If you are a Lakers fan, what are your fears for tonight’s game? To start the conversation, how ’bout: (1) FOUL TROUBLE Kobe Bryant getting into foul trouble — especially early. The Celtics can absorb foul trouble with one of their Big 3 and probably still be fine. The Lakers would be sitting ducks with Kobe on the bench in foul trouble. (2) INJURY We don’t want an injury happening to a player on EITHER team —...

Ignore the swank of people brandishing predictions. It’s all wishful thinking anyway. No one knows who might get injured, or who might step up for the game of his life. This series has been unpredictable and still is. And ignore those who would have you believe the Lakers are lucky to be down 3 games to 2. The truth is, the Celtics are lucky as well. Yes, it can be argued that the Lakers have not dominated the Celtics at home, but...

Chris Mihm was the difference maker for the Lakers in game 5 of the 2008 NBA Playoffs. I realize this flies in the face of conventional wisdom, but think about it. In game 4, the Lakers had a 21 point 1st quarter lead, but ended up losing the game. In game 5, the Lakers had just a 17 point 1st quarter lead, (so the Celtics had them just where they wanted them), until Phil Jackson pulled out his secret weapon: Chris Mihm. Mihm had 0 minutes...

Here is another way of looking at this. In the Finals, the Celtics are averaging 96 points per game. The Lakers are averaging 92 points per game. That isn’t that much to make up, is it? In fact, the Lakers seriously could have swept the Celtics had they defended 5 points better … which, from what we’ve seen, seems VERY doable. The Celtics averaged 100.5 points per game during the regular season, so they are -4.5 in the Finals. The...

I can’t believe how quickly the blogging world has turned on Phil Jackson. And while were at it, I do not get the criticisms I’ve been reading of Sasha Vujacic or Pau Gasol. Phil is NOT to blame, unless you think that players not taking their coach seriously is the coach’s fault. About the only explanation I can find for people knocking Jackson, Gasol and Vujacic, is that these fans are JUST LIKE the Lakers’ players...

Lakers fans: brace yourselves. They’ll be no home cooking tonight. The friendly whistles the Celtics enjoyed the first two games of the 2008 NBA Finals in Boston will not likely be reciprocated for the home team Lakers in game 4. How could they be? Here it is hours before game 4 of the 2008 NBA Finals, and the biggest story today isn’t Rondo’s ankle, is it? The big story is Tim Donaghy’s accusations that the Lakers...

I’ve got some good news and I’ve got some bad news. The good news is that Lakers are a good outside shooting team. The bad news is the NBA Finals are played indoors. But seriously folks, in game 1 of the 2008 NBA Finals, the Lakers played as if they thought championship basketball can be played from their comfort zone, chucking up outside shots. This group of Celtics players may not have much championship experience, but...