So the Heat won the series, and honestly all credit to Lebron James. He played lights out in the last two games. Chris Bosh being able to play more minutes was a major contribution. And Dewayne Wade remains a premier top talent at flopping dramatically to get the whistle.
Sorry not to be hateful, but I hate that guy and his style of play. You can either drive the lane, or be a soft hearted flopper, not both. He’s also largely irrelevent to the Heat’s “Big 3”.
The true tragedy is that this is the last time we might see the Celtic big 3 together. Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett are both going to be free agents next year. Personally I’d like to have them both back on team friendly contracts, limit their minutes and add more youth behind them.
However we should take a moment to commemorate the big three.
Ray Allen- Loved this guy since College but he played for UCONN and I come from a UCONN family so it’s expected. It helps that he’s always seemed like a good guy, a quiet leader and a perfectionist. If I had a son who wanted to play basketball I’d have him emulate Ray Allen for both style and personality. He had bone spurs in his ankles and age might have caught up with him. He’s always been an underrated player in my not humble opinion and a quiet super-star. I would love for him specifically to return as a mentor for the younger guys.
Paul Pierce- Honestly and I know I’m a bad guy here, always thought he was a tad overrated. Great player but being the only great player on often a bad team helped inflate his highlight reel and statistics. Especially the type of player he was being able to physically attack from different parts and draw a lot of fouls. He might be back but I’ve heard people calling for him to be traded and build youth around Rondo (Hondo if you’re the mayor). However he was a fantasitic player and could attack from anywhere on the court, his ability to press then pop up for a jump shot was impressive, and I’ll never forget the Garden when he came back from injury.
Edit: I realize I sound like I’m saying something I’m not, when I say overrated I meant in Boston where he was discussed like a no question first ballot hall of famer, when he was simply a great player. Fine distinction I know.
Kevin Garnett- Love the intensity love the passion, love his ability to play through age exhaustion and pain. Fiery Competitor and there’s honestly a lot to love from the guy. I don’t have much to say other than he was as great a player as people gave him credit for at his prime.
Why I can deal with this loss
One basketball isn’t my favorite sport so I wasn’t as invested.
Two, what a way to go.
Lets compare the teams:
Celtics: Old legends past their prime with perhaps one great adventure left in them, they gather together and sally forth once more. Enduring long series, age injury and doubts these former champions seek to establish their glory once more. None of them got as many rings as they deserved for being the caliber of player they were and individually none of them were respected as well as they should have been. With the fire and power of a single young superstar in Rondo the lions in winter gathered together to show they still had fangs.
Heat: This is Lebron’s team. Sorry just is. Know why we hate him? it’s not because he’s a bad guy. He seems like a nice guy actually. Not because he’s a selfish star. He’s a good team player most of the time. It’s not even really because of “The Decision”. Quite simply, it’s because some people won’t Shut. The. Fuck. Up. about him. Yes he’s good we get it, but when he’s on the court for 48 minutes 47 of the minutes is commentary about him. Doesn’t matter how good a player is when they dominate discourse like that it pisses people off. This is why we turned on Favre too (though he had it coming more).
Dwayne Wade, well you know my feelings on him.
The team as a whole: specifically constructed to be the Celtics, they held great fanfare as the predominant reigning champions before winning a title. They presumed and still seem to have that smug satisfaction about them that they’re the most talented team and should be considered champions without having done anything.
So on one side you had the old champions who never lost the fire and desire playing through pain and injury.
On the other you have young kids acting like they’ve won everything when with the exception of Wade haven’t won anything playing with at times minimal effort. They made it look easy and like they were coasting. Lebron dunks holds on to the rim long enough for me to do my taxes. Wade kicks a player and draws a foul, etc. In a thousand little ways this team annoyed everyone but their diehard fans.
So in the end, lets sing one last ode for the lions in winter, the former champions, who put it together and played their asses off all playoffs. If we never see them in uniform together they at least went down like champions.
PS: Imagine how nice it will be when Rondo gets the star power that when he gets hit it draws a foul. Unlike Wade who feels a breeze flops 9 feet wailing around and gets a player ejected.
up next: highlights
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