It's the two most magical words in sport - Game 7. And, when it involves the Celtics and the Lakers, it makes it that much more special. You can bet that Bird and Magic will be watching tonight. Tonight is the night that a champion will be crowned after a classic back and forth series. It seems like so long since we had a decisive Game 7 in the NBA Finals that was actually compelling (and no, I'm not counting the '05 Pistons v Spurs thrillorama). In fact, this is only the 3rd Game 7 in the NBA Finals in the last 2 decades. While anything can happen in Game 7, the Lakers have a clear advantage heading into the decisive game, and here's why.
*The Black Mamba
-Having the best player on the court in Game 7 is always a big advantage. And, in Kobe Bryant, the Lakers certainly have the likely series MVP - win or lose. Kobe shared the ball effectively in Game 6, only taking 19 shots and getting 11 rebounds. I wouldn't expect to see bizarro refuse to shoot Kobe that we saw in a Game 7 in Phoenix years ago, or one as passive as Game 6 (even though the team benefitted) - I'd expect the Black Mamba.
*Momentum
-Let's be real - LA mutilated Boston in Game 6. The C's shot 33% in Game 6 after shooting 56% in Game 5. The Lakers played faster than Boston, passed better, and played with more intensity. That's usually a winning combination. Plus, Artest, Gasol, and Odom combined for 40 points and 29 rebounds. With a key injury for the Celtics (more on that in a bit), the Lakers have clear momentum.
*No Perks
-The injury to Kendrick Perkins is key. He's one of the few guys on the Celtics that can provide defense and toughness on the inside. Losing him may improve the team offensively... until you see that Wallace, Davis, and the corpse of Shelden Williams combined for 0, yes 0 POINTS IN GAME 6!! Ouch.
*Home Court
-Finally, the Lakers have homecourt advantage. The crowd in Game 6 was unlike any LA crowd that I've ever heard, and they will come strong again tonight. This won't be your typical LA wanting to be seen by the cameras crowd - this crowd will actually cheer and boo for the entire 48 minutes. In the NBA, homecourt means a lot more than any other sport, that's why it will help the Lakers immensely.
Now, the Celtics do have a few things going for them, but I don't think that those factors match up to the ones above... but I have to cover my bases, don't I?
1) They Got Their Shots In Game 6 - The C's had a series high 84 shots, but they only made 28. They haven't shot below 43% in any other game this series, so maybe their terrible shooting in Game 6 was more of an aberration than a prelude to Game 7.
2) Veteran Leadership - Boston won't panic in this situation. It was one bad game, and yes they lose a big part of their defense... but, Rasheed can give a different dynamic to the starting lineup and will be the only player on the floor that has played in a Finals Game 7. Umm... maybe that's not such of a big advantage.
3) Sense of Urgency/Backs Against The Wall/Underdog Mentality... - This could be the last chance for an aging Big 3. With the blowout loss in Game 6, maybe we'll see some relaxation on the part of LA and a rallying of the troops for Boston. It seems like the predictions change every game, but the pundits are clearly swinging the pendulum back towards LA. While it seems like Paul Pierce has called every game a must-win game so far in these playoffs, this one actually really is! Unless David Stern sees the ratings success and declares the series a best of 17.
4) History -
The Celtics are 4-0 all-time in Game 7 vs the Lakers. It would be something if we saw a replay of 1969 - where Don Nelson's miraculous jumper gave the Celtics and Bill Russell a Game 7 victory in Los Angeles... but, I don't think Bill Russell, Bird, Parrish, and McHale, or even Don Nelson are walking through that door folks.
With all that being said, I'm going with the Lakers and Kobe Bryant winning tonight to cement his legacy as one of the all-time greats with his 5th title and the 11th for Phil Jackson. Yuck. I feel slimy writing that. Let's hope the RSS jinx is in full effect and the Celtics get the upset.
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