The Rich Get Richer

Clearly the Boston Celtics will have to try something different after the L.A. Lakers emphatically defeated them 102-89 to take a 1-0 lead in the NBA Finals. Perhaps Boston forward Rasheed Wallace (9 pts.)will comb his hair.

The bully took a shot to the nose and did not like it. Celtics Head Coach Doc Rivers summed it up best after the game when he said, "I thought the Lakers were clearly the more physical team today. I thought they were more aggressive. I thought they attacked us the entire night. I didn't think we handled it very well. They killed us on the glass."

The time had finally arrived to move on from this "toughness" debate.

Then Boston players were at the mic for post-game press sessions when they were fielding questions about THEIR toughness.

What ever happened to a team simply being better that night?

They say, "Nobody remembers second place," but that's not true anymore. Now second place is remembered, for being a bunch of sugar filled pastries.

Yes, in the 2008 finals Pau Gasol (23 pts. 14 rebs. 3 blks.) and L.A. literally got muscled off the court by the Celtics culminating in a 37 point whuppin' in the decisive Game 6. However Gasol responded vociferously with his performance in last year's playoffs as he improved in every statistical category from the previous year except assists. Even in this year's playoffs Gasol has been stout, especially when one considers how limited Andrew Bynum (10 pts. 6 rebs.) had been. His effort last night was the reason that the Celtics looked so meek with respect to inside play.

And yes, we are looking at you Kevin Garnett (16 pts. 4 rebs.). Honestly, four rebounds in 35 minutes?! If Garnett had to deliver forearm shivers to Magic center Dwight Howard in his team's last series, judging from last night's game, he's gonna have to give Gasol a drop-kick from the top rope to get an edge.

With regard to toughness, Gasol is singled out. We think Gasol's heart would hardly be questioned if he was from Eastern Russia rather than Spain. Spain just doesn't have that kind of reputation.

Speaking of tough after Ron Artest (15 pts.) and Paul Pierce (24 pts. 9 rebs.) did their MMA* impression 28 seconds into the game, the refs knew they had to quickly get this potential riot under control. The refs accomplished that end with their most effective crowd-control device, their whistles. Both teams combined for 18 personal fouls in the first period.

After his team closed out the Magic to reach The Finals, Doc Rivers proudly reminded everyone that, "This starting five has never lost a playoff series together."

Did you get the feeling that he had just jinxed his with that statement?

*MMA: Mixed Martial Arts