I've been trying to post this for several days now, and wanted to post a Lakers-Celts preview earlier but for some reason the "creat post" button is invisible as are all the other (sign in, create blog etc) buttons. Can we fix that Kev? I had to click in the dark to eventually find it. Anyway, this is what I intended to post after Game 1 of the finals.
That's a pretty good highlight reel from Garnett. He was a beast even if he missed 9 straight shots, but here's the thing, they were good shots. Yeah sure you could say that there is absolutely no reason in the world for the Big Ticket to be settling for 17-20 foot jumpers, but in that situation that paragon of virtue regarding all things "big man", Tim Duncan, would probably have done the same thing. Garnett is a sniper from that range. Like the millionaire's Kurt Thomas. It just so happened that on that particular day (and then three days later) the shot wasn't falling. Nobody told the slumping Jesus to quit shooting 3's. The perception is different because Allen is seen more as a one-dimensional player, a specialist bomber, and so if that one dimension deserts him he needs to get it back. Since Garnett is a more "versatile" player, the perception is that if that one aspect of his game isn't working then try something else. Fair enough. He can post up with the best of them. But open jumpers are a hard thing to pass up when you've made better than 50% of them your entire career. Consider it this way. Kobe is about as versatile a player as there is in the NBA. However, he can take and miss 10 straight wide-open jumpers without a hint of the recrimination facing KG. Despite the fact that the two of them have scored the majority of the points in their career with that mid-ranged jumper, contested or uncontested. Despite the fact that Garnett has a higher FG% than Kobe. Despite the fact that the previous two sentences imply that perhaps you'd be better off letting Garnett shoot that shot than Kobe. Am I missing something?
But that isn't the real point of the post. That highlight reel missed what was, to me, the play of the game. Sometime in the third quarter Cassell threw an errant pass to Garnett on a pick and roll at the top of the key. Garnett was moving towards the basket, Cassell threw the ball at the giant Championship logo at center court. But somehow Garnett turned around, chased after the ball, jumped from the front-court, caught the ball in mid-air and threw it back to Cassell or Allen who passed it to an open player for a wide open jumpshot. That, and not the putback jam, was the most spectacular play of the game from Garnett or from anyone. You don't see something like that every day. Even though I think that the Lakers are a marginally more talented team and a vastly better coached team, I think the effort might be what makes the difference.
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the kg backcourt save was in the fourth qtr about the 8 and half minute mark left in the game. he saved it to ray allen. ray passed it to cassell for a top of the key 20 footer (as the shot clock expired) that put them up 4. it was back and forth before this with the celtics up 4 at the start of the quarter. lakers kept cutting it to 2. this play made it 4. kobe turned the ball over on the ensuing possession on a pass to luke walton and posey hits a 3. celtics go up 7, timeout lakers. lakers never recovered. that was the play of the game. that painted trophy at midcourt covered the backcourt line tho. it looks like kg stepped on it but you cant see the line. gasol got called on backcourt violation earlier in the game also.
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