Lakers Cry No Mas

I've been a Boston Celtics fan since 1974. I consider myself a fairly knowledgeable NBA guy, and a very knowledgeable Celtics guy.

One concept that has eluded me until the Tim Duncan Era is the notion of "imposing your will" on an opponent. He has popularized this concept by repeatedly stating the single deciding factor in games played between his Spurs and Shaq's Lakers was the team that was better able to impose their will on the other.

At it's root, the idea seems pretty simple.

"Will" is a Machiavellian concept derived from power. But since pro basketball is not professional boxing, I never fully grasped the nuances of the concept...until tonight.

The Boston Celtics absolutely owned the Los Angeles Lakers tonight at the Forum (forgive me for not calling it the Staples Center, I'm Old Skool). With seven minutes to go, the Celtics were up 18, and Kobe Bryant wasn't on the floor. The Celtics responded by taking out Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett.

The game was over.

Phil Jackson and the Lakers never even made another run. Never even attempted another run.

Surely Roberto Duran's ghost had found a seat somewhere on the Lakers bench.

The Celtics had so humiliated the Lakers that with seven minutes to go in the game, the Lakers were throwing in the towel. Either they couldn't be bothered with mustering up the energy for making a final run or they realized the futility of any such exercise.

What an outstanding acheivement for Doc Rivers and his troops.

I plan to give our boys ample print over the next week to celebrate this victory.

For now, however, it's time to unleash some venom on a team that doesn't deserve to wear the Lakers' colors.

The Boston Celtics similarly dominated the Los Angeles Lakers twice during the 1985-86 season. Neither game was close, and by "close" I mean there was never any doubt from the opening tip who would win. But when you look at the two scores, the games appear to have been competitive.

The Celtics beat the Lakers in the Forum by only six points, after earlier beating the Lakers by 15 in the Gah-den. In both games, Pat Riley, Magic Johnson, and company spent the second half making one attempt after another to orchestrate runs that would cut into large Celtic leads.

In both games, the Lakers successfully reduced the deficit to less than 10 points. Even if they hadn't cut the lead below 10, the point is they never gave up. They kept trying until the bitter end.

Not this Lakers team.

They quit playing with seven minutes to go. Every one I watched the game with came to the same conclusion simultaneously: the purple are just going through the motions and not even trying to compete anymore.

I never liked the 1980s Lakers. In fact, I thoroughly disliked them. But after tonight's game I have a new found respect for Pat Riley and his teams.

And to think Phil Jackson is considered a great motivator and a great coach, someone who deserves to be mentioned in the same breath with the all-time greats, like Pat Riley and Red Auerbach.

This purple team should be ashamed of itself, and every Laker great should be ashamed of it, too. I saw Jerry West was in attendance. I hope he says something. I hope Magic Johnson says something. I am embarrassed for the purple, and that is coming from a Celtics fan who derives ultimate pleasure any time the green crush the purple.

Phil Jackson?

He couldn't even get his team to make a run for the last seven minutes of a game he himself called a "statement" game. Seven minutes, no runs, no effort.

He couldn't even get his players to try.

I certainly don't see any greatness here.