The Celtics Are In the Finals Too

[Frontierboy]

I think it's funny that all the talk is how the Celtics will defend Kobe instead of how the Lakers will defend the Big 3......

Makes no sense...... I mean, the big 3's scoring averages combined more than dwarf Kobe's scoring average.........

[wdleehi]

Even listening to ESPN videos about the series makes me sick.


Celtics have little chance.


All the match ups favor the Lakers. 

http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/videopage?&brand=null&videoId=3424835&n8pe6c=1




Sounds to me similar to what experts were saying about the Giants/Pats SB.  Except I think experts seem to give more of a chance to the Giants then they are giving to the Lakers. 

[Oldschoolkid]

This is exactly right, they are just jumping on the Kobe bandwagon, all ready to crown him.....And it is true about PP getting dissed, he doesn't get any where near the respect calls Kobe, Lebron et all get.......look at that crazy 3 pointer foul they called on PP when hamilton jumped into Paul......Kobe would have gotten 2 calls out of that one...! Steven Smith picked LA....then the ESPN guys showed him some tape.....of Stevie picking DENVER to come out of the west this year....hahaha, nice Steve, how do those words taste, get ready to eat some more!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Donoghus]

ESPN is definitely driving this sentiment.  No question.  The defacto storyling being pushed in the mainstream media right now is something along the lines of "The Coronation of Kobe Bryant".  ESPN, traditionally, has pushed individuals over teams and this instance is no different.  It's funny to see just how overboard this storyline is being played and it has created this offshoot storyline that the "Celtics have Little Chance". 

I wrote back towards the end of the regular season how I felt that ESPN was the driving force behind the "Kobe Bryant for MVP" while downplaying the equally deserving merits of Chris Paul.  This latest case is just another example of ESPN trying to create the next "Big Thing" rather than letting things run its course and let the public decide.  IMO, ESPN is basically telling the public to believe this and since they are such a powerful entity, it definitely influences the public. 

[pslakerfan]

 I'm hoping that Paul will shut Kobe down so completely that they'll have to take notice ...

I wouldn't take that to the bank.  On another note at least you have Mike and Mike.  They haven't mentioned the Lakers once yet.  It's all Celtics, all the time.

[Hoops]

There's no question but what this media attention puts more pressure on the Lakers. In general, if the objective view is that a series is fairly evenly matched and the media blatantly pushes a story that makes one team the presumptive favorite, it puts a ton of extra pressure on the favorite. And I think the media knows it. It doesn't mean the media WANTS the underdog to win, but they know that it makes for a better storyline in the end. If the favorite comes through and wins, they can rehash the coronation stories for another couple of weeks. If the underdog wins, then they get to generate all kinds of new stories about the underdog climbing the mountain and overthrowing the mighty king. Or even better, they get to write stories about the mighty fall of the king - there's no better storyline than that fall of a Goliath.

[LarBrd33]

Well they had a front page about Pierce a couple days ago and how he plays in LA.   And then there was that truehoop article they had on the front page with the headline, "Advantage, C's?" as if it was some crazy "out there" suggestion.   Kinda how we use to feel when we'd see some ridiculous article like, "Kobe better than Jordan?".

The media is definitely very slanted to Los Angeles.   Hopefully we can shock em and win the first 2 at home.

[wdleehi]

It is a miracle.  Someone on ESPN picked the Celtics.


http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dime-080605



Way to go Legler. 

[CelticsPrideKG]

I'm actually surprised to hear Cowherd has somewhat come to the defense of the C's this morning.  I'm not sure if he's picking them but he made some valid points in defending them to a journalist he had on that was basically saying the Lakers couldn't be beat and noone could play with them.

Cowherd basically defended the C's saying it could be argued that they kind of coasted against Atlanta because they knew how much better they were and were still developing that killer instinct as a team.  He said they turned it on once they got to Detroit and seemed to be back to the dominant Celtics through most of that series.

So far that's about all the positive praise I've heard in mainstream media for the Celtics outside of Legler.

[wdleehi]

Mike Golic picked the Celtics in 7 (before the season) and is staying with them. 

[PointGaurd]

Every analyst picked Cleveland to win, Then they all picked Detroit.  Does it surprise anyone that they are picking L.A.?

I'm totally thinking they are just misleading the public to sway the odds or something.  I'm going to Vegas baby!! Celtics all the way!! 

No but seriously, either all of the sports world outside of Boston is stupid or we're just the smartest sports fans in the world!!