You're 2008 NBA Champions....

There was never any doubt. The Lakers just didn't show up. It was actually quite embarrassing.

The Boston Celtics captured their 17th NBA Championship last night with a 131-92 drubbing of the Los Angeles Lakers. The worst loss in NBA history in a deciding Finals contest.

Paul Pierce was named MVP of the Finals, but I have to tell you - I would have been equally impressed with Kendrick Perkins picking up the honor. It's insane how much of a difference this guy made in the game. He missed Game 5 with a shoulder injury and Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom went off. He returns for Game 6, with his shoulder wrapped, and completely dominated the paint. It was amazing.

I guess technically there was no true MVP. The entire Boston roster at some point during the playoffs stepped up and performed. But, I guess the real honor would have to go to Kevin Garnett. As soon as the 'Big Three' were brought together it was him that truly brought the team together as one. He helped everyone embrace the defensive end (which is technically where they won the title) and shelve their egos.

Another tidbit: I don't want to hear the comparisons of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan again. Jordan would never have allowed a team of his to be blown out in a game of this magnitude. Across the board, Kobe is no where near the player that Jordan was. In Jordan's day the game was much more physical - in today's game any bump is a foul. Kobe would have never made it in '80s or early '90s.

Of course, I didn't get to see the celebration live last night. I went to bed at halftime in order to wake up for work this morning. But, again, those on the West Coast enjoyed the game - I am sure. As long as they're happy. There is still a way to fix this, I know it. Someone needs to get working on it.

Finally, the Celtics made the greatest turnaround in a single season. The year before they won a measly 24 games and captured the title this season. The previous largest turnaround was the Blazers, who won 35 games the year before they won the title.

My main question is this: Is this good for the NBA?

Each team is allowed to carry 15 players on it's roster. The Celtics currently have just six players from last year's 24-win team (Pierce, Perkins, Rondo, Scalabrine, Tony Allen, Powe). So, they totally revamped the roster.

Granted, every team likes to go out and find a steal in free agency or in trades. But Boston shredded its entire team. Basketball, like football, has always been about building a contender through the draft and picking up small pieces to complete what you need (the San Antonio Spurs are perfect examples of this).

Baseball, however, for most teams has been about buying championships. You buy the best player for the right price to plug into your lineup and propel you to a title (Yankees, Red Sox, etc.).

But basketball has always been different. The Lakers tried this a few years ago with Karl Malone and Gary Payton (not to the Celtics extent, but still), but it didn't work. I just hope that teams don't start thinking they are a huge trade away from winning tomorrow, because the league shouldn't be like that.

A few perfect examples of how the league should work are the New Orleans Hornets and Atlanta Hawks. They have built their teams through the draft and picking up a few free agents - and are now on the brink of excellence. It's something you can be proud of - watch them mature in front of your eyes.

But, I am still very happy for the Celtics. For Garnett, Allen and Pierce. And that the Lakers and Bryant didn't capture the title.

It's great to see good people succeed. And Garnett and Allen have always been excellent human beings. People Bryant should try and model himself after.

What Year Is It?

When you wake up on Thursday you may have to look at the morning's paper to realize just what year you are in.

If you were just listening to the sports or entertainment news, you may have felt that you have traveled back in time to the 1980s.

The biggest movie in the theater these days stars Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones, something we haven't seen since 1989.

Well, the NBA can do it one better.

The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers will renew their glorious rivalry on Thursday night in the National Basketball Association Finals. This will be their first meeting in the Finals since 1987 (meeting previously 10 times since 1959).

The Lakers have been pretty consistent in the years since, including winning three titles with the Shaquille O'Neal/Kobe Bryant combination. But, they had fell to the bottom of the Western Conference playoff teams since the departure of O'Neal, only to be reinvigorated with the arrival of Pau Gasol this season.

The Celtics, however, have been an up and down team for many years since 1987 - reaching the conference finals in the 2001-0-2 season, only to lose to the New Jersey Nets. Last season, the Celtics finished second-to-last in the NBA with 24 victories. In the offseason, though, the Celtics worked their magic and landed Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett to join perennial all-star Paul Pierce - now known as "The Big Three".

The Celtics haven't been this exciting since their original "Big Three" in Larry Bird, Robert Parrish and Kevin McHale. If the Celtics win a title this season, they may send another ring to McHale (now the Minnesota Timberwolves GM), who OKed the trade for Garnett from Minnesota.

So the year may be 2008, but there certainly appears to be some resurgence to the great years of the '80s. I hear Beverly Hills Cop is coming back - I am not spiking my hair again, no way.

Pierce vs. James

I have not had a number of chances to watch a full playoff basketball game this year. A few years ago this would have been blasphemes due to my love for anything and all NBA, but my life is different now, with more things to do.

That being said I was able to watch most of the Celtics/Cavaliers Game 7 game yesterday.

In 1988, another Celtics Game 7 semifinal battle, included two superstars trying to will their teams into the next round. It is deemed one of the greatest playoff battles of all-time. Larry Bird's Celtics prevailed, thanks to Bird's 34 points (20 in the fourth quarter), over Dominique Wilkins' Atlanta Hawks. Wilkins scored a game-high 47 points in the contest, but fell to the mighty Celtics. The two combined for 81 points in a memorable battle.

In today's game, the superstar very rarely guards the other team's superstar at both ends of the court. As a coach it makes sense, why would you want to tire out your offensive juggernaut on the defensive side of the ball?

But yesterday, Cleveland's LeBron James and Boston's Paul Pierce settled in for a battle of the ages - as they not only guarded each other, but surpassed the brilliance of the Bird/Wilkins matchup.

Pierce erupted for 41 points to lead the No. 1 seeded Celtics into the Eastern Conference Finals with a 97-92 victory over the Cavaliers. James, however, didn't go down without a fight as he poured in a game-high 45 points. The combined 86 points surpasses that of the Bird/Wilkins duel.

It's something you don't get to witness too often in basketball - two players on opposite teams, totally taking over the game - trying to will their team to victory. But when you do, it's magical.

I fear that the 14 total games the Celtics have been forced to play will hurt their chances against a rested Detroit Pistons squad. Boston has yet to win a game on the road, so a loss in either of the first two games at home to the Pistons could prove detrimental. I shudder of the thought of Detroit making it back to the Finals. Hopefully the layoff will make them rusty - instead of rested.

(Large movie review coming later today)