The morning after
Yes, it happened.
There are certain types of history to which teams want their names attached, and types to which they don't. For the Lakers, Thursday night's 97-91 loss to the Celtics in Game 4 of the NBA Finals put them squarely in the latter category. It was, quite literally, the biggest collapse in Finals history (or as much history as the NBA has records to confirm). At one point in the second quarter, the purple and gold were up by 24 points. At halftime, they had an 18 point advantage. By the end of the third, it was all but gone, as Boston closed out the quarter with a 21-3 run. In the fourth, Boston took control, grabbing the lead on an Eddie House jumper from the wing. From there, it was all Celtics down the stretch.
What looked like a 2-2 series with LA holding home court for Sunday's Game 5 became a 3-1 Celtics lead, and some very discouraging math for the Lakers. 28 times a team has fallen behind 3-1 in the Finals, and not one of the 28 was able to overcome the deficit to win the Larry O. Of course, no team had ever blown a 24 point lead, either, so technically anything is possible, right?
Only if the Lakers get a more consistent effort from Kobe and his supporting cast. After a red-hot start from Lamar Odom helped push LA to a 21 point lead to end the first, the Lakers offense began to dry up. Kobe finished the first half without a field goal (but with six dimes and four pilfers), and never really got going, as Paul Pierce stepped up in the third quarter to mark 24. The Celtics started hitting shots while the Lakers began overdribbling, made some questionable decisions, and generally fell apart.
The storylines emerging from the game are plentiful, and none really favor LA. How the Celtics defense is proving again that it's that side of the ball that wins titles. Pierce out-MVPing the MVP. What can be learned from comparing Pau Gasol to Kevin Garnett. How Doc Rivers is pushing all the right buttons- going small by inserting Eddie House and James Posey, sticking Pierce on Kobe, once again setting up his squad to dominate the third quarter- while PJ is coming up short (and lacking in enough buttons to push). A devastating dribble drive from Ray Allen late in the fourth against Sasha Vujacic, with Pau Gasol late to rotate. The Celtics bench continuing to thrive.
It was a tough pill for Sasha to swallow.
Grandchildren will hear about Thursday's game, but it won't be ones in LA. Rather the game will become a staple of Celtics lore. The impossible proved otherwise. Just don't call it a choke, says Bill Plaschke. It can't be a choke when the better team wins. (TJ Simers might disagree.) For some, it was just a bad flashback to bad results against the C's back in the days of yore.
Kendrick Perkins is a question mark for Sunday.
If the Lakers are indeed cooked- and again, history (along with the results of the first four games) says they are- fans have a lot to be thankful for in what has been a remarkable season.
True Hoop takes a look at last night's game.
Those of you who are saying this puts an end to the Kobe - MJ comparisons are wrong. In this series, it seems clear that (to this point at least) the Celtics have a better overall roster than the Lakers. ANd yet the Lakers have been in every game until the last minute. Was Jordan ever in the finals where his team had a weaker roster than the opponent? No.
So you can't logically use this series as a direct point of comparison between the two.
Posted by: exhelodrvr | June 13, 2008 at 02:46 PM
Well Fellas,
Last night hell froze...don't matter.....what 8x3 needs to do is take the boyz out to dinner on Saturday and call it the "Last Supper"....KB should thanks his teammates for the great long season, for making a good push into June, and let them know that even though they felt short, they made great strides and the best is yet to come ('09).....the Last Supper ('08).....KB should promise them that if they follow his lead, they will not go out in five.......and take it from there......that is what I would call Leadership, inviting the team for one Last Supper....no time to point fingers.....with the Last Supper they become a more cohesive unit.....if you speak with any of boys let them know about a "Last Supper" before game 5.
Fern-LA
Posted by: Fern | June 13, 2008 at 03:04 PM
Mamba 24,
Please add me to the I still believe bandwagon!!!
Last night after the game I was berated by my boyfriend for being "too positive" I told him not to get ran over by the bandwagon on the way down.
Yes, I am disappointed. Yes, I am upset but I am a Laker fan and this series isn't over until the Celtics win 4 games and last time I checked they have only won 3. It will be a difficult road but if the Lakers pull it off we will make history!
Si Se Puede!!! Lets Go Lakers!!!
Posted by: Melos | June 13, 2008 at 03:11 PM
they deserved to lose last night.
Posted by: DK | June 13, 2008 at 03:15 PM
Charles
I got the invite info. and replied.
Posted by: lakerfaze | June 13, 2008 at 03:22 PM
Gotta love hoe a Shasha didn't even try to stop Ray Allen from thta layup to put the Celts up ny 5. That guy is so soft. It's hilarious. & Kobe is a rapist.
Posted by: TZEB | June 13, 2008 at 03:24 PM
GAME SET MATCH...ENJOY YOUR BOTOX, DODGERS AND WATCHING BOSTON WIN THE TITLE ON YOUR HOME COURT...GO HOME LAKER FANS...BACK TO YOUR FAKE LIVES...
Posted by: celtic legends | June 13, 2008 at 03:28 PM
I'm MAD, but they'll watch film & learn from it - Now instead of being remembered as the having biggest collapse in finals history The LAKERS have a chance to be remembered to have the greatest COMEBACK in finals history. LET'S GO LAKER'S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Chad | June 13, 2008 at 03:35 PM
wake me up if we make it to game 7
Posted by: Showtime | June 13, 2008 at 03:55 PM
TO Utzworld The BannerHolder:
Let's not mix reality and fiction. If an invisible man really
cares about the outcome of a sports game...
Boston's a MUCH more catholic town.
I am happy to say I have faith in the team because
I've watched them all season long, building a new dynasty.
Let's all give thanks to the people involved in this season--
aka, the players and coaches and trainers.
Let's root for three more wins!
It's MORE than possible!
Posted by: Peter | June 13, 2008 at 03:56 PM
love the laker loyalty...let's face some facts though:
those calling for the lakers to bring their "A" game on sunday and for the rest of the series...well that's what they did last night, and it still wasn't enough.
those calling for the lakers to "unleash" kobe bryant - well the lakers also tried that last night too in the fourth quarter...they even pulled lamar odom out in crunch time in favor of radmanovic - so there would be better spacing on the floor for kb24. this didn't work either.
pau gasol is out of gas. the regular season stretch, his injury, and the grueling postseason games have taken their toll. the kat is running on empty...just in time for the summer olympics...
trevor ariza should play more.
luke walton should play less or for another team.
sasha vujacic won me over this season. i thought he was pathetic...but the kid has heart and looked like the only laker who gave a damn during their collapse last night.
all is not lost, the lakers will be in title contention for the next five seasons...a nucleus of kobe, bynum, gasol and odom is pretty damn good...
chris mihm needs to rot on another team's roster.
gutting loss last night...
was dealing well with it today until some fellow employees brought it up...damn...
Posted by: tha show | June 13, 2008 at 03:57 PM
What's up Lakers Fans...After witnessing the most disheartening loss I've ever seen, my hope for a title has been reduced to a mere flicker that comes and goes twice an hour, but I saw this post on the LA Times.com home page:
I hope they lose Sunday. It's already over anyway. Let the Celtics win here in LA by themselves instead of our boys being humiliated in front of all those rabid Boston fans.
-Andy B, on the Lakers' loss yesterday
And though I understand Andy's sentiment, I have to disagree 110%. First off, if the Lakers have anything more humiliating to show than last night's debacle, then it will be evident on Sunday if they decide to "lay down."
I'm just as protective about our boys as any other fan, in fact, I had to bite my tongue to avoid a "When Keeping it Real Goes Wrong" moment at work as my boss, though not an NBA fan, called the Lakers "a bunch of losers," four seperate times. However, what would be so humiliating about losing in Boston? These are "our boys" but they are also grown men that need to sack-up and take what lies in store for them. If anything it fuels the fire for next season. Wouldn't a victory in Game 5 and "go out guns blazing" attitude be a better way to end the season? There is of course the "you never know..." factor.
Sure, all things point to us falling short of the titile, but stranger things have happened, phantom calls, bad officiating, whatever you want to call it. If they learn anything it is that the better team doesn't just win the championship, THEY TAKE IT!! I hope that is chiseled in their brains by now, and there's no time like the present to implement that lesson. If they fall short, then we take it next year!!
Maybe I'm unrealistic and delusional but that flicker in me is getting stronger and as one of my favorite songs starts:
IT ONLY TAKES A SPARK, TO GET A FIRE GOING....We'll see what our boys are made of on Sunday. Peace.
Posted by: JSNV | June 13, 2008 at 04:03 PM
disbelief...
humiliating...
hurt... pain... intense aching...
sadden...
rationalizing...
Posted by: bvh | June 13, 2008 at 04:05 PM
Jordan never had to face any "big 3". That said, Jordan would not allow a team to lay down like that.
Posted by: bvh | June 13, 2008 at 04:15 PM
The seed of defeat for game 4 was sowed after game 3. Kobe was trying to be too "cool", he should remain the intense self that he is and not try to be Phil jr. that he isn't. They kept saying, this is a young team, indeed. Only Kobe & Fisher had been on such stage before. So it should not be shocking when Posey calmly knocks down critical 3's, while the young Lakers were shooting bricks.
Posted by: bvh | June 13, 2008 at 04:15 PM
Instead of playing cool, Kobe should had present himself with intense & calm confidence, Fisher too. When will Kobe ever learn, encouraging with a pat on the back is always better than yelling, especially to young players. They are already enduring the pressure of NBA finals, and do not really need unwarrant negativity from Kobe, after Kobe has been a "big brother" to them all season.
The day Kobe understands, yelling emits destructing, negative energy, is the day Kobe becomes a true champion.
Posted by: bvh | June 13, 2008 at 04:16 PM
Yes, Kobe has grown immensely this season as a player & leader. Yet, Kobe still has a ways to go before becoming a true leader. Unlike Bird & Magic, who seem to be ready-made leaders when they entered NBA. Kobe needs to learn to be a leader, and he should still be learning, despite how spectacular a player and hard/dedicated worker he has always been.
With that said...
Kobe can learn a lot interning for Magic this summer, and following him around.
Posted by: bvh | June 13, 2008 at 04:16 PM
Somewhere deep inside raised a flag, when I saw Phil Jackson's interview right before the 4th quarter. He was calm, great. displaying cool, amm.. okay.... but when he started flirting with that female reporter... I was like... is this regular season or NBA final??!!!!!
Phil should take out the tape of that and watch it like, 10 times.
Posted by: bvh | June 13, 2008 at 04:17 PM
I did not like Gasol in the final lineup of game 4. I'd prefer Odom, he was playing better than Gasol.
Even Fisher made a tiny mistake, that was not expected of Fisher. His last shot should had been 3 points instead of 2, equalizing Posey's 3, seconds before.
Posted by: bvh | June 13, 2008 at 04:17 PM
Thru 6 games, Kobe has not been himself this season when facing the Celtics. Yes, part of it definitely is the league leading defense's doing. More importantly, it is something inside Kobe that's making it "funny". Of course, Kobe will NEVER admit it.
So far, Celtics have proven they are the better team, right now. And they do deserve to be the 2008 Champions, should they win another game. 'till then, anything is still possible, no matter how remote the chance is.
Posted by: bvh | June 13, 2008 at 04:18 PM
Lakers loosing to any other team would be easier to take. Even lossing to a team with Shaq playing. I HATE this Celtics team!!! I hate seeing the bouncing boobs of Celtic fan in the stand, hate the image of McHale & Ainge chucking in the darken, back room. Hate the image of Red Aubeuch getting ready to light up a cigar, where ever he is.
Posted by: bvh | June 13, 2008 at 04:19 PM
I hate this Celtics team! Unlike the '80 Celtics, although I dislike them intensely, I respect Bird & Parish, even McHale's game. No player on this Celtics team deserves my respect. The only Celtic is Paul Pierce, other players are hire-gun.
The only current Celtics I have respect for is, Doc Rivers. Maybe Posey, but he is not a real Celtic.
Posted by: bvh | June 13, 2008 at 04:19 PM
I will still be very happy with this Lakers team, even if they loose in game 6. Disappointed, that they will miss a great opportunity to win another championship, especially to the hated Celtics. But, this Celtics team has been together the whole year. While Lakers had Bynum developing then went down, and Gasol on board for 1/2 the season, counting the playoffs. Without looking into next season, I'm still content with the Lakers this year.
Posted by: bvh | June 13, 2008 at 04:20 PM
As Bill Plaschke stated, it is not even a choke. With choking the victim still make some sound.
This is a soul-snatching defeat.
In order to redeam game4, the Lakers needs to win the next 3 games for the title.
With Phil Jackson, we should have the best chance to re-anchor the soul, and accomplish the improbable.
Posted by: bvh | June 13, 2008 at 04:20 PM
I needed a break from the blog today but came back to share my less angry thoughts; I wish i could have called in sick today, because I needed the day off. Alas, I came in anyway and my job performance has been sub-riduculous. I know I shouldn't let things that are out of my control get to me, but oh well, I guess I'm one of those people who just loves too much.
I've been a huge supporter of KB, LO and PG, and that's not going to change, regardless of this series. I'd like to see the latter two learn from this, and I don't think it's too late. KB24 is a hero and MVP, but he's not God. He's a man who is amazing at the game he plays, but he is capable of being beaten and outplayed on rare occasion. Paul Pierce and the rest of the defense saw to that; Kobe's teammates weren't able to shoulder the burden, plain and simple. While I'm disheartened by the loss last night (loss seems too mild for what happened at Staples), I'm encouraged by everything that lead up to last night. I'm far more disgusted by the pseudo-fans who've been diving off the bandwagon they just got on, and as far as I'm concerned, stay off for good. This team was considered a disaster in October, a 30-1 shot to win the title, and if we come up short, we had a damn good chance to win it. For God's sake, we won the ridiculously challenging Western Conference from teams that everybody considered our superiors for most of the season. KB24 won the MVP Award, something we fans have been dying to see happen. We shut the haters up until the Finals, and we unleashed the makings of another dynasty on the NBA world. Somehow, a lot of you have forgotten all that in your disappointment over the last several games. Stop looking at things through pessimistic-colored goggles, and realize the blessing that the '07/08 season has been for Lakers basketball. I'm pissed about last night, I'm sad, hurt and more emotional than I should ever be about a sport. However, all of that negativity can't come close to blotting out my true love of this team and what the last few months have meant to me as a Lakers fan. Try to remember that before you start typing the Fire PJ, Trade Everybody, LO Sux, or Kobe isn't MJ crap.
To the true Lakers Fans on this blog, like Mamba, Jon K, PsychoticLakerGirl and all the others near the top of the roll call, I thought of you often last night, and though my suffering was agonizing, I took solace in the knowledge that my fellow brethren were on the same painful journey and were there with me in spirit to share my suffering.
As for you trolls, and we all know who you are, you have no love for your franchise; you got an assist from the 80s team this season, but I give props to the players for a well-played season and playoffs. If you remember the days of Dave Cowens, KC Jones, Gerald Henderson and Dennis Johnson and have kept your green flags flying through the two-decades old famine in the Garden, I'll respect your dedication. However, most of you trashed your Larry Bird posters and your Johnny Most tapes years ago, if you're old enough to remember who they are, and you've shown up on our sacred blog with no desire but to bring down a group of loyal fans who for the most part have taken the high road when it came to our adversaries. You come to gloat, like the foolish Suns, Jazz and Spurs fans before you, and you were damned close to being banished to the same purgatory as them. Enjoy your moment of glory, because it's going to be as short-lived as the one the Heat had a couple of years ago and the fall will be even more painful for you sorry lot of losers. But that's okay, because losing is never as painful when you're a short-term resident of a bandwagon instead of a long-term citizen of a team's Fan Nation. You can move on to rooting for the Sox without knowing the true pain of the Bucky Dent homer or for the Patriots without knowing how tough it was to lose to the Bears back in January 1986. You are like a plague of locust, a pack of moronic parasites, or a band of wayward gypsies, content to inhabit a spot until the resources are gone and then move on to another spot. You are truly godforsaken people, and I feel blessed to know that you can hurt me with your rude gloating during my moment of pain but that I can't do the same to you - you have no true love, no heart and no understanding of what it truly feels like to watch your champions fail so tragically. Post to your hearts' content, because in your sad and pathetic little lives, nothing of value exists to replace the feeling you get from pouring acid on someone's raw skin.
Mamba, add me to any bandwagons you have going. I'm with the rest of you in feeling down but never hopeless. Go Lakers!
Posted by: Tully Moxness | June 13, 2008 at 04:39 PM
Jordan never had to face any "big 3". That said, Jordan would not allow a team to lay down like that.
Posted by: bvh | June 13, 2008 at 04:15 PM
Well, actually, he did. He faced the REAL "BIG 3" (Bird, Parish, McHale) in the 1st round in 1986 and lost.
With that said, I think the NBA is making a huge mistake encouraging the tie-ins with it's greatest players and moments. In no other facet of life do we do this!! Which company is the next Microsoft? Who is the next Abraham Lincoln? Which country will be next Japan? Seems pretty ridiculous doesn't it?
Kobe IS NOT the next MJ
KG, Pierce, and Allen ARE NOT Bird, Parrish, McHale (that's not even a close comparison)
Paul Pierce DID NOT have a Willis Reed moment
and on, and on, and on....
How can the game evolve if it's living for the past?
Which team will be the next 96 Bulls? 87 Lakers? 86 Celtics? Let the players make their own history!!!!
Posted by: JSNV | June 13, 2008 at 04:59 PM
I feel blessed to know that you can hurt me with your rude gloating during my moment of pain but that I can't do the same to you - you have no true love, no heart and no understanding of what it truly feels like to watch your champions fail so tragically.
AMEN Tully Moxness!!! AMEN!!!!!
Posted by: JSNV | June 13, 2008 at 05:08 PM
Tks JSNV.
I stand corrected. And totally agree with you.
All the "comparison" myabe filling the want for entertainment. But there's no way to compare Bill Russel, Wilt, Kareem, Hakeem, Shaq. Yes, they play the same position, yet they are so different from one another, and each is great(or massive) in his own right.
Posted by: bvh | June 13, 2008 at 05:48 PM
Lakers have no chance.
All is lost.
There is no hope.
The series is over.
The Lakers will choke ... even more, if that were possible.
The Celtics are the FAR superior team.
The Lakers are overrated.
Time to go home and cry.
Best to start drinking away your sorrows early.
Congrats to the Celtics on their 17th championship title!!!!!!
Posted by: Jude | June 13, 2008 at 06:42 PM
Lakers have no chance.
All is lost.
There is no hope.
The series is over.
The Lakers will choke ... even more, if that were possible.
The Celtics are the FAR superior team.
The Lakers are overrated.
Time to go home and cry.
Best to start drinking away your sorrows early.
Congrats to the Celtics on their 17th championship title!!!!!!
Posted by: Jude | June 13, 2008 at 06:43 PM
The Lakers made history last night, and they will make history again! The Lakers will be the first team to win the championship after being down 3-1! You have to BELIEVE!!!
Posted by: gaijin | June 13, 2008 at 08:00 PM
as much as we love our lakers, we have to admit that looking forward to next season by reassuring ourselves that bynum and better team chemistry will take us to the finals again is sickening and pathetic. support kb24, LO, gasol and even fish and pray that we hit the jackpot (win 4 games in a row for the LarryO trophy)
Posted by: KOBEISTHEBEST | June 13, 2008 at 10:04 PM
errr. bynum is not the magical answer to the lakers' current softness. odom will still shrink away from the action :D
Posted by: KOBEISTHEBEST | June 13, 2008 at 10:08 PM
My god, what a game, it doesn't matter if your a lakers fan or celtics fan, we have just witness the greatest finals game4 of NBA finals history. Ok, so it easy for me to say this as I was bought up with the preaching of the shamrock.
This game will just make the rivalry that much stronger, as any lakers fan would long wait for the opportunity to get the celtics back. It is easy to talk about rivalry of past, but now this game have bought it back to the 21th century.
I welcome lakers to try to win 3 games in a roll, as I long for good basketball, that is hard to see with the current celtics team. But I really would love a game where both team would just played their goddamn best. KB scoring 50points and each of the Big3 grabbing 30, I really want to see the god damn best basketball that these two team can produce, so now lakers have their back up against the wall. Its time to let loose and SHOW US WHAT YOU GOT!!....
Wish we get basketball like this in New Zealand.....
Posted by: From down under | June 13, 2008 at 11:28 PM
OH, NO!
WHY, OH WHY, DID THIS HAVE TO HAPPEN TO THE POOR, POOR LAKERS?
IS THERE NO GOD?
SOMEBODY DO SOMETHING!
Posted by: Luigi999 | June 13, 2008 at 11:43 PM
I'm tellin' ya, if spike lee shows up again..... remember what he did for his beloved knicks? How bout them Mets? or the Yankees? That little racist swine is the kiss of death for any sports team he attaches himself to. Uncle Phil will come thru, and the 'Kers will take this one, but what about beantown... Who's gonna show? Spread the love.
Posted by: jay | June 15, 2008 at 05:51 PM
DEAR KOBE,
What is the matter with you?! You are a punk. You know somewhere Shaq is laughing his a$$ off. You are nowhere near Jordan, you should not even be mentioned in the same sentence. You are not the leader you think you are. I used to be a huge fan of yours, but now? not so sure. Your pathetic play is making scrubs like Pierce and ray Allen look like superstars. RAY ALLEN!!!?? You a punk, and i hope somehow this post finds you. Grow a pair you overhyped clown!
Posted by: J | June 15, 2008 at 07:48 PM