Clarion Content

The Celtics victory in Game 1 didn't change the Clarion's perspective on the Finals one iota. It is a meaningless win, if the Lakers can get tonight's game. Here's a couple of reasons why we think they will.

One...K.G. can't stick with a good thing. After dominating Pau Gasol in the first half by taking it to the rack and banging the offensive glass, Kevin Garnett started settling for jumpers in the second half. He had something like 16pts and 8 boards at half time, then finished with 24pts and 13 boards. He was fading away on his jump shots, at one point missing nine in a row from the field. Tonight, without his fellow banger Kendrick Perkins, K.G. is going to be counted on to do even more dirty work. (Could P.J. Brown at 38 pull out a miracle???)

Two...The Lakers were right there in Game One. Kobe didn't hit a thing and they were right there. Heck, they led by 6 at halftime and Kobe had hardly been heard from at all. Derek Fisher was the leading scorer at halftime. The Clarion would be quite shocked if the Celtics could hold Kobe down again. And the way Game One went down, if Kobe had been hitting the Lakers might have cruised. If Kobe is on tonight, can the Celtics really outscore the Lakers? We have our doubts.

Three...Coaching. Coaching. Coaching. Given the extra long, extra special, David Stern ordered, three days between games, who do you think made the better adjustments? Phil Jackson or Doc? The nine time champion versus the second game in the Finals guy, hmmm. Yeah, the Clarion thinks that one is pretty obvious. We thought Doc actually had kind of a rough Game One, keeping Rondo on the bench in favor of Cassell way too long, and ignoring crowd igniter Eddie House.

It all adds up to a Lakers win tonight. Heck, the way Game One went, the Clarion is now calling for the Lakers in five. It starts tonight in Boston, and ends next weekend in California, 4-1.

Too bad, we'd prefer the Celtics, but they got the Lakers at their weakest at home in Game One and barely prevailed. It didn't exactly fill their supporters with confidence.

Labels: NBA, Predictions, sports