Acknowledge Them!

Last week, on June 17, 2010, the Lakers won their 16th NBA World Championship.  WHOO Damn  HOOOO!!!!  Last year, when they won their 15th, I was a happy, happy gal.  This year, I'm ecstatic.


What could be sweeter than a Repeat?  A victory over the Lakers' arch rivals, the Boston Celtics (hisssss!).  This rivalry, Lakers vs. Celtics, is, for basketball fans, the ultimate in competition.  The Celtics, with 17 banners hanging over the Garden, shattered the Lakers in Boston in the 2008 Finals.  Last year, the Lakers won, so this rivalry was a step up from usual due to the fact that it was the most recent champions against each other, and the Lakers had something to prove after what happened in 2008.  They'd matured, they'd become tougher.  The Celtics beat all of the odds in the post-season, and made it to the Finals with everyone betting against them.  I mean, it was supposed to be LeBron vs. Kobe, but the Celtics made sure that they wouldn't be counted out.


The basketball world was crazy with anticipation, and being a basketball fan, I was crazy, too.  With every Celtics playoff win, I hoped even more that they would make it to the Finals to face my team.  I couldn't wait to see it happen.  This was probably the first time EVER that I've rooted for the Celtics to win.  It was partly because I didn't want LeBron to win, but it was mostly because I wanted to see the rivals play each other.  I wasn't the only one.  A lot of the fans that I talked to said the same things as me, although some of them just didn't want Shaq to win.  I'm not bitter about Shaq.  I just wish that he'd stop calling every one of his new coaches "the best coach I've ever played for".  It's old.  Anyway, the Lakers needed to get past some tough competition in the Western Conference, most notably the Phoenix Suns.  While I really like Steve Nash, I'm a Lakers fan, so, sorry, Steve.  


So my wish came true.  It would be Lakers vs. Celtics.  Surprisingly, through every one of the first 5 games, I was quite calm.  I guess that I was just so happy that it was all being played out in front of me that I was content.


Game 1: Lakers 102, Celtics 89
Lakers showed the Celtics that they were ready for them, and drew first blood.  Celtics were rusty due to their long rest after the Eastern Conference Finals.  My thought:  "This is how it's supposed to be.  We'll win Game 1, Phil never loses a series when he wins Game 1.  We're golden."


Game 2: Celtics 103, Lakers 94
Ouch!  Celtics beat the Lakers on their home floor, thanks to an amazing run of 3-point shots by Ray Allen, making a record of 8 in one Finals game.  My thought: "Um, guys?  You need to win one in Boston."  At least one, in order to maintain home court advantage.  Still, I was calm.  No, I wasn't on drugs.


Game 3:  Lakers 91, Celtics 84
Phew!  Lakers achieve their goal of winning one on Boston's floor.  Many thanks to D-Fish in the 4th quarter.  I loved that full-court run, leading to an awesome basket.  Thanks, also, to the amazing Lakers bench for achieving a record of highest shooting percentage for a bench attempting at least 10 shots each.  The deafening crowd at the Garden had become a mute crowd.  BFF Michelle texted me about loving how the crowd shut up.  (Actual text not for children's eyes). ;)  


Game 4: Celtics 96, Lakers 89
The Celtics bounce back, taking advantage of the fact that Bynum was out for much of the game due to his knee injury.  Pau and Kobe tried to carry the team, but it was tough to go against a desperate Boston team.  Yup, I was still calm.  This is how it's supposed to be, people!  We push, you push back.  Clash of the Titans and all that.


Game 5:  Celtics 92, Lakers 86
Despite Kobe's MVP efforts in the 3rd quarter, trying to carry his can't-shoot-a-fish-in-a-barrel team, Boston edged out the Lakers, and the teams went back to L.A. with Boston leading 3-2.  Yeah, I kind of expected that to happen.  Those people that said that L.A. would sweep in Boston don't know the power of the fans there and the defensive fight that the Leprechaun blesses upon their team.


Game 6:  Lakers 89, Celtics 67
Just to show the Celtics that the Lakers fans are not as placid as their leaders say, the crowd at the Staples Center gave a ROAR throughout the game that kids imagine when they dream of becoming sports stars.  The Lakers were not going to let the Celtics win Game 6 on their home floor, and they delivered a pretty sound beating to the boys in green.  It was the best that I've ever seen this team play all season, and what a time to give the town a show!  Kobe led the team in the 1st quarter, giving them an early lead that they simply refused to relinquish.  Was I happy?  Hells, YEAH!  Was I calm?  Not anymore.


Game 7:  Lakers 83, Celtics 79
GAME FRICKIN' SEVEN.  LAKERS VERSUS CELTICS.  It all really did lead to this.  Seriously, what could be better for a basketball fan like me? The excitement I felt during this game was probably the culmination of all that I had suppressed during the first 6 games.  I went nuts.  When the Lakers were behind, I kept hoping for them, knowing that they would pull a victory out somehow, but wondering how in the world it would happen.  Of course, with every nervous moment, I said to myself, "WHY did I wish for this to happen?!"  Ron Artest, both a worry and a blessing to this team, had some plays that got me thinking, "Oh my gosh, he's going to win this game for us."  I thought this several times throughout the game.  Both teams were defensive tigers, and it seemed like neither one of them could shoot. Was the rim of the basket too small?  But there it was, all of a sudden.  As he always does, D-Fish gave an inspirational speech to his team before the start of the 4th quarter, and they responded.  Kobe finally hit his shots.  Pau was monstrous.  D-Fish made a 3-pointer.  Kobe passed the ball to Ron-Ron (which, APPARENTLY, he never does), and Ron-Ron made the shot, catapulting the audience into even more decibels of LOUD.  My house was loud, too, and the only sound happening was the TV and my screaming.  I even closed the back door so that the neighbors wouldn't worry should any bloodcurdling screams emanate from my mouth during the game.  I'm glad I did, because I went CRAZY, pacing, yelling, jumping, screaming...it was exhausting.  


So there you are: Lakers are the Champions of the Basketball World.  Congratulations to The Black Mamba, Kobe Bryant, for the much-deserved Finals MVP title.  This year, he showed that he could rely on his team when he wasn't at his shooting best, being defended at all times by 2 and 3 guys every chance Boston could take.   And yes, he now has "one more than Shaq". Congratulations to The Spaniard, Pau Gasol, for showing us all that he was not soft, and he could fight Boston along with the rest of them, finesse game or not.  Congratulations to Phil for his 11th championship.  I don't care what anyone says, Phil.  It's not the star power that gave you those wins, it's your handling of the stars.  Congratulations to Derek Fisher, the heart and inspiration of the team.  They would not have won without your spirit.  Congratulations to Ron Artest for his first ring, and thank you to his psychiatrist for keeping him calm. :)   Congratulations to Andrew Bynum, who actually got to contribute to this year's championship, and in a huge way.  Congratulations to the guys on the bench for being such a great supporting unit for the starters.  Congratulations to the fans, for whom this victory is sweeter than honey straight from the comb.


Kobe's postgame comments showed that he, as a student of basketball, knew that a victory over the Celtics would mean more than anything to him as a Laker.  He had lied to the press earlier about how much it meant to him, because he needed to just focus on the task at hand, and didn't need to make the drama bigger for himself.  His little girls were way cute in their Lakers dresses, and he had that smile that I've longed to see throughout the series.  The smile of a champion living his dream.


The celebrations, though fewer than last year due to the city of L.A.'s budget woes, were still abundant.  


Pau Gasol appeared on Jay Leno's Tonight Show.  I love that David Spade was the next guest and Pau was 2 feet taller than him.  Spade was, like, a Smurf next to him.

The rest of the team appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live.   Kobe, of course, had the coolest threads.  Ron Ron had the coolest earpiece, though. :)


Here's my favorite clip from that night.








And, of course, the Victory Parade.


Purple and Gold Reign Supreme!  Have I said, "Whoo Damn HOOOOO!" yet? ;)  


Happy Trophy, Sweet Sixteen.