Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/11545
2010 NBA Finals Recap: The Intangibles By>>Tyler Andrews / Photography by NBA Photos A t the time of this writing, the Celtics have just ripped game one of the Eastern Conference Finals from the Magic and the Western Conference Finals are about an hour from tipoff. The Cavs are still cleaning out their lockers, and Lebron's struggling to get that ringing sensation out of his ears that you get from being knocked out. Kobe's waited for the Conference Finals to begin for so long that he and the Lakers could've backpacked around Europe to kill time, and Steve Nash's swollen eye has deflated from egg to grape, but, really, does that matter when you don't look where you're passing anyway? Aside from the Celtics, the other three teams have had a relative cake walk getting this far, but something tells me Boston's just getting warmed up. And by warmed up, I mean tenacious. Rasheed Wallace almost snapped Dwight Howard's arm off at the elbow in game one, and the Celtics' lockdown defense didn't afford the Magic a hair of breathing room whether they were in the paint or 40 feet from the basket. It's the style of play Boston fans love but rivals hate. It's mean and nasty and can get really ugly, but it's also incredibly effective in taking a team out of their game. Is it enough, though? Can a team like the Celtics win on tough defense, or, to win a championship, is something else needed? The Lakers looked every bit the champion in their run to the Western Conference Finals. They won a slugfest against Kevin Durant and the Thunder in the first round, proving that they can get up after being knocked down, and then they settled in and rolled the Jazz in an impressive four straight. But still the haunting echoes in LA continue. The "One Piece Away" discussion wears on. In the Lakers' case, it's a point guard. If we just had a Derron Williams or Jason Kidd to handle the ball… Honestly, you've thought it, or your friend has thought it and you nodded in agreement. It's such a tantalizing prospect: that final piece of the puzzle to lock down the lineup. It's a mirage, though, a wild goose chase, an endless pursuit of an unrealistic goal. Every team is one piece away from where they need to be, if not two, three, five. It's reality; winning requires navigating your weaknesses. And frankly, NBA champion, perennial playoff contender and top seed in the Western Conference doesn't make an impressive enough résumé already? Laker fans are starting to sound a little like Yankee fans—of course the ends justify the means, but a little more justification would be comforting. This year's Laker's team has much more floor balance than last year's and the year before. Gasol and Odom have both played remarkably in the second half and Odom especially has become a day-in-day-out threat on both sides of the ball. Even though the Lakers' regular season wins decreased in 2010, they've looked more dominant in the playoffs, when it counts. I get the sense that Kobe's playing looser, knowing that he'll have consistent support from Odom, Gasol and Bynum, and that's loosening up all the role players around him. The Lakers should take care of the Suns with relative ease, and the Magic will have to get a lot tougher if they want to give the Celtics a run. The chance of a 2008 Finals rematch looks like a strong possibility, and, if so, we could be in for a great Finals showdown. Both Boston and LA look like the teams with that something else in the tank. For the Celtics it's their tenacity, their grit-- the fact that they're flat out mean (Does Kendrick Perkins do anything but scowl?), and for the Lakers it's confidence that trickles down from Kobe and creates a balanced lineup that stays one step ahead of its opponent. Both intangibles stem from veteran leadership and strong coaching, and we can expect that both teams will stand on them, especially in seeking a key road win. So, I'm playing my hand. I expect a Boston V. Los Angeles Finals where every game is close. Lakers in six. LIVEMAGS.NET JUNE>>10 33