Teams of Destiny

By Trey Cosby

I have said it before and I will say it again.  The Boston Celtics and The Los Angeles Lakers are going to meet in the NBA Finals, and Boston is going to win the series in seven games.  You have to look at how the pieces have fallen so preciously into place to see why I feel that way. Take my advice and get Los Angeles Lakers memorabilia or break out the Boston Celtics apparel now. It's going to be a great season.

The Celtics signed Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen in the off-season, and the Lakers got Pau Gasol during the season via the trade.  If you want to compare and contrast how both teams have been playing lately, all you have to do is look to the papers.  Each team is kind of up and down, with the Celtics winning Game 3 with the Detroit Pistons, and the Lakers losing in Game 3 with the San Antonio Spurs.  That said, I think both teams will pump up the volume in the next couple of games and I predict they will both win in six. Kevin Garnett basketballs will make a great addition to your collection right now, and you should consider a signed Ray Allen jersey a good investment.

The Lakers came into Game 3 riding high after blowing out the Spurs in Game 2.  However, the Spurs played lights out defense and got extraordinary efforts from both Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan as they staved off the Lakers continuous runs to win the game going away. A Tim Duncan photo or collage is always a good bet.

Kobe Bryant was the only operating part of the Lakers' offense, scoring 30 points on 13-for-23 shooting, although he had only one assist. Everything else was a series of blotches on the Lakers' landscape.  Even though they stayed in the game most of the way, they looked almost tired as they kept on giving the Spurs every easy shot they wanted. Already a legendary player, Kobe Bryant collectibles will continue to go up in value.

Lamar Odom made two of 11 shots and had seven points. Pau Gasol was seven for 18 and scored 15 points. Derek Fisher had two points. As a whole, the Lakers made eight of 17 free throws (47.1 percent). Gasol's consisten performance make Pau Gasol jerseys very collectible.

Over in the Eastern Conference in Game 3, the Celtics proved the critics wrong by winning their first road game of the 2008 NBA Playoffs.  In that game they came in and dominated from start to finish, so it didn’t matter where they were playing.

The Celtics showed up ready to play and they took it to the Pistons with aggressive defense and a well designed inside game.  They were hungry and you could see it.  It looks like the Celtics are starting to find their groove.  Ray Allen has gotten it going again.  Paul Pierce is playing at an optimum level.  Kevin Garnett is playing like a man possessed.  Now that they have Sam Cassell to anchor a group of previously experienced playoff players, the Celtics are pretty close to having no wrinkles or holes in their game.  Head coach Doc Rivers is a seasoned veteran coach now, and this team just knows how to win.  I look for them to come out aggressively again in Game 4.  They will rotate on defense and smother the Pistons inside game.  Then they will get timely shooting from James Posey and Cassell to compliment their defense.  If they do all of that, I think they will head back to Boston with a victory and their confidence levels will skyrocket, along with the value of their memorabilia. Sam Cassell cards and tickets are affordable memorabilia sure to go up in value.

Watch out because both the Celtics and the Lakers have yet to reach their fullest potential.  By the time they meet in the Finals they will both be at peak performance.  Soon there will be comparison talk with all the Lakers and Celtics teams of old, and it is going to be fun. 

It will be great for the game and great for the fans.  As basketball fans, we need rivalries like the Celtics and Lakers renewed.  The days of Magic, Bird and McHale have been gone for too long.  The Big Three for the Celtics need to be battling with the Big Three for the Lakers.  Garnett, Allen and Pierce should be synonymous with Bryant, Gasol and Odum.  The Celtics and Lakers are an American Tradition even though it has been so long since they have played each other in the Finals.  I can’t wait to see all the new styled jerseys that will come out when they play each other again.  There will be purple jerseys, green jerseys, white jerseys, black jerseys.  The hats that come out are going to be super sharp with all the new sports apparel companies that are out there.  The country will have to take sides again.  You will hear all the talk in the barber shops and auto stores again.  Celtic fans will hate Kobe Bryant, and Laker fans will hate Kevin Garnett.  NBA Basketball will capture the hearts of Americans once again, and it is par for the course that such a special season ends with such a great rivalry.

There has been a disconnect from NBA Basketball with the American people for far too long.  I hope this rivalry will spark the public to go out and support the memorabilia stores again, so the kids can get a taste of what NBA Basketball was when Bird used to battle Magic on a nightly basis.  They might not have played each other every night, but we as fans checked up on them every night to see who outplayed who. I want to see the Boston Celtic banners decorating neighborhoods again and Kobe Bryant jerseys on every Lakers fan.

Get ready to watch the games night after night because it is going to happen.  History is about to repeat itself.  The fans of both the Celtics and the Lakers are going to love this.  I am going to love it as a basketball fan.