Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
We begin with two storylines, premises, really, that you must understand up front:
1) The Celtics cry. They cry more than Best Actress winners at the Oscars. They cry like every game is a wedding. Every time a call goes against them, there will be more tears than Kleenex can handle. They cry even after they have to dial 911 to mop up some fallen opponent who's been mugged and beaten within an inch of his life.
2) The Celtics also foul. They foul on every play. They foul everyone, from stars to scrubs. They foul as a strategy. They foul as a style. They foul as a tradition. They foul hard and they foul incessantly. They foul just for the fun of fouling. They probably foul their own bus driver on the way to the arena.
LA Times: Ted Green: Your guide to hating the Celtics
This thing goes on to hate on almost every Celtics on the crew individually.
Typical LA... can't say much good about their own team, so they're going to launch into the hate right away.
That's alright... when the Celtics go in an take Game 1, the hate will be turned in on their own team... because that's how LA rolls. They are as fickle a bunch as you'll find. They can play great for 47 minutes but if they lag off just a little, the fans will turn on them in the final 60 seconds.
Most Lakers fans don't go to the games for the game. They go to be seen. If the Clippers magically got good, they'd be wearing red and blue in a blink. They'll go wherever the stars go with a script or headshot at the ready hoping for that break to make it big.
I'll bet most of them couldn't name 3 Celtics if they were looking at the team photo. I'll bet most of them wouldn't even recognize Sasha Vujacic if the passed them on Rodeo Drive because he's just "beneath" them.
Win a game in LA, and the sky will start to fall. Win Game 1 in LA and people will start to burn the car flags they just bought. Sure, their 5 actually hardcore fans will show faith, but the rest of their bandwagon, front-running losers will just freshen up their spray tans, put on a Dodgers jersey, and move on.
..... see. We can do hate here too. That's just a warm up. Morning shoot-around, if you will. This will be fun. Thanks KWAPT for the link.
UPDATE: In my morning haze, I completely missed this disgusting line about Paul Pierce:
By the way, Pierce's idea of a fun night is going clubbing and getting stabbed. Good times!
If you're offended by jokes about someone nearly being stabbed to death for no good reason... then you can write a letter to the editor of the LA Times. Chuck has posted the address in the comments. Keep it professional and classy. Don't stoop to this jerk's level.
On Page 2: This might be Doc's best job yet
“First, he’s in charge of the team, and everyone knows that,” Ainge said. “Second, he knows them. He knows their personalities, tendencies, and that’s a great advantage for a coach. You can’t have that by coaching them for one year - especially in the pressure cooker that we were in this season.”
One byproduct from that pressure cooker is more fodder for the argument that Rivers is at his best handling veterans. Ainge wants to amend that perception.
“No two veteran teams and no two young teams are alike,” the general manager said. “Some young players find it hard to pay attention, and the same is true with some vets. This team is different from ’86, or the Phoenix Suns team I played on.
“But it’s Doc’s personality and leadership that demand the following he has now. That’s his greatest strength.”
Herald: Doc Rivers answers call to duty
We're starting to hear story after story about the job Doc Rivers has done this year. It's getting more impressive each time I read about it.
Doc is in a tough spot with all of these veterans. And not just veterans... because it's not like he's got a bunch of Shane Battier's or Grant Hill's on the squad... big-time Hall of Fame type players. These are guys with huge egos... who all think the team needs them in the game and the ball in their hands to win.
Yet Doc manages it all to perfection. He gives them enough leash to be free... but he pulls on it just enough for them to know who's in charge.
I've said it before... Doc is the perfect coach for this team. He just works.
Let's hope he works well enough to lead the C's on another duck boat parade.
The rest of the links:
Herald: Celtics playing wise, tough | Familiar road | LA Ok by Gaffney | Breaking down, and matching up, the Lakers & Celtics | Lakers don't need video evidence from 2008 | Globe: City Slick | No time limit on what this offers | All Celtics see light on Big 3 window | Bryant's shot at redemption | Kobe seizing the moment | ESPN Boston: Celtics-Lakers: The Road to the Finals | CSNNE: C's going back in time to 1969 | Pro Basketball Talk: Lakers/Celtics: Which franchise reigns supreme?
