1 Down, Just 81 More to Go!

Last nights game was great, it is amazing to have the season back and between the Celtics and Laker games is looks hopeful we could have just seen our two future Finals teams win one of many.

First things first.  Is it me or is the game just not the same without Tommy Heinsohn?  There seemed no emotion in the game without Tommy getting worked up over bad calls and nearly coming out of his seat and onto the court to hug Paul Pierce when he hits a shot like he did in the waning moments of the matchup last evening.

Hopefully I don’t need to tell you much about what happened last night because you were watching as was everyone in New England, or they should have been.  But instead let me tell you what I really took away from that game.

First let me air the one negative and then finish strong with the positives.  Boston like last year has the talent to pull away from every team, but they do not have the disciple to stay vigilant and allow a team to squeak back.  In Boston’s defense they were playing against Wade and LeBron who started very cold and out-of-sync but LeBron actually found his feet and began to score but they had little if no chemistry.

On the positive side of things, Rajon Rondo looked awesome and with so much scoring power he played the pure point guard role and just kept putting the ball in the hands of Pierce and Allen.  You won’t ever hear a complaint from me if he does not push his shot, he is far more valuable making lanes for others then trying to drain a jumper.   If Rondo continues to play this role he will find defenses cheating off him that will at times open him up for huge lanes for the layup and a big game until people remember he can score when needed.  Likewise, Glen Davis looked awesome, Baby was all over the place taking down boards and putting up a bakers dozen in 30 minutes of court time.  If Baby can play like that night in and night out like I think he can making that time of space for him is a win-win.  And speaking of boards.  7 boards from Shaq in 18 minutes?  Just wow.  Imagine if he could freshly log 30-plus minutes and pull down upwards of 15 boards against a team like the heat?  Doc did good only playing him what he feels keeps Shaq most effective.

Across the Mississippi, through the Great Plains, down Route 66 over Roswell and into Hollywood there was another game just starting, and they were giving away our boys rings they so viciously stole from our grasp in June.  And like they did last summer they let their opponent get away and then came racing up from behind and stole it away like a purse snatching on the Venice Beach Boardwalk.  Kobe was electric with his continued dominance of the floor with 27 points but the real force in Laker Blue was Pau Gasol with 29 points and 11 boards.  But the scariest aspect of the game was Shannon Brown and Steve Blake combining for 26 points off the bench in a cool 21 minutes a piece while both dropping constant shots from the 3-point zone.  There second unit is no joke.

Last night was good, but it is a long road to the Finals.  And I hope Baby keeps rocking the mohawk this season.  AYO!

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