WHO WANTS IT MORE?

You can tell who won by this picture.

The team who wanted it more.

Down by 10pts in the fourth quarter, facing a hostile crowd, accused of practically being unable to win on the road, the Celtics made this the statement game of the season...proving that they can, not only win on the road, but that they can close out a series on the road.

And, in so doing, have given us a dream match up last seen in the 80's...

It's going to be the Boston Celtics versus the LA Lakers for the 2007-2008 NBA Championships!

LAST STAND FOR SAN ANTONIO?

This is it. No turning back. No backing down.

For the Spurs, this game is "do-or-die".

But if they "do", then they get another "do-or-die" game. And if they "do" again, a final "do-or-die" game.

Seems a lot easier to just "die" and go to the Bahamas.

Still, they've got a crown to defend and I don;t expect them to just roll over and die.

FOUL NON FOUL?

What do you think?



I thought it was a foul, I still think it's a foul, and the Lakers got a gift.

HERE'S MAXIELL'S AMAZING BLOCK ON KG!

MAX-IELL IT OUT!

He was just too much to handle. Aggressive on offense, persistent on defense. He seemed to be everywhere at the same time, and there seemed no way to stop him.

And we're just talking about Jason Maxiell here. The bull strong Piston reserve was a key factor in Detroit's Game 4 win, serving up a highlight reel dunk, two sweet jumpers and a game defining block on Kevin Garnett, a block that screamed to the fans that there ain't no way the Celtics were getting another one in The Palace.

Of course, he had a lot of help from old reliable Rip Hamilton, who did another Reggie Miller impersonation, eating the helpless and hapless Ray Allen, who seems to be deliberately bricking his shots in a fit of superstition.

The series is now a best-of-three affair. I still think Boston's coming out of this dogfight but if they don't...Pistons are a more than worthy championship caliber team.

BLACK MAMBA RULES!

If you think Kobe Bryant has grown into the best and most marketbale basketball player in the world...



...this clip just proved you right!

MAN, OH, MANU!

A foot beyond the three point line. Hand in the face. Fading away. Defender right up there. Time winding down.

So Manu hits the three, his fourth in the first half.

And just like that, the Spurs have revitalized their flagging playoff spirits. While Tony parker and Tim Duncan struggled to get into their deadly playoff forms, Manu Ginobili, the great Argentine shot down the Lakers' dreams of winning Game 3.

And he did it against Vujavic, Radmanovic, Walton, even Kobe for a spell. Finally, the Lakers accepted the inevitable and started preparing for Game 4 with about 4 minutes left on the clock.

By this time, the Spurs were on a roll, with Udoka, Finley, Bowen and Barry joining the scoring fray. This time, the Lakers bench had no answer.

My guess is the Spurs will win game 4 as well. And then, chances are the home teams win until Game 7.

And Game 7 is anybody's ballgame.

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR!

Guess now the Pistons wish they didn't win in Boston.

After getting it done there, the pistons came home to a rude awakening...that of the Celtics socking it to them mercilessly on the road.

The Celtics led from start to finish, even as the determined Pistons staged comeback after comeback. KG just wouldn't allow them to feel good for more than a day or two.

Ray Allen's shooting touch seems to be the key here. When he's got it on, the Celtics lose. So I suggest that Jesus Shuttlesworth takes his shooting range and loses it by the highway, the way you'd try to lose a persistent puppy.

Coz when he's shooting blanks, the Celtics are winning them.

Oh, and by the way, the Celtics have got homecourt advantage back. i suggest the Pistons lie low and do the "home-team-wins" thing until we get to Game 7. If not, this may be over in 6games.

PAYBACK IS GAME 2!

Remember the Suns-Spurs series, when the Suns were a couple of minutes away from stealing homecourt advantage and wound up with a heartbreaking loss from which they never recovered?

The Spurs remember, alright. After all, they might be the new Suns.

After battling the mighty Lakers to a virtual standstill, the Spurs had a chance to knock them off and go home with LA's back against the wall already, despite it being the first game of the series.

Instead, the loss gnawed at their innards and they were simply mortal as Game 2 rolled around.

Now, they go home and try to win two games in a bid to avoid repeating history. Suns history, that is.