SI Cover: "The Once and Future Celtics"

The Road to Triumph - Boston Franchise (The Third Act)

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Witnessing Celtics' 17th championship is bitter-sweet, whether you are Boston fan or not.

The triumph marks the end to their 22 years of wilderness and setting whole list of new NBA benchmarks, but more significantly, it demonstrates a group of people with good hearts making it through perseverance, commitment and integrity.

Everyone by now knows Paul Pierce as a player. But as a person, he personifies someone who is willing to face and grow from his untidy history, instead of turning away from it and starting over.

Kevin Garnett personifies a gifted individual, who is willing to carry the responsibility that comes with it. It means sticking to it through tough time and surrounded by public criticism.

Ray Allen personifies role model of the team, the franchise and the community, who serves that role with discipline and commitment.

But we are not just talking about the players.

Doc Rivers is someone who possesses consistent work ethics - day after day even when his team is lousy, and with accountability - even if losing his job. He treats all his players with respect and they, including the bench, are willing to play hard.

Danny Ainge resembles a family-oriented guy both privately and professionally. He serves his Celtics' root with persistence and patient. Ainge understands that it takes time to assemble a team with the right attitude for the game. He values individual heart, genuineness and work ethics.

Wyc Grousbeck, the co-owner of Celtics, resembles a businessman with good heart and perspective in life. He interacts with the community, building working relationship and getting advice from other owners of the Red Sox and Patriots. These owners who are visible and accountable, have vowed to spend the requisite amount of money to field winning teams. Team A and Team B are always pulling for Team C, and joining hand in community fund-raising. The revival of these franchises mirros what's happening to Boston as a whole.

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Their triumph is truely a powerful testimony to other player and management in the league, in which team-success is far more gratifying than 'me-first' or financial fulfillment. And community involvement will serve well in the business world.

NBA Finals (Game 6) Highlight

After the game, Kevin Garnett hugged Bill Russell and said, "I got my own now." Garnett is responding to their early conversation, in which Russell predicting a championship ring.

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The Celtics wins their 17th championship, playing their best game to finish the season. For almost eight months, they have demonstrated consistent defence as a unit and alone the way, they overcome numerous adversity.

Watch NBA TV game highlight (highlight1, highlight2) and post-game press (Rivers, Pierce, Allen & Rondo).

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Ray Allen rebounds after he's been poked in eye in first-half, when he was already playing with the weight of a family crisis on his shoulders, hitting seven triples and 26 points in total. Both Garnett and Rondo are determined to rebound from their sub-par performance last game right from the start. Garnett records 26 points and 14 rebounds. Rondo records 21 points, 8 assists and 6 steals.

Pierce looks really tired, but still makes up with 17 points and 10 assists. For a moment I worry that he has nothing left in him, thanks God his teammates have taken the load off him.

NBA Finals (Game 5) Highlight, After-thought

The Lakers adds aggressiveness to their game ... bringing to the basket and scoring down low. In the first-half they come out firing and play with desperation. But in the second, their play are more conservative and scrappy at times. Pau Gasol is in attacking mode throughout. He and Lamar Odom plays mostly under the basket.

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Watch NBA TV game highlight (highlight1, highlight2) and post-game press (Rivers, Pierce, Garnett).

With Kendrick Perkins out and Kevin Garnett in early foul trouble, the Celtics has lost their edge in the paint. Towards the end of fourth quarter, Garnett, PJ Brown and Pierce are playing with 5 fouls. But the C's is still in the game with one minute left, partly help by the scrappy defence by the Lakers.

With Rondo mostly on the bench, Lakers takes advantage of the lack of quickness in the PG position, repeatly attacking before the C's can setup their defence.

Pierce, who has played the whole game, has 38 points and 8 assists.

While it's now obvious that Celtics is the better team in this series, their window of winning it is actually closing gradually with their physical condition. For Perkins, even if he could play the next game, it will be tough for him to be effective with his strain shoulder which is the same one being operated previously. Rondo's bruise ankle has already taken away his aggressiveness since. The biggest fear is Pierce and his bum knee and twisted ankle. He will be irreplacable if he goes down.

NBA Finals (Game 4) Highlight

This game shows that Celtics has stronger will and the Lakers cannot match.

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Yes, the C's play perhaps the best second-half in this series. But entering the second quarter, when nothing is going for them and trailing by 21 points, they focus to compete instead of worrying about the deficit. And after they fight hard to cut the margin to 12 midway, and then later losing the momentum to end the quarter when L's brings the lead back to 18, the C's comes out and still determines to compete.

Watch NBA TV game highlight (highlight1, highlight2) and post-game press (Rivers, Pierce, Garnett).

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In the fourth, the Big Three are taking turn to make play ... Ray Allen's dribble-driving or distributing to open shooter, Pierce's defending Kobe and penetrating on the other end, Garnett's posting and rebounding. Together with Eddie House and James Posey on the floor, they play in unity and trusting each other ... something that is missing from their opponents.

Ray Allen, who plays all 48 minutes, has 19 points and 9 rebounds.

NBA Finals (Game 3) Highlight

When Boston Garden is filled with died-heart fans, the Staples Center has their LA stars.

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As expected, the Lakers play with agressiveness. By getting to the paint, Kobe who scores 36 points is able to either making play or drawing foul. By doing so, they are getting high-pecentage shots. Had not been the poor free-throw shooting, the L's could have pulled away much early.

Watch NBA game highlight (highlight1, highlight2) and post-game press (press1, press2, press3).

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Lakers have made adjustment by switching Kobe and Fisher to defend their counterparts. It creates a few mismatch opportunity early for their transition offence. It also enables Kobe to serve as help defence when he can temporary leave his man.

Kobe has done a better job in penetrating Celtics' defence scheme, by continue dribbing past the C's help defence into the gap and paint area.

Lakers' bench, Sasha Vujacic in particular, outscores Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce combined.

The Celtics, other than Ray Allen, has a poor shooting game. But their defence and Ray Allen's offence has kept it within striking distance. As poor as their shooting, they are still in the game with a minute left.

Pierce doesn't seem to have his quickness throughout the game, most possibly because of his knee still hurting. C's also misses Rajon Rondo down the stretch, bordered by sprain ankle.

NBA Finals (Game 2) Highlight

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With the uncertainty of Pierce's right knee, the Celtics play with more urgency in the first three quarters. This is partly reflected in the disparity of free-throw attempt, 38-10 to their favour. But it is also to do with the somewhat surprising inexperience of the Lakers, unable to counter the momentum when needed and playing soft at time. It results a 22 points lead for the C's into fourth quarter. The C's then becomes complacent, and the L's is able to build on their momentum.

Watch NBA TV game highlight (highlight1, highlight2) and postgame press (press1, press2).

Lakers' 41 points quarter is their largest against the Celtics in the playoff. This will give them psychological edge going back home. They have made a number of adjustment including establishing the post-game using Pau Gasol, and isolating Kobe at times to prevent C's defence help.

Celtics have played an efficient game, registered 31 assists and 52.9% shooting. The way they play is just nice to watch. It seems that the whole team, including the bench, is now peaking.

Pierce has 28 points and 8 assists. Leon Powe comes off the bench for 21 points. Rajon Rondo has 16 assists. Kevin Garnett and PJ Brown, in my opinion, are the unsung heros, defending the pick-n-roll and playing tough in the paint.

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NBA Finals (Game 1) Highlight

Every basketball individual is paying attention to this.

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The scene of NBA Finals on the parquet floor is almost surreal.

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In the third quarter, Doc Rivers pulls his team together during timeout and said, "when adversity comes, we get through it together as a team." This is after Paul Pierce injuries his knee, being carried off the court in extreme pain and taken to the locker room in a wheelchair. It takes the air out of the team and everyone else in the Garden. Lakers have a 4 points lead.

The C's gathers their thought after the timeout. For the next one plus minutes, we all witness Celtics' ubuntu. They steps up their defence and offence, stopping Kobe's shot and scores the next 6 points. This is beautiful basketball.

Watch NBA TV game highlight (highlight1, highlight2) and postgame press (press1, press2).

Pierce's heroic return definitely gives the team a boost, not to mention his consecutive 3 pointers later on.

Other than Kobe, Fisher and Gasol, the rest of Lakers look nervous. On the contrary, the C's are much more composed. Garnett has 24 points and 13 rebounds, Pierce has 22, Ray Allen has 19, and Rondo has 15 points and 7 assists.

The Road to Triumph - The Second Act

The Big Three are exactly at where they want to be, playing in the NBA Finals and a chance for triumph. But their Celtics is widely considered as the underdog (ESPN), against Kobe's lead Lakers.

True, Celtics have beaten the Pistons (6 times Eastern finalists), at their own court, in 6 games. But Lakers have beaten the Spurs (reigning NBA champion) in 5.

Celtics have the Big Three (2.0), featuring Kevin Garnett (Defensive Player of the Year). But Lakers have MJ (2.0), featuring Kobe Bryant (MVP). Celtics have Paul (Pierce) and Ray. Lakers have Pau (Gasol) and Odom ... big men who can pass and shoot.

Celtics has the best defensive efficiency, even Lebron James could not crack through majority of that series . But Lakers play the triangle-post offence, in such efficiency even the Spurs repeatedly sees their double-digits lead evaporate.

Celtics' Red Auerbach is no longer watching from courtside. The successor, Doc Rivers and Tom Thibodeau, have been battle tested after three grilling series. But Lakers has the know-it-all Phil Jackson.

Rivers is known as quick learner and learning on the fly. Jaskon is better known as his laid-back style and letting players to figure out the game.

Celtics' bench has a nicely mix of youth with experience. Lakers' bench is catching-up fast because their coach allows them to play through mistake.

Celtics has the urgency to win, knowing how precious this opportunity is. Lakers has the savvy to win, having won it before.

Celtics has the home-court advantage. Lakers play game 3, 4 and 5 at home (2-3-2 format).

Celtics believes in Ubuntu. Lakers believes in Kobe Jackson.

Conclusion:

Celtics is now facing a better team for the first time in the playoff. They will need to fight every single game in this series, like it's game 7, keeping the Lakers off-balance and thus taking away some of their edges. They need to have their defence-offence game in sync in order to win game ... they need Ray Allen and Paul Pierce to score.

This battle will be won by the team with stronger will and character.

Conversation of Garnett with Bill Russell

Bill Russell, the Celtics' legend, has won 11 championships over his NBA career. In his conversation with Kevin Garnett, Russell predicts that Garnett will win a few championship with the Celtics.