NBA

The X Factor is the guy with the capability to control a game or series single-handedly based on his level of play. For our purposes in referencing the NBA playoffs, Ray Allen stands as the perfect example of the X factor. While a key player on the Celtics he is not the premier player on the team, but a hot or cold shooting night by him could be the difference between victory and defeat. Announcers and pre game analysts love to predict the X factor, but they never pick a Y factor. What/Who is the Y factor you ask? Well I’ll tell you.

This past week saw another star studded trade happen in the NBA when Allen Iverson packed up for the Motor city, and crossed paths with Chauncey Billups on his way to Colorado. Fans can thank the Celtics featuring Kevin McHale for breaking the ice on these types of trades, but just how effective was this trade?

A quick reminder: Last year, when the Celtics brought together Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, most pundits stated that while the Celtics were obviously improved, they would struggle to get these three superstars to mesh and their bench would be too weak for them to be a true championship contender. This was a fair reason however - bringing star players together did not guarantee anything, in fact, there are very few cases where a team with one superstar acquired two more superstars to join him and it garnered success.

I'm not going to rehash too many of my pre-draft thoughts. Here's the running notes I kept during the draft:

"With the first pick of the 2008 NBA Draft, the Chicago Bulls select ..."
1. Derrick Rose, CHIM
No surprise here, although ESPN was anxious to report this was definitely going to happen a few minutes before the draft, like they were brilliant for "reporting" the worst kept secret in the past couple weeks. And I still believe they should have taken Beasley.

2. Michael Beasley, MIA

I want to get a few of my thoughts down about the upcoming NBA draft (which is pretty much the most meaningless draft of my life as a Celtics fan - the first draft I can remember was 1986, which was very meaningful - and very painful). You heard it hear first, so when I'm right about something, remember, it was a pre-draft thought from yours truly.

What a game, what a season.
I've had the pleasure of attending several Celtics games with my dad, a Celtics season-ticket holder since 1979 (he got them the day after the Celtics drafted a fellow by the name of Larry Bird, you may have heard of him). Game 6 was the most enjoyable experience of my life as a sports fan. There is NOTHING that compares to seeing your favorite team win the championship. It is the ultimate fan reward. Being there with my dad was extra special as well; he's raised me as a Boston sports fan, to the point where I don't even know when my love of the Celtics, Red Sox & Patriots began - it was just always the way.

So many things about last night’s game piss me off:

Boston is up 2-1 over the Lakers and Game 4 is tonight in LA. The Celtics will win one of the next two games in LA and finish the series up in Boston and take home banner # 17. The Lakers shouldn't even bother to show up tonight because this series is already over. I know the Laker fans are going to piss and moan about this bold statement but the truth is the Celtics have this wrapped up and I'll tell you why.

10. Kobe Bryant had to score 36 points for the Lakers to barely pull off Game 3. Not an easy task to repeat 3 more times against the Celtic's defense.

Now I say preview, but what I mean is my predictions on how the C’s should/could adjust the game around Rondo’s injury. I have no idea if the Lakers are even thinking of ways to improve other than to just allow Kobe to go nuts, and hope someone, like Vujacic, can step it up.

Since I bitched about the referees before Game 3, I figured I'd comment on tonight's assigned referees for Game 4. Steve Javie (one of the best refs), Joe DeRosa (part of the 2006 mugging of the Mavericks mentioned previously) & Tom Washington (don't really know him, which probably means he isn't that bad) are the assigned referees.