What Could Have Been
It's been several months since the unfortunate (but not entirely surprising) total Laker collapse in the NBA finals. At the time, I was so overwhelmed with work (not that that has changed much in the intervening months) and so disheartened, I didn't have the time or the motivation to blog on it. But we're gearing up for the new season, there are some developments and with the perspective of a few months (and they joy of watching Team USA dominate the Olympics, led by a jubilant Kobe Bryant), I thought it was time to make a few comments.
The Lake Show's performance in the Finals was regrettably foreseeable, despite the hype and hoopla. The Celtics had a better record, ran roughshod over the entire league – not just the Weak East – and had three extremely hungry stars who have been denied the opportunity to win an NBA Final, or even play in one, in their long careers. Despite my desire to see the purple and gold triumph, I can say that I wasn't terribly surprised by the outcome. The glaring Laker weakness was (as it has been for a long time now) in the middle. There were times the Celtic attack more closely resembled a layup drill, and despite Pau Gasol's talent he's no defensive stopper. Heck, he's a Euro. He probably never will be.
I would like to offer a very belated congratulations to the Celtics, The Big Three and especially to Kevin Garnett. The Big Ticket has always been one of my favorite players, and I was disappointed last season when the rumors of a trade to the Lakers didn't pan out. The thought of KG and Kobe playing on the same team together would have been a dream come true for me. I'd been hoping such a thing might come to pass ever since The Big Jerkoff left in a huff (and by the way, good riddance). So, despite the fact my Lakers lost to KG and the "hated Celtics" (for me, those feelings are long gone, along with the rivalry that spawned them), I wasn't entirely unhappy either. If there was ever a guy who deserved a ring, it was Kevin Garnett. You couldn't ask for a more devoted player, better citizen and all-around good guy than KG.
The absense of young Andrew Bynum was sorely felt. His presense in the middle would have made a huge difference, and we can only guess what the twin tower tandem of Bynum and Gasol would have been like. You can argue, of course, that had Bynum not gone down to what turned out to be a season-ending knee injury the Gasol trade might never have happened, and in the end I believe the Lakers will be far better off for it. This season, we'll get a chance to see what these two giants with giant talent can do together. It should be very exciting.