When Doc Rivers was asked what he said to his new team back in October, he responded with one word, “Defense.”
If you think about it, that’s one thing that just about every team in the last two decades had in common. They all played very good defense.
Think about it!
Am I the only one that thinks too much is being made of the hype of the two teams in this year’s finals being a repeat of the common matchup from the 80s?
None of the players on the Boston Celtics are the same as they were back in the 80s. None of the players on the Los Angeles Lakers are the same as they were back in the 80s, either. In fact, the stars of the respective teams aren’t anything like the stars of the teams back then. The stars aren’t even playing at the same positions.
The coaches aren’t the same.
The buildings aren’t the same.
The uniforms aren’t even the same.
Ok. I’m done with my tangent. Let’s get to the prediction.
Although I knew better than to pick against the defending NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs in the first round, I did it anyway. After all, the Spurs, for all of their four championships, had never repeated. I felt I was safe.
I was wrong.
Then I picked against the defending NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs in the second round. After all, Chris Paul and the Hornets looked pretty good in their defeat of a strong Dallas Mavericks team, quite possible the best seven seed ever in the NBA playoffs.
Wrong again.
Robert Horry comes through with a strong play against David West’s ailing back (eerily reminiscent of his play against Steve Nash the year before).
Now they’re up against the Lakers.
LeBron James gave a valiant attempt to beat the Boston Celtics and make it into the Eastern Conference Finals again.
He fell slightly short.
Now it’s the Detroit Pistons turn.
The national press have got to be the biggest bunch of bandwagon jumpers that there are.
After two games in New Orleans, the San Antonio Spurs were finished.
After two games in San Antonio, the New Orleans Hornets are now finished.
| Poll | ||||||||||||||||||||
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42.6%
14.8%
11.1%
9.3%
7.4%
7.4%
5.6%
1.9%