Before we analyze the NBA Finals (which for the first time ever feature two teams whose nicknames do not end in S), can we look back at what happened in Miami Saturday night?
That's where the Miami Heat were tied with the Boston Celtics going into the fourth quarter of the deciding game of the Eastern Conference Finals. Although definitely a favorite because of home court advantage, the fact of the matter was that Game 7 was very much in the Celtics' grasp until halfway through the fourth quarter, when the men in green couldn't buy a basket, being shut out for several critical minutes when the game was still up for grabs.
We heard the excuse from coach Doc Rivers — the team was just totally spent at that point.
Really?
The game reminded us of the Game 7 matchup between the Celtics and the Lakers from Los Angeles in 2010. That series, like this one, had the Celtics up 3-2, but in both cases, the Celts couldn't close the deal. Yes, they were a gritty bunch who made up in experience for what they lacked in youth and maybe talent (with the exception of Rajon Rondo). But I just can't get past how the Celtics couldn't execute when it mattered most.
In any event, the finals are definitely a mouth-watering series to contemplate, with the match-up between the most ascendant team in the league in the youthful Oklahoma City Thunder, and the team designed to win "not 5, not 6," but many NBA championships — LeBron James and the Heat.
This article appears in Jun 7-13, 2012.