Thursday, June 05, 2008

NBA Finals

by: Frank Carpano

Tonight is game 1 of the NBA Finals. And the dream matchup is about to be renewed. As if the Celtics and Lakers didn’t have enough to worry about, they must not only battle each other but the ghosts of playoffs past.

Maybe it’s not something they need to worry about. But it is something everyone else (over the age of 30) will endlessly debate.

And why not? Those Lakers-Celtics teams of the 1980’s were the cornerstones of the NBA’s popularity in that decade. It jump-started the league marketing machine that was then humming along by the time Michael Jordan arrived.

As this series unfolds, it will be interesting to see if the fans, media and teams muster the same passion we had in the 1980’s. It was before we had the Red Sox winning World Series and the Patriots winning Super Bowls. I think there is a certain amount of detachment now because New England sports fans are spoiled. Add to that the fact that there are now so many more entertainment options to grab your attention.

But if the games are good, how can you avoid watching.

So, what will this series come down to? Defense….Something the Celtics excel at. And something I think will carry them to the NBA title.