The Greatest Finals ever!

After a 21 year lay-off, the Celtics are back in the NBA finals, facing their old rivals from the 1980's - the Lakers. Both teams were the #1 seeds in their respective conferences, but the long path to the Finals was not easy, especially for the Celtics. All sports fans, wanted both teams to face one another for the NBA title, not because they are the two best teams in the league, but, because this coming series reminds us all of the great showdowns of the 1980's.

It is hard to compare todays teams to those that played 2 decades ago, not because the game has changed, but because the players have. Todays NBA players are different, they are more money oriented, they play hard for their next big contract and not for the city and franchise they represent. Bird, Magic, Worthy and Mchale played hard, and they were proud to be a Celtic or a Laker. They stayed loyal to their team, never asked to be traded, and ended their great careers on the teams that drafted them. Today, it is rare to see this loyalty, even the great Kobe Bryant, asked to be traded, he was willing to but his purple and gold #24 aside, and leave for a better team. Luckily for him, things ended up turning out all right (a lot thanks to Memphis GM Jerry West whom traded away Gasol to the Lakers).

When the Lakers and Celtics play, I still get the fealing that they are playing for something bigger than money...tradition. Not once have the Celtics players mentioned Red Auerbachs name in pre and post game interviews. Pierce even stated that Red tapped his last minute free throw in during the game 7 against the Cavs. KG had a very touching interview with Bill Russel on ESPN. You could see in KGs eyes how excited and emotional he was to sit in the same room as the Celtice great. KG is a great player, and he is playing to win the title, but you can see that he is also playing for Celtic pride.

On the Lakers, it is a little more difficult to spot the connection between the playes and the teams history. Kobe was very excited to get the Western Conference trophy from Jerry West. Once in a while you do hear the players talking about what it means to be a Laker.

I personally think the Celtics will take the title in 6 games, but for me, even it all the games will end up boring, once again having these 2 great franchises playing head to head for the title excites me.