I don't think the Lakers get it. They (mainly Phil Jackson) keep blabbing away about Paul Pierce's exit and re-entry in the 3rd quarter of Game 1.
Well, if I'm not mistaken, I think Willis Reed missed a whole half and three quarters almost of a game and literally had to have a shot, a horse shot, three or four of them in his thigh to come back out and play. Paul got carried off and was back on his feet in a minute. I don't know if the angels visited him at halftime or in that time-out period that he had or not, but he didn't even limp when he came back out on the floor. I don't know what was going on there (laughter). Was Oral Roberts back there in their locker room? (laughter) But he certainly carried some energy back on the floor for them.
It's annoying me and more importantly, it's annoying KG and the Celtics.
"It's not up to them to approve or disapprove or to judge," Garnett said. "The man got carried off the court. I mean, that's pretty significant. That's what it is. I don't know what they're doing over there. I'm focused on what we're doing over here. But he looked pretty hurt, came in and finished the game off. I know it don't look easy and he made it probably look a little easy, but at the same time, they wasn't over there seeing him grimacing, the massaging and on the bike and ice and that stuff. When you don't know what's going on on the other side, you just make up stuff."
I know Jackson is a master-motivator, but I didn't know he also did it for the opposing team. Thanks Phil. To add fuel to that fire, Gasol doesn't think the Celtics are physical.
One final thought on the comparison to Willis Reed. It was the media who created this frenzy, not Paul Pierce or the Celtics. So all the columnists who felt the need to churn out rebuttals are criticizing themselves. It's a weird cycle....the media creates a firestorm and then criticizes itself for doing so. You follow? Enough philosophy.
Nothing new on Pierce's status for Game 2. We remain under the assumption he will play, although I am puzzled by the lack of an MRI. I don't understand how it cannot help Pierce's treatment. I saw video of Perkins at practice yesterday, so there's little doubt about his status. Personally, I'd like to see more PJ Brown against Gasol and co.
Today's Links: Globe - Bench Warrants Consideration | Kobe was a Dud | Herald - Pierce Will Tough It Out | 4 Nabbed in Celtics Ticket Scam | Pierce Recovery Draws Skeptics | Kareem Remembers McHale's Clothesline | Leon Never a No-Show | Daily Dime - Lakers Defense the Key | SI's Marty Burns Grades the Players | LA Times - Phil is the Villain |
On a sad note, the Wall Street Journal reports our dancing "Gino" is dead. In fact, he died some 18-years ago. Let's do it for Gino!
