Coach Phil Jackson and his Lakers boys were able to evade a shameful defeat in Game 5 of NBA Finals at Staple Center to the rampaging Celtics gang making the series a 3-2 standing. Though Kobe “The Black Mamba” is applauded for a grand performance to save his team from an early demise, I would attribute the intensity of the supporting casts, especially Pau Gasol, as a major force in the win. The Black Mamba was not that as spectacular as he could be. Kobe was basically shut down most of the second half.
Nevertheless, that is over. Game 6 will be played several hours from now back at the Boston Garden to the revenge and expected dominance of the Celtics triad (Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen).
This series is considered a done deal since the Celtics posted a 3-1 game standing. In the history of NBA Finals there is still a team that has to overcome such a hurdle and get out such a deep hole that everybody smells already the O’Brien Trophy going to the Celtics boys.
I root for the Celtics and want a championship ring both for KG and Ray “Candy Man” Allen. Yet, in times like this I also root for a team that is challenged to perform the unthinkable: win three straight games with two on the road.
Right now, I can vividly see coach Phil Jackson as compose and calm as ever like a Zen master talking to his boys in a hoarse yet clear voice that the series is not over. Like a true Zen practitioner what did he say to his boys in the dug-out during Game 5: “Run your offense and you will find it.” And found the Lakers did in extricating themselves to the choking defense of the Celtics.
In Game 6, it is expected that Jackson will pull another conjurer’s trick from his pocket. This man basically sees more than what any coach out there see in the game of basketball. Forget about the triangle offense. It is more than that. And attribute this to his Zen philosophy.
As the history of the NBA Finals says there is still a team to rebound from a 3-1 rout to win the series. The Lakers proved that if they can be hungry as a pack of wolves they can overcome a 20-point lead by sheer tenacity and intensity. Everything is possible. There is no such thing as gravity to this team when they listen to the words of their coach.
If the Lakers win Game 6, can this be the historic first of a team overcoming a 3-1 series standing? With all probability that is possible. The dead match Game 7 will surely go along the side of the Lakers and Celtics by then will be pushed against the wall with their knees wobbling and their minds shocked at what could be an upset in the making.
But only if the Black Mamba is as mature as Air Jordan. We’ll see.
2 comments:
Kuya Ern, Panalo ang Celtics!! Heheh. :p
Keep blogging, lagyan mo ng Google adsense tong blog mo.
Ang totoo Celtics ako. Bago maglaban 4-2 hula ko for Celtics. Pero as the series went on, gusto ko magkaroon ng historic first na mayroon nakarebound from 3-1 standing to win the Finals. Wala pa kasi e. E elibs din ako kay Phil Jackson, zen practitioner e. hehehehe
Post a Comment