Game 7. Game 7′s are what you dreamed about as kid playing hoops in your driveway, and later in life, what you dream about to go watch with your buddies in a bar. Everybody loves a game 7, and I believe this game 7 will go down as one of the greatest.
What we have tonight is a marquee matchup pitting two of the greatest franchises in the NBA and probably in all of sports. It is a storied rivalry that transpires decades with a plethora of hall of famers who have competed on both teams. Tonight, we will arguably see 5 to 6, if not more, future hall of famers on the court giving it everything they have.
Going into tonight, we ponder if the Celtics have a chance. After their showing on Tuesday and being so far from their confines of Boston, Mass, can they upheave the defending champs from their throne in their castle. I believe they do have a shot, and if I was in Doc Rivers’ shoes, I would keep it simple and positive.
In my pre-game speech, I would basically say that there isn’t anything to say. Nothing that a coach says at this moment from an x’s and o’s perspective is going to matter. Gameplans are over with. I would push the positive. I would tell the team that they are the better team, that they are more the talented team and this team, with all of their guys, haven’t ever lost to the Celtics in a championship series. I believe the C’s may have lost some confidence from game 6 and I really think a coach needs to drive the confidence home. I would hit some of the players individually; I would tell Ray Allen to look for his shot and that he will knock it down, same thing to Pierce and KG. Tell Rondo he owns the Lakers.
I would also address the fact that Perkins is out. I would explain that they need guys to step up and I would individually address that ‘Sheed and Big Baby need to step in for Perkins, and the entire bench in general from Tony Allen to Nate Rob to Davis. I would then end it with a quote or something that the Celtics have used in the past. The money thing from before, etc.
Finally, as Doc Rivers, I would expect the referring to play a major role in tonight’s game. At some point, it is going to affect one of the teams, and probably the Celtics more than the Lakers–the C’s are more aggressive and are the road team. If I am Rivers, I am taking an early technical, really try to work the refs in that way. One technical could go a long ways in the end.
I’m getting psyched for the game tonight, now where to watch it with my buddies at a bar.
