NBA Champs
The Boston Celtics won the NBA championship last night in convincing fashion, 131-92 over the Los Angeles Lakers, led by league MVP Kobe Bryant.
As a Wisconsinite, I was tickled to see 3 ex-Bucks in the Celtic line-up: Eddie House, Sam Cassell, and Ray Allen. These guys gave good minutes to the Bucks, but they were never gonna get to hoist the big gold ball in Milwaukee.
Ray Allen in particular deserved a ring. In both Milwaukee and Seattle he's been a superstar, being named to the All-Star team and the all-defensive team multiple times.
Same with Paul Pierce, a terrific player who had spent his entire career with the Celtics when they stank.
And Kevin Garnett, a superb all-around forward who never quit and never complained when he was in Minnesota and set some kind of record for futility at having made it to the playoffs something like 7 times in a row and always getting bounced in the 1st round.
It was evident by early in the 4th quarter that the Celtics, with their huge lead, had this one in the bag, and the 6th and 7th of Ray Allen's 3-pointers (an NBA finals record) had pretty much sealed the deal when Doc Rivers pulled the Big 3 halfway thru the quarter to a huge standing ovation. You could have lit up downtown Boston with the smiles on these guys' faces. I don't think I've ever seen anyone this happy at winning a championship (well, maybe Tara Lipinski).
But ya know the best part? The very best part of all? After the game was over and the trophies were handed out (Pierce was named finals MVP), they had the interviews, and each and every one of them spoke in praise of teamwork, and hard-nosed defense, and terrific coaching, and relentless hustle, and the undying support of the Celtic fans.
And not a one of them pointed a finger to heaven and said squat about how it was all due to Jesus or God or the Lord or Allah or their sainted grandmother or any such crap.
Praise be to our fellow human beings, the only creatures (besides our beloved wolf descendants) we've EVER been able to count on for help with anything.
As a Wisconsinite, I was tickled to see 3 ex-Bucks in the Celtic line-up: Eddie House, Sam Cassell, and Ray Allen. These guys gave good minutes to the Bucks, but they were never gonna get to hoist the big gold ball in Milwaukee.
Ray Allen in particular deserved a ring. In both Milwaukee and Seattle he's been a superstar, being named to the All-Star team and the all-defensive team multiple times.
Same with Paul Pierce, a terrific player who had spent his entire career with the Celtics when they stank.
And Kevin Garnett, a superb all-around forward who never quit and never complained when he was in Minnesota and set some kind of record for futility at having made it to the playoffs something like 7 times in a row and always getting bounced in the 1st round.
It was evident by early in the 4th quarter that the Celtics, with their huge lead, had this one in the bag, and the 6th and 7th of Ray Allen's 3-pointers (an NBA finals record) had pretty much sealed the deal when Doc Rivers pulled the Big 3 halfway thru the quarter to a huge standing ovation. You could have lit up downtown Boston with the smiles on these guys' faces. I don't think I've ever seen anyone this happy at winning a championship (well, maybe Tara Lipinski).
But ya know the best part? The very best part of all? After the game was over and the trophies were handed out (Pierce was named finals MVP), they had the interviews, and each and every one of them spoke in praise of teamwork, and hard-nosed defense, and terrific coaching, and relentless hustle, and the undying support of the Celtic fans.
And not a one of them pointed a finger to heaven and said squat about how it was all due to Jesus or God or the Lord or Allah or their sainted grandmother or any such crap.
Praise be to our fellow human beings, the only creatures (besides our beloved wolf descendants) we've EVER been able to count on for help with anything.
posted by Richard S. Russell | 11:12 AM
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