ESPN Celts/Fakers Finals Poll

[Eja117]

Check this out. For the first time in my life I picked all the answers that the majority of fans picked

http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/sportsnation/polling?event_id=3507

[SShoreFan 2.0]

Check this out. For the first time in my life I picked all the answers that the majority of fans picked

http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/sportsnation/polling?event_id=3507

Which means you think Larry is better than Russell and that the Lakers will win in 6.

Disagree about Larry / agree about your prediction....I think I would have a different feeling towards this if the sereis wasn't 2-3-2

[Onslaught]

I did it the other day and came close. The one that got me was Larry Bird over Bill Russell as the greatest Celtic of all time question. I'm as big a Bird fan as you can find and he's my personal favorite NBA player of all time. But Bill Russell IS THE BOSTON CELTICS in my opinion and should be number one on this poll not Bird.

[Eja117]

Check this out. For the first time in my life I picked all the answers that the majority of fans picked

http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/sportsnation/polling?event_id=3507

Which means you think Larry is better than Russell and that the Lakers will win in 6.

Disagree about Larry / agree about your prediction....I think I would have a different feeling towards this if the sereis wasn't 2-3-2

Well this is the thing. On Larry and Russell I think if Larry hadn't had to play against Magic (and conversely for Magic) then he would have won more and if Bill had played against Magic he would have won less. Basically at that time in NBA history there were two Jordans. If Michael Jordan had played against an equal opposite called Jordan Michael neither player would be considered the BEST player ever.

On the prediction I did it objectively.

[Roy Hobbs]

I can't believe you guys picking against the Celts.  Sure, we struggled against Atlanta and Cleveland on the road, but we got our mojo back in Detroit.

We're winning this series.  Enough with the "objective" stuff; let's all be fans and get our hopes up a little.

(And in terms of objectivity, this is one of the best defenses in league history.  There's no doubt in my mind that we can slow the Lakers offense, and if Ray Allen shows up like he did in the past two games, this one has the potential to turn into a Boston rout.)

[fairweatherfan06]

I picked Russell over Bird, the Celtics winning tradition started with him.

[Green4ever]

is there any reason why they change the format for the finals, it gives an edge to the road teams. If we win the first two and then the lakers win the next three at home, then they have all the momentum.

[Roy Hobbs]

is there any reason why they change the format for the finals, it gives an edge to the road teams. If we win the first two and then the lakers win the next three at home, then they have all the momentum.

Only one home team in 20+ years has swept the three middle games.  The 2-3-2 format is a huge advantage for the team with home court advantage, *if* they can sweep the first two home games.  If the road team wins one of those games, though, they go back home with a big advantage.

The team with home court advantage has won the overwhelming majority of the series since the format was changed to 2-3-2.  It's not as much of a disadvantage as many think it is.

[wahz]

Here'e mine:

Boston in 6. We have won 5 of 7 and are getting it together, as its gotten tougher.

This idea of the Lakers bench being better is disgusting to me. We have Posey and PJ coming in. House/Casell as number 8. Powe/Baby as the 9th man. Tony can come in and harrass the crap out of Kobe if he is healthy. Yeah our 12th man was 20/8/6 in his last ten games last year before injury. But our bench sucks?? Watch and learn. Whats been so great about the LA bench? Yeah: NOTHING.

Pierce will be great on Kobe. watch and learn.

IF KG goes to hole they will have fun stopping him. Not.

Recall how Perk destroyed Bynum? Yeah the same Bynum who is supposed to make LA unbeatable next year(puke).

Watch Rondo blow by Fisher.

We will be just fine.

By the way, its awful they picked Larry over Bill. Heck, Hondo was a great Celtic than Larry. If you thinks its close, how come Hondo has HOW MANY MORE TITLES? You see HONDO saying bad things about our team or trying to beat us??

AUERBACH is the greatest celtic anyway. I mean GEEZ. who are those people who vote in these polls?

[Bahku]

First of all, though Larry is one of my all-time favorite players, Bill Russell is easily the greatest Celtic of all time ... no one has come close to doing what he did, or setting the same records. Secondly, I'm stunnned at the number of people who picked the Lakers over the C's.

I honestly believe that despite all the hype, this will be the easiest series in the playoffs for us so far. I think we match-up better than we did with Atlanta, Cleveland, or Detroit, and that we'll dominate the Lakers from the get-go. You may think I'm whack, but I say we win this series in five ... six games, tops.

The Lakers are an offensive team, period ... and we're a defensive team who's offense thrives because of it's defensive strength. So tell me, if we play defense like we're capable, what do the Lakers have left? Their biggest weapon is Kobe, and he always has trouble with Pierce. The only chance they have is of Kobe having a huge game, and even then, I doubt it will be enough to make up the difference.

I'm amazed that the media sees it so differently, and that so many people voted against us ... it seems so incredibly obvious to me that we're going to win this thing. Anyway ... time will tell, but I feel better about playing LA than I did every other team in the playoffs, and I'd put money on us allowing them only one or two wins. Go Celtics!

[CoachBo]

I can't believe you guys picking against the Celts.  Sure, we struggled against Atlanta and Cleveland on the road, but we got our mojo back in Detroit.

We're winning this series.  Enough with the "objective" stuff; let's all be fans and get our hopes up a little.

(And in terms of objectivity, this is one of the best defenses in league history.  There's no doubt in my mind that we can slow the Lakers offense, and if Ray Allen shows up like he did in the past two games, this one has the potential to turn into a Boston rout.)

Another TP for Roy.

I've been saying it for days: the Lakers have not been defended like we will defend them. They have no defensive matchup for KG. Fisher and Farmar are a matchup problem for them at the point. It'll be fun watching Gasol try to do something he's never done before - defend.

I like the matchup better than either of the last two. I'll say 6 games.

[Bostonsportfan]

I love how most experts are picking the Lakers to win on all the major sports sites. Despite the fact that the Celtics have defeated LA 8 of the previous ten times have, have never lost a finals game 7 (which some r predicting), and were 25-5 against the west this season. I think we have the advantage at PF,SF,and PG as well as on the bench and just like with Lebron and Co I think we will find a way to handle the Lakers and end up 9-2 against them.

[Eja117]

They need to show me major killer instinct and desire. They need to show not just aggressiveness, but nastiness, and until I see it I'm not gonna marry someone who just shows up.

Do I want them to win? Yes. Will I lie about how good I think they are till they convince me? No. Not

Bottom line: I need to see the Celts play at least 70% as hard as I play for free in a pickup game that means nothing, or 50% as hard as Bird played on a nightly basis . The last game in Detroit was a good start.

[Celtic]

As a quick knee jerk reaction I almost picked Bird, but after one second of thinking had to go with Russell. And of course, Celtics in six, the Lakers are not for real, and are about to face a defense that will demoralize them.

[Redz]

I can't believe you guys picking against the Celts.  Sure, we struggled against Atlanta and Cleveland on the road, but we got our mojo back in Detroit.

We're winning this series.  Enough with the "objective" stuff; let's all be fans and get our hopes up a little.

(And in terms of objectivity, this is one of the best defenses in league history.  There's no doubt in my mind that we can slow the Lakers offense, and if Ray Allen shows up like he did in the past two games, this one has the potential to turn into a Boston rout.)

I'm REALLY confident in improving my overall record of picking against the Lakers in this year playoffs to 1-3!