Let's check out some of the headlines from around the country on the NBA Finals:
L.A. Daily News - "The Lakers, the No. 1-seeded team in the Western Conference, and the
Boston Celtics, the top-seeded team in the Eastern Conference, will
play for the NBA championship starting Thursday night in Boston.
It will be purple-and-gold against green-and-white, West vs. East, and
youngsters battling veterans in a rekindling of the league's most
storied rivalry.
How perfect.
"I think the right two teams are playing each other," Boston coach Doc
Rivers said after the Lakers eliminated the San Antonio Spurs on
Thursday and the Celtics sent the Detroit Pistons on vacation Friday. "
New York Times - "Growing
up in Inglewood, Calif., the home of the Forum, Paul Pierce loved his
hometown Lakers and, not surprisingly, formed an entirely different
impression of their biggest rival. “As I kid, I hated the Celtics,”
Pierce said Friday night, laughing.
Opponents in three N.B.A. finals in the 1980s, the Boston Celtics and
the Los Angeles Lakers will tangle in the championship round once more.
Pierce, now 30, has considerably more invested in the outcome than a
child’s rooting interest.
And, yes, his loyalties have changed."
Denver Post - "The
Lakers will play the Celtics in the NBA Finals, and though reports may
be premature, word is that commissioner David Stern was spotted rioting
in the streets, turning over cars in a frenzied celebration.
Jokes aside, this is pretty cool for the league. Say all you want about
the Spurs' dynasty and the Pistons' teamwork and, from a year ago, the
rise of the Cavaliers' golden child. The fact is, the two winningest
franchises — each from a huge city on either coast, each with enough
history to fill a textbook — will meet on the NBA's grandest stage.
While it's easy to get smothered by the full-court press of story
lines, one that should come into focus is that of Kobe Bean Bryant.
Is he the greatest player of all time? "
Boston Herald -"Kevin
Garnett looked dazed, and admitted as much.
Seated next to Paul Pierce on the postgame podium, each with an Eastern
Conference champions hat cocked at different angles, Garnett shook his
head slowly and tried to explain the sensation.
But that was difficult. The Celtics had just taken down an exceedingly
tough and experienced Detroit team in six games - and closed it out on
the road no less - and Garnett looked like he had just learned of the
result from a news report while dozing off on his living room couch."
Boston Herald - "The
result hasn’t always left a secure feeling.
There still are times when the quality of Rajon Rondo [stats]’s play
fluctuates like a tidal pool.
But the second-year point guard remains standing after 20 playoff games
with the NBA Finals and Los Angeles Lakers due up as his next
challenge. Thus far, with the help of his more celebrated teammates,
Rondo has withstood everything thrown at him."
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