Lakers v. Celtics - Preview

From: DY
Sent: Friday, May 30, 2008 5:29 PM
To: Steve
Subject: Reverse Jinxing bastard

I hate the sports guy:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/080530

I can't figure out if this is a reverse jinx or a straight up jinx, but I hate the Sports Guy so much right now, I wish he had to go watch Sex and the City. Strong words I know but still...

From: Steve
To: DY
Subject: RE: Reverse Jinxing bastard

Steve wrote:

I’m trying to get Robin to get into the spirit of these Finals. Again, not a basketball fan. However, she made a comment about how it’s hard to get into the series knowing that the Lakers are the better team and the Celtics are probably going to lose. How’s that for another jinx!?

The Boston sports fans are in cahoots on this thing. It’s like they all got together at some top secret location (probably a Dunkin’ Donuts somewhere) and developed a single game plan on how to root for their Celtics in this series. And that game plan is the “We don’t stand a chance, double reverse hexing jinx plan.”

From: DY
Sent: Monday, June 02, 2008 11:46 AM
To: Steve
Subject: RE: Reverse Jinxing bastard

I really really cannot stand Celtics fans bullshit talk right now:

1) Blatantly jinxing or reverse jinxing

2) How the Lakers fans are "front runners" just like Kobe??? What the hell is that? KG and Ray Allen aren't front runners because they've been with the same team for so long right? I was up in Central cali for the long weekend and saw a guy in a brand spanking new KG jersey that still had the creases in it from being folded up in a box. I wanted to run him over with my car.

3) Saying that Gasol was a slimy steal of a trade because West was a GM at Memphis a year BEFORE the trade happened. He didn't sign the trade, that other idiot did. That's FLAT OUT BULLSHIT! WHO SIGNED THE EFFING PAPERS FOR THE KG TRADE???? KEVIN EFFIING DIRTY CHEAP SHOT CLOTHESLINE MCHALE!!! HE WAS THE ACTUAL EFFING GM OF THAT TRADE!!!

I think I need to calm down...

From: Steve
Sent: Monday, June 02, 2008 12:00 PM
To: DYSubject:
RE: Reverse Jinxing bastard

What does “front runners” mean? Is that the same as being fair weather fans? If anyone accuses Lakers fans of being fair weather fans, that’s completely absurd. Anyone who knows the least bit about sports knows that of all the professional teams in L.A., no team owns L.A. fans like the Lakers do. No L.A. team (and probably very few teams in any town in any sport) enjoys the devoted loyalty that the Lakers do from their fans.

This has been a Lakers town since a 20-year old Magic Johnson took the floor at the Forum back in 1979-80 and it will remain the Lakers’ town for many, many years. Unless the Dodgers, Angels or Kings rip off about 6 or 7 titles in the next 10 years, nothing’s changing around here.
I loved how the owner of the Celtics said “We’re 8 and 2” when talking about the Celtics versus Lakers in the Finals over the years, only to have Jerry West (I think it was West?) point out that they also failed to make the playoffs in 12 of the last 21 years since they played in the Finals.

Sweet.

From: Steve
To: DY
Subject: RE: Reverse Jinxing bastard

Steve wrote:

I just went back and read the chat session from SGs column.
http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/chatESPN?event_id=20902
You’re right. Very frustrating to read some of those things. I’m sure we’ll feel better in a few weeks. Although, I agree with everything written about the Lakers car flags. Somehow, that’s always seemed disingenuous to me. This coming from a guy, by the way, who rocks a Dodgers and Patriots flag from a 20’ flagpole in front of his home on the days of big games.

I work with a guy (Lakers fan) who predicts the Lakers in 6. I say no way. It’s gotta be 5 or 7. There’s no way, with the 2-3-2 format the Lakers win 2 out of 3 games held in Boston. They win 1 of 2 OR 2 of 4 in beantown, but not 2 of 3. If the Lakers steal 1 of the first 2 in Boston and win a squeaker in game 3 at home, it’s over in 5 – with a couple of 10+ point victories in games 4 and 5. Otherwise, I’m saying Lakers in 7 for this series.

From: DY
Sent: Monday, June 02, 2008 2:26 PM
To: Steve
Subject: Re: FW: Reverse Jinxing bastard

If we win, I'm thinking the same thing, we're really banking a lot on Gasol. Honestly I think this thing could go 7 games. I think the Lakers best shot at stealing it is taking the first game. Check out this analysis of the type of defense that the Celtics played against Kobe in the first two meetings (yes without Gasol) but I think the game plan is frighteningly sound and will be employed this time. Who knows how Gasol changes this, he better have a monster game against Perkins and KG...
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-32-261/When-the-Celtics-Played-the-Lakers.html?lpos=spotlight&lid=tab1pos2

Really great article but VERY long.

From: Steve
To: DY
Subject: RE: Reverse Jinxing bastard

Steve wrote:

If the Celtics’ game plan involves laying off Kobe, forcing him to hit perimeter shots, I’ll take those odds. Just because it ‘worked’ in the regular season for two games separated by three months – that don’t mean squat. Kobe’s not going to be cold for an entire freakin’ series. He’s not Manu Ginobili for Christ’s sake. Kobe’s the best player in this series AND, I might add, the most experienced player on either team at this level of the playoffs. He smells blood in the water and he will not be denied this opportunity to win a championship after getting this close. Especially, knowing how hard these opportunities are to come by (see the last 4 years).

And another thing, if Doc Rivers is devising a game plan around Kobe Bryant, he’s making the worst coaching mistake of his life, not to mention the fact that he’s wasting his time. He needs to forget about any plan that involves Kobe and focus on things his team can actually have a shot at controlling and might be effective with. You can’t call for a plan that makes him shoot perimeter shots and you can’t try to beat him up (one of the toughest dudes in the league). You just have to let him be Kobe and hope you can contain the rest of the team. Focus on taking a Gasol or an Odom out of games for the entire series. That’s your only chance. After 12 years of watching Kobe run roughshod over this league, I would hope that even Doc Rivers can recognize that there is no effective game plan for stopping Kobe.

From: DY
Sent: Monday, June 02, 2008 3:26 PM
To: Steve
Subject: RE: FW: Reverse Jinxing bastard

I do agree that Kobe is the best player in the game right now, however sometimes he gets into the whole Mano a mano thing. If he gets caught up in embarrassing Ray Allen (which he DEFINITELY can do) he's going to bring the whole team game down. He's so easily tempted by the opposition to take every shot. Odom and Gasol stop moving without the ball and our offense becomes easier to slow down. If he does what's made the Lakers successful up until now, we are in good hands. If he gets sucked into dominating the one on one game with Allen, we may be in for a long series.

YES every game of the series is a GOTW...