It's been a long road. It's been a long, long road. But the Celtics are champions again. Some might say that it was handed to us--especially with the addition of Ray Allen and KG, but let's be real, this was some playoffs for the Celtics. The Celtics played more playoff games this season than any other team in NBA history with 26 games. Now, the regular season is 82 games so to go 26 games past that against four of the best teams in the league is no small task. Wait, make that three. The Hawks shouldn't be in there. We were pushed to the brink in the first two series. Sure, coming from the East, there's a lot of Left Coast fans that would say that we had a much easier path than the Fakers, but c'mon, we beat the Lakers in six and set a record for the most lopsided clinching game in NBA history with last night's 39-point blowout. Not only that, the Lakers were blowing through the playoffs by sweeping the Denver Nuggets, taking the Jazz in six and the Spurs in five. It's not like the Lakers were really pushed on the way to the big dance. If the West is so badass, how come the Lakers only lost three games in the first three rounds? The Celtics handed them more losses than the entire Western Conference could in three rounds. They were 12-3 in the first three rounds and then 2-4 against the Celtics. All you haters, you must think that they hand out "the NBA's best record" as a sportsmanship award. More importantly, we stopped Phil "High Ass" Jackson from surpassing Red for most championships for a head coach. 
Last night's game proved my point that the Lakers are not champions and, more importantly, the Celtics are. It was absolute dominance last night as the Celtics spanked the crap out of the Lakers, 131-92. My grandmother was rooting for the Celtics not because I'm a fan, but rather her Spurs were eliminated and she couldn't cheer for the "rapist" Kobe Bryant. After we clarified that he was actually acquitted of those charges, she changed it from him being a "rapist" to being "up for rape." I guess that's different than "down with rape." Anyway, she rooted for us because she didn't want to cheer for a rapist. Whatever reason she needs.
I remember as a kid working on my Kevin McHale turn around jumpers down low way past sundown. I would watch Sunday afternoons as Robert Parish, Larry Legend and Kevin would school the young legs of the NBA. I wanted so badly to own a pair of black sneakers because I wanted to look like the Celtics. I was an oddball. Reggie Lewis would win me over as a Celtic. I had the poster. I watched the games. Reggie represented the young promise of tomorrow and Larry and crew were the aging reminder of greatness.
When Reggie passed away, the Celtics went from being a thriving team to the oldest in the NBA and on the verge of disappearing forever. And, until last night, they pretty much did disappear. My lovely wife surprised me back in 2000 with tickets to my first NBA game--it was Celtics and an also-unknown Maverick team. Tickets were easy to get for that matchup back in 2000. In a way, it reinvigorated my love with the team. It made me love the game again even. Day before my wedding in 2002, I watched the Nets and Celtics Game 4 on a small Watchman during my rehearsal/dinner. They'd lose the series before I'd depart on my honeymoon. And that was the last great Celtics team. Danny Ainge would rip the team apart and leave a lonely Paul Pierce to lead, really no one, to a championship. He had no one around him to help him win that championship. Danny Ainge put that team together last year. It didn't look too promising last year. I mean, just a year ago, I was talking about how bad the Celtics sucked, but then Danny's testicles dropped and dude went off.
I sincerely wish that it went seven games. I mean, I love the game and the rivalry. Angry Tim swore it would because "the league will make more money if it goes seven." ABC certainly would. But maybe last night's blowout (which was a blowout by halftime) served as proof that, at least for last night, the game isn't rigged. If Stern wanted it to seven, he had to be pissed when he saw the Celtics beating the crap out of the Lakers.
Speaking of, I trust I'm the only one up late enough to see it, but the hilarity of David Stern getting boo'd when he was handing out the trophies was just too much to stand. Dude was just getting clowned.
It's 7:01. Gotta step. Show some respect for the C's. Recognize.
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