allen had found his smooth touch very early into the game. This is what everyone wanted from Celtics. Finally they looked like the 66-16 team. Rajon Rondo was playing his usual share of mistakes, giving away fouls on Chauncey, missing shots, KG and Paul also missed free throws but that was not enough to let down their undying spirit. They were running hard, they were forcing steals and turnovers. They wanted to win.
Winning East isn't a job done.


Lakers - are looking better than they ever looked beyond the Shaq-Kobe era. If i would like them to be the champions is for the one and only Kobe Bryant. I mean you just can't imagine them winning w/o Kobe. He can draw 2 or even 3 defenders and create easy basket for you. He can hit basket out of nowhere, irrespective of double teams. He is THE man to pass the ball to when the clock is dying and pressure is mounting. That's the difference between Pistons and Lakers. All 5 starters of Pistons could be all stars but none of them is a superstar. And does that matter? YES of course, how many times you've seen Kobe bailing out Lakers single handedly. The most recent being game 1 against Spurs and even the game 5.

What happens against Celtics. The historic rivalry is revived yet again. If not for the game 6 between Celtics and Pistons, i had no doubt that it's going to be Lakers. They wouldn't have home court advantage for the first time this Playoffs, against Celtics. But they know what it takes to win on road. They smashed Nuggets twice in Denver and they silenced the mighty Spurs in their backyard. Moreover, Pistons showed in game 2 that Celtics are beatable at home. And if they can't find an answer to tie up Kobe (remember how Utah kept rotating 3 players against Kobe?) , Celtics absolutely do not stand a chance. With Fisher playing great in crunch time and Odom and Sasha and Radmanovic all capable of scoring, Gasol getting offensive boards creating 2nd chances, they have better line up than Celtics. Their young players have come out big under the wing of Kobe and look ready to take on the biggest stage of their careers. Celtics on the other hand still heavily rely on their Big 3, none of which, if i daresay, is as good as Kobe. KG would be close but only as long as he takes enough shots in the clutch. I have great respect for him and i want Celtics to win so KG can get a ring. Paul Pierce is a great player and he will have to have be le game 7 vs Cavs or game 6 vs Pistons in every game. Ray Allen will have to continue his clean hits. It's not easy to take the pace off the game when playing against Lakers who consistently score in 3 digits. Their best in the league defense will have to prove it yet again. Perkins and KG will need to control boards and stop Lakers from taking 2nd shots. They will have to work 150% on their offense, cos you can't miss shots and fancy winning against Lakers only of defense. If that were possible, Celtics would be playing Spurs and not Lakers. Talk about road games, and winning in LA would be the biggest test for the green team. But do they have to win there if they have home court adv ? Well YES, cos you never know when Lakers can steal the game from inside your pockets at your own home.

One good thing now is Celtics have time to rest and regroup or as KG said, to sleep ! But not without the upcoming face off against the MVP Kobe and his young brigade of Lakers at the back of their mind.