From the looks of it, the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers are on a collision course for the 2010 NBA Finals.
First, Lebron James and his souped-up Cleveland Cavaliers weren’t able to stop the rejuvenated Celtics five.
Second, after two exciting games in the Eastern Conference Finals, it appears that Orlando and its top center Dwight Howard just couldn’t find any answer against the rampaging Celtics.
With a commanding 2-0 lead in the series, Boston can finish off Orlando and make Howard’s team disappear via a sweep at the TD Banknorth in Boston where the green-and-white fans are expected to come in droves to cheer on their heroes for Games 3 and 4.
Over in the West, the Phoenix Suns are just another bunch of scorers incapable of playing tough defense. Just look over the Game 2 result, Lakers prevail again–124-112.
With Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom and an injured Andrew Bynum doing much of the damage inside the paint, the Suns are just two games away from seeing their Finals hopes set.
The Lakers can sink the Suns’ dimming “lights” in Phoenix, Arizona when the series moves there for Games 3 and 4.
Boston is looking for its 18th league championship and a chance to re-establish its dominance in the NBA following its unceremonious loss to Orlando during last year’s playoffs match up.
But Los Angeles isn’t about to give up its crown that easy. Kobe Bryant, even with all his injuries in his finger and knees, remains a deadly scorer, facilitator and defender for the Lakers.
He issued his playoff-best 13 assists against the Suns in Game 2, allowing Gasol to dominate the paint and lead the Lakers in scoring as their dual efforts proved too much to overcome for Phoenix.
With two more wins to go before reaching the NBA Finals, Kobe and Co. sure have two birds to hit in one stone–defend their title successfully and avenge their 2008 Finals defeat against the Celtics–in case they meet again in the Finals.
A Celtics-Lakers Finals tussle isn’t a far-fetch idea by now. Just look at the eyes of Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant.
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