WHATTA GAME! Boston wins Game 1, 98-88!

It was a great basketball game.

Lead changes, highlight reel plays, smothering D, diving and clawing for loose balls, clutch shots...

It even featured the dead coming back to life, as Pierce bucked a sprained knee that had him writhing and crying, then hobbling off to the dugout before coming back to score 11 points in the second half and lead Boston to victory with 24pts.

KG, after a nervouse showing in the first few minutes, settled down to his old role of demolisher (did you see that dunk?!) and proved you don't have to be The Man to be a man.

And Ray Ray seems to have found his form and rained down 19pts in able wingman support.

Still, Kobe just scored in the mid 20's and we know he's capable of going for forty for 4 straight games.

Game 2 should be interesting but I'm still calling it for the Celtics.

SHOOTERS GALORE! RAY ALLEN VERSUS DEREK FISHER

And now, the shooters.

They are among the most accurate three point and free throw shooters in the land.

They are among the most feared during crunch time and can make the big shot despite having missed their last 10 attempts.

But which of these veterans will one up the other in this shootfest?

Derek Fisher has one added facet to his game: tenacious D. Guards, whether big or small, don't come after Fisher because he can and will hold his own on D. The same can't be said for Allen, as Rip Hamilton proved in the Conference Finals.

But Allen also has something that Fisher doesn't have: star talent. While Fisher is primarily a uni-dimensional scorer, a role player, Ray Allen is a flat out scorer, capable of burning defenses inside, outside and to the side.

Now, in a series where buckets will be pretty hard to find, I expect the Lakers to turn into the Kobe Show and the Celtics to juggle hero duty between their Big Three.

Close call but Allen gets the nod 9-8.5.

THE BIG MEN MATCH UP: KG VS PAU

It's the battle of the big men, the throwodwn in the front court, banging bodies and locking horns between Spain's favorite basketball son, Pau Gasol, and the Big Ticket, Kevin Garnett.

What makes this match up so intriguing is that this is a first of sorts. While Pau and KG have matched up as members of the Grizzlies and Wolves respectively, they have never met as Laker and Celtic yet.

Pau Gasol is a silky smooth and talented inside operator, a finesse center who still bangs around as much as he can inside the paint. Garnett isn't muscular either, using lithe quickness and intensity to overpower bigger opponents.

But just like the Kobe-Pierce match up, one of these guys can do everything the other guy can...only so much better. And that guy is KG.

Pau Gasol is a franchise player for a bad team (see: Grizz), a possible All Star for the East and a great second option for a good team. KG, on the other hand, is a franchise player who makes a team great, an All Star no matter the conference and is a second option by unselfish choice.

Having said that, the gap between Gasol and Garnett as big as one between Kobe and Pierce, but the gap is there.

KG over Pau, 10-9.

THE BEST DAMN SPORTS AD EVER!

In 1990, Bo Jackson was one of the most famous men in America. A superb athlete who could do it all, his body eventually eventually betrayed his sporting talent and he is now no more than a curiosity of the time.

But this ad really immortalizes what Bo Jackson was able to do in those times. In this Nike ad, his supporting cast includes Michael Jordan, John McEnroe and Wayne Gretzky. Of course, he gets dissed in the end by Bo Diddley, the legendary blues artist. Enjoy.

BREAKING DOWN THE FINALS: KOBE VS THE TRUTH

This week, we'll be breaking down the key matches in the upcoming Celtics vs Lakers series. And we kick off this series with a look at each team's resident star.

KOBE "BLACK MAMBA" BRYANT VS PAUL "THE TRUTH" PIERCE

Paul Pierce is one of those rare basketball players who can, and does, everything. Shoots threes, drives hard, slams with authority, passes well, dribbles like a guard, rebounds like a power forward, guards his man, never tires, takes and makes the big shot, makes the right play...

Problem is, he's up against a player who can do everything Pierce does ...and does it better. At this stage, there is no one better than Kobe Bryant in the NBA. he doesn;t even need the MVP award to prove it.

So, no matter how high Pierce elevates his game, he's always gonna come off second best in this match up.

Kobe over the Truth, 10-8.

THE PAST AND THE PRESENT: LAKERS VS CELTICS

As a denizen of the 80's, this image is one of the most enduring memories from my childhood.

Cool Larry Bird against exuberant Magic Johnson.

Intense white and green versus flashy purple and gold.

Stoic Celtics versus trash talking Lakers.

And they are back.

This time, the Celtics are no longer stoic and are probably more intense than ever before, with the arrival of the Big Ticket, Kevin Garnett and babyfaced sharpshooter, Ray Allen. But they are still as good as any veteran Celtics team of yore with Paul "The Truth" Pierce leading the charge, as well as rising star Rajon Rondo and solid role players like James Posey and Kendrick Perkins.

The Lakers aren't as flashy as Magic's Showtime Lakers, as hardworking Pau Gasol and reliable Derek Fisher are more about solid fundamentals and high basketball IQ's than athleticism. But all you need for Showtime is Kobe Bryant around the rim and Lamar Odom running free and determined. Add to that underrated Luke Walton, solid Sasha Vujacic and better-than-ever Jordan Farmar and we have got ourselves a hell of a series.

My take? Celtics over Lakers in overtime in a Game 7 for the ages (Kobe ends up with 60+pts, Allen, Garnett and Pierce each with 25+)

But then again, I've always been a fan of the Basketball Jesus.