The Six-Game Sweep Theory

On a day where all my posts feature commentary from Grampa Celtic, let's continue the theme with one more. I've noted on a couple of occasions that Bob Ryan called the 2008 NBA Finals the first six-game sweep in history. Just rhetorical flourish by a Celtics fan, I figured.

But, alas, I found a Laker fan who lends credence to this idea.

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After one of the most memorable (or forgettable) collapses in recent sports history, the Los Angeles Lakers now stare at a nearly insurmountable 3-1 deficit against the far superior and eventual champion Boston Celtics. In Thursday’s Game Four, the uninspired and now downtrodden Lakers led by as many as twenty points midway through the third quarter, yet they somehow managed to grab defeat from the jaws of victory. To be sure, it was the largest comeback in Finals history in the shot clock era. It was the 2007 Mets, 2004 Yankees and 1978 Red Sox all rolled into one. And all Kobe Bryant had to say in his post-game press conference is how he wanted to go out and get drunk on… wine, beer and twenty shots, to be exact. Is this a champion’s reaction? Can we once and for all end the comparisons between Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan? Michael never lost in the Finals. Kobe’s about to lose his second.

Honestly, is there anybody inside or outside that locker room that thinks the Lakers still have a chance at a title? How is this the same Lakers team that beat the defending champion San Antonio Spurs? The team that suited up last night didn’t look like they could beat an NBDL team. They scored 33 points in the second half. That's two less than they scored in the first quarter. So much for consistency.

What’s even more amazing is that the Lakers led the first quarter by the largest margin in Finals history, outscoring the Celtics 35-14. Then they got lazy. They abandoned the triangle and failed to keep their foot on the neck of their opponents by settling for jump shots. How did the Zen Master let this happen?

I can’t lay all this on the Lakers. The Celtics played a great game. In fact, they probably should have won Game Three. Technically this series should be over by now. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always been a proponent of more basketball, but not this brand. I’m not even a Lakers fan and I feel deflated after watching that massacre. I can only imagine what they’re going through. It got so bad last night, Lakers fans were cheering on the Celtics. Who does that??

At the beginning of this series, Kobe Bryant said his Finals experience has shown him that a team can want it as bad as anyone, but it all boils down to execution. Well the Celtics are doing both… wanting and winning.

I give tremendous credit and praise to Doc Rivers and his coaching staff. They were able to tap into and inspire a team of men in Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce that wanted to be remembered as champions. If you’re an NBA fan, you have to be happy for these guys.