The Boston Celtics won their seventeenth NBA title against the Los Angeles Lakers, not with a last second shot to be remembered for eternity, but a thirty-nine-point obliteration in Game 6. For the entire playoffs I did something I rarely do in sports, I cheered for the two number one seeds in the playoffs instead of rooting for the underdogs. I prayed that I could sit down at my television with a piece of pizza in my hand and witness historic games that I could reminisce to my kids about someday. Two weeks ago I watched ESPN Classics from the 1980’s replay all the great Celtics-Lakers games of the 1980’s between the Geeky Celtics with Larry Bird’s Afro Mullet, Kevin “I am going to give away an MVP for some wash-ups to my old team” McHale and Robert “The Chief” Parish verse the hip, yes hip Lakers with Magic (Do You Believe in Magic) Johnson, Airplane’s Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and known prostitute visitor James Worthy.

I psyched myself up for the new rejuvenated Celtics-Lakers rivalry. Unfortunately two weeks later, I sit here disappointed after watching the Los Angeles Lakers and Kobe Bryant, give up in the NBA FINALS like the Little League World Series teams in that South Park episode. Generally when a team is losing by twenty odd points at half time with their season on the line, they come back in the second half with a newfound desire and drive to win. Did that happen? Nope. Did Kobe Bryant prove to the world that he has the ability to lead a team by himself? Nope. The Boston Celtics stretched that twenty-point lead to over thirty points and even forty points. The Lakers appeared two minutes into the half to have completely given up. The Celtics fans legitimately chanted “This One’s Over” or sang “Na Na Na Na Hey Hey Hey, Goodbye” with over ten minutes left in the game. That was depressing. I actually found myself changing channels in the middle of the game to watch the bloody San Francisco Giants play the Detroit Tigers (two of the worst baseball teams in the MLB) play a baseball game in the fourth inning in a 0-0 game, because I found it more exciting! Yes, I called a baseball game where nothing was happening more exciting than the NBA finals, something I thought I would never say, and hopefully will never have to again in my lifetime.

I cheered for Boston and L.A. all playoffs for a couple of reasons, 1) the Warriors unfortunately missed the playoffs with forty-eight wins, don’t get me started on that one, 2) I wanted to witness the historic rivalry, NOT (sorry Wayne’s World has been on rerun all weekend to promote Mike Myers new terrible movie), 3) I did not want to watch Tim Duncan win another championship, 4) I have always liked Paul Pierce, and 5) Frankly there is something appealing about Green and White against Gold and Purple, I don’t know what it is, but I am as attracted to it as watching Jessica Alba on the big screen.

But I would have rather have watched Boston play any other team in the playoffs in Game 6 after the Lakers performance. I mean the Atlanta Hawks!!!!!! Yes the Atlanta Hawks took the Celtics to seven games and made every game close, and exciting. Now the Hawks only won thirty-seven games all year (yes the Warriors won eleven more than them), and I doubt that anyone who does not follow the NBA very closely could name 3 players on the Hawks and most people could not name one. Once I would reveal the names of players on the team, sports followers responses would follow as: “I thought Mike Bibby was still on the Kings”, “O that’s where Joe Johnson went after he left the Suns”, “Josh Smith, he won the dunk contest right?” and “Al Horford and Marvin Williams play in the NBA now.”

That team of no-names played better against the Celtics than the Lakers because they had nothing to lose. They played with heart and fight inside of them! The Lakers are an assortment of prima donnas, Euros and youngsters. They all turned in six-year old girls in the second half of Game 6, looking like they needed their mom to cuddle with them, not like the best team in the NBA. The Lakers bench featured Luke Walton confused about what was happening (I am convinced he and his dad are retarded after their father-son special on Father’s Day), Vladimir Radmanovic watching a real three point shooter make seven 3’s, and Sasha Vujacic crying about the elbow he received five minutes earlier; ALL sitting down. While the Celtics bench was never on the bench all game, but standing up cheering after every play, very involved in the game and ready to play in the game with their cheerleader Eddie House leading them. One of the reasons the Celtics won, they wanted it more, and it’s funny how that works huh.

Paul Pierce can now actually be called “The Truth.” It only took him ten years, but he has finally delivered number seventeen. Kevin Garnett enthusiastically yelled at the media after the game, “What can you say now?” And he is right. He will not be put in the category with players like Charles Barkley, Reggie Miller and Barry Bonds like he seemed destined to be acknowledged amongst. Ray Allen proved in the finals that he was not a wash-up veteran, but could still light it up in the clutch. Denzel would have no chance against him now in He Got Game. And Leon Powe, Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins look to have promising careers. The Celtics will continue to be a dominant team next season.

Unfortunately for the Lakers all their players will now be remembered for their devastating performance. I do not care if the Lakers acquire some superstar in the next couple of years and Kobe Bryant wins three more NBA Titles, he will never be MJ! Kobe is a tremendous player and by the end of his career could breech the top five all-time and should be a top ten, but never in the same class as Michael. I personally thought the comparison was unfair to Kobe in the first place, but after failing to lead his team in a do-or-die situation, ruined his chances of MJ status permanently. The 2008 NBA finals might be on ESPN Classics in 10 years to honor Kevin Garnett or Paul Pierce and their inductions into the Hall of Fame (I am predicting at least one more title from them), but not because it will rank amongst the best series of all time.

In Conclusion, I just want to say to Los Angeles that I am sorry, but you deserved to lose after that finals effort. Congratulations on a tremendous playoff run by racing through the Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz and San Antonio Spurs. But just because every sports analyst was favoring the Lakers to win does not mean the Larry O’Brien trophy will fall into your lap. L.A. it was good to see you lose, just because I hate all Los Angeles teams, but that was disgraceful!