Back on Top, Lakers Reign in Rollercoaster Season

For the first time since 2010, the Los Angeles Lakers are atop the basketball world as NBA Champions. After beating the Miami Heat 4 games to 2 in a best-of-seven series,  the Lakers claimed their seventeenth NBA title in franchise history, tying the arch-rival Boston Celtics for the most all-time. But unlike those 33 other titles won by Celtics and Lakers teams of the past, this year's champion was unlike any we've ever seen before. Even those teams that featured such all-time greats as Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Bob Cousy, Jerry West, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, or even Kobe and Shaq just to name a few, never had to play through a global pandemic and go through the gauntlet of the unknown by competing in the NBA's bubble like these Los Angeles Lakers did. Having to sacrifice normal everyday life as well as time at home with their families and even home-court advantage, the purple and gold proved to be much more than just a team, but rather a band of brothers and a true family under first-year head coach Frank Vogel's tutelage. 

Spearheaded by LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Lakers proved to be the most resilient team in the league after fighting thru the untimely and tragic death of Lakers icon Kobe Bryant, not to mention not one, but two stoppages caused by the novel corona virus and the social injustices that have plagued our country. Despite it all, the Lakers fulfilled their mission of bringing home another Larry O'Brien Trophy and concluded their 95-day stay in the NBA bubble as world champions. Even before the earth-rattling passing of arguably the most beloved Laker of them all in Kobe Bryant, the Lake Show were deemed 'championship or bust' this year, following the blockbuster trade that sent superstar Anthony Davis from the Big Easy to Tinsletown. The death of the Lakers legend in January would only add to the immense pressure of winning a title in 2020 as the team was suddenly left with a cloud of unfair expectations hovering over them. But never once did the team let those lofty expectations get the best of them, instead they used them to fuel their inner-fire and drive to a championship. Something not many of these Lakers had accomplished outside of James, Danny Green, Rajon Rondo, Quinn Cook and JaVale McGee. That meant first-time champions Anthony Davis, Dwight Howard, Alex Caruso and Kentavius Caldwell-Pope, just to name a few, all needed to pitch-in and contribute. 

Title No. 17 was also very different from the previous sixteen in the fact that it was the first title the team won in Los Angeles under the reign of controlling owner Jeanie Buss, daughter of the late Dr. Jerry Buss who passed away in 2013. With Jeanie picked as the chosen one out of Dr. Buss' six children to take the throne and oversee the Lakers franchise in his absence, Jeanie took what her father taught her about operating a franchise and ran with it, hand-picking Rob Pelinka as the team's general-manager and becoming the first female team owner to win a title in NBA history. After the team snapped its agonizing seven-year playoff drought, the longest in franchise-history, the team then put an end to its ten-year Finals drought in grand fashion. Since the turn of the millennium, the Lakers have now won NBA titles to start each of the last three decades with championships in 2000, 2010 and now 2020. Considering where the franchise was just two years prior, filled with turmoil both on and off the court and failing to attract the All-Star talent that the team and its fanbase has grown accustomed to signing over the years, this year's Lakers team was a far cry as they finally broke through thanks to the stellar work done by GM Rob Pelinka. 

After getting LeBron James to buy-in and make the switch from the Eastern Conference and his hometown team Cleveland Cavaliers during the summer of 2018 via free-agency before realizing the young crop of talent around him was not best suited to play alongside the king, Pelinka worked his magic by practically trading the farm for another superstar in Anthony Davis. Re-signing point-guard Rajon Rondo and bringing in center Dwight Howard for a second stint with the Lakers, often off the bench, as well as hiring a hungry, defensive-minded head coach in Frank Vogel, proved to be the active ingredients needed to get this team back to their title-winning ways. In his seventeenth NBA season, the 36-year old LeBron James who won his fourth career NBA title and fourth career Finals MVP, delivered on his promise to Laker fans that he'd help right the ship and get this once proud franchise back to prominence. With the Miami Heat making their first Finals appearance since 2014 when James was still a member of the team alongside close friends Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, James nearly averaged a triple-double against his former team on his way to becoming the first player in NBA history to be named Finals MVP with three different franchises. 

Flying home to L.A. on Monday before being met by duel firetrucks on the tarmac and some several thousand fans, the Lakers had their fair share of fun and bubbly inside the team's locker room, but will have to wait on celebrating with the rest of Laker Nation and the city of Los Angeles, at least for now while L.A. County and the state of California still currently face strict social distancing guidelines that discourages large gatherings, something this Laker team will undoubtedly attract once they're able. As for the upcoming 2020-21 season ahead, not much is known regarding the NBA Draft, the NBA Summer League, whether there'll be fans in attendance or even whether or not it'll take place in another bubble. One thing that is known, however, is that the Lakers will need to strike a deal at the executives table with free-agent to-be Anthony Davis, who will certainly break the bank, most likely returning to the Lakers who can offer him a max-contract. Other notable Laker free-agents include Dwight Howard and Markieff Morris, as well as Rajon Rondo, JaVale McGee and Avery Bradley whom all have player options.  

As for the legacy and ever expanding resume of one LeBron James, here's a piece I did pre-bubble on his bid for all-time greatness. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

Kevin Gets a Ring

Finally. At last. It's about time. Just a few expressions that had to be running through the mind of former NBA MVP and 4-time NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant who can now be regarded as a champion after finally getting the monkey off his back by adding a Larry O'Brien Trophy to an already impressive resume following Golden State's 129-120 win over the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers last night in front of a max capacity crowd. After being on the losing end to a LeBron James-led team in his first NBA Finals experience back in 2012, Durant appeared much hungrier in his second go around, leading his team in scoring in all five games and averaging 35.2 Points Per Game, 8.4 Rebounds and 5.4 Assists, while shooting 60 for 102 from the floor (.588) and earning Finals MVP honors in his first year with the team. Something only Moses Malone (1983) and Magic Johnson (1980) had done before him. By pouring in 39-points in last night's series-clincher, the 28-year old Durant joined an elite class of players as only Jerry West, LeBron James and Dirk Nowitzki managed to average more career playoff points at the time of their first NBA title.

Avenging last year's heart-wrenching loss in which the Warriors became the first team in NBA Finals history to blow a 3-1 series lead, Golden State made quick work of their counterparts, needing only five games to seal the series and claim their second title in three years. Though he wasn't with the team at the time, the heartbreak of blowing that 3-1 lead was also shared by Durant who saw the Warriors storm back from a 3-1 deficit in the Western Conference Finals against Durant's then Oklahoma City Thunder. Both collapses would prompt Durant to leave and the Warriors to pursue him, making for what would ultimately be a mach made in heaven as evident by their remarkable run in this year's playoffs. Finishing 16-1 along their chase to the title, this year's Golden State team has to be up there among the greatest runs in NBA history for their pure dominance. And had it not been for a blowout defeat at Cleveland in Game 4, the Warriors would've been the first to go a perfect 16-0 in the postseason. But it's not just this postseason that's been impressive.

Led by head coach Steve Kerr, the Warriors have stringed together one of the greatest three year stretches of all-time. After claiming the franchise's first NBA title since 1975 in 2015, the Warriors followed that up with an all-time great regular season record of 74-9 as well as another trip to the Finals and managed to bookend it with another NBA title. Had it not been for the 3-1 collapse in which the Cavs climbed their way back to pry the championship away from Golden State's grasp just a season ago, we'd be looking at the first three-peat since the Kobe-Shaq Lakers of the early 2000's. In what's become somewhat of a rivalry, Cavs-Warriors has certainly become must-watch TV over the past few seasons and last night's Game 5 was no different and the viewers would agree as it gained the highest rating for an NBA game since Game 5 of the 1998 NBA Finals. Generating a 16.0 metered market rating, ratings shot up 13 percent from the Game 5's of each of the past two years when these two teams met.

The Real MVP - Immediately following the game, it was only appropriate that Durant was greeted on the floor by his mother Wanda who Kevin based much of his memorable MVP speech around after the 2014 season. The two shared a moment and were brought to tears as confetti fell from the rafters at Oakland's Oracle Arena. Not shying away from his emotions, Durant hasn't been one to shy away on the game's biggest stage either as he became one of only three players to score 25 points or more in each of his first 10 NBA Finals games, joining only Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal. Durant also received a congratulatory hug and handshake from LeBron who Durant told they're, "tied up now" at an even 1-1 against one another in the Finals and that they'll, "have to do this again." Assuming Durant returns to play for the Warriors next season and chooses not to exercise the opt-out clause in his contract, both teams are perennial favorites to make it back to a fourth consecutive NBA Finals next year. And I'm sure we'd be treated to yet another show between LeBron and Durant if they met up as both players were equally good against one another when guarding each other in this series. While Durant scored 43 points and shot 18-for-30 from the floor including 4-for-11 from three with James guarding him, LeBron scored 44 points on 18-for-32 shooting and an identical 4-for-11 from three with Durant guarding him.

Despite becoming the fourth player and first NBA MVP to lose in five NBA Finals, the 32-year old LeBron averaged the first triple-double in NBA Finals history by posting 33.6 Points Per Game, 12.0 Rebounds and 10.0 Assists to further his claim for the greatest of all-time in his seventh consecutive Finals appearance. Sure it's another Finals loss to his belt, but like LeBron said in his post-game presser, "I left everything I had out on the floor every single game for all five games", doing all he could while receiving minimal help from his teammates. A much different approach than the one he took two years ago when he sat at his locker for nearly an hour with a towel over his head. Even when LeBron was on the sideline getting the little rest he received (28 minutes), the Cavs were outscored by 27 points in the series.

With another ring to his resume, Warriors coach Steve Kerr adds ring No. 7 to his mantle after winning 5 as a player with the Bulls and Spurs. As for someone else destined for the Hall of Fame who waited even longer than Durant for his first Championship ring, Steve Nash can finally say he's got one. After playing 20 seasons with the Mavericks, Suns and Lakers and never making it past the Conference Finals, 2-time league MVP Steve Nash joined the Warriors following their 2015 title run as a player development consultant as was one of the first people to receive a hug from Kevin Durant in the tunnel as the players made it from the floor towards the locker room. With Durant being one of the players Nash worked the most with during the season, the two can now share in common that they've got a Championship ring on the way, regardless of how they got it. With the sole mission of winning a ring being the reason Durant signed with Golden State during the offseason which sparked plenty of criticism, he can finally sleep well knowing his decision payed off as a success. 


Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

LeBron, Cavs Dethrone Champs in Decisive Game 7

Cleveland sports fans rejoice! For the first time in 50+ years, it doesn't suck being a sports fan living in Cleveland now that the Cavaliers have pulled off the unthinkable by winning three straight against the vaunted Golden State Warriors to hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy and bring Cleveland its first championship (of any kind) since 1964. With their backs against the wall, LeBron James and company rallied to become the first team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 deficit in the Finals. Against a Golden State team that compiled the best regular season record of all-time no less. Although they needed a little bit of luck and perseverance to get the job done, it took an all-time great series from LeBron James to complete the comeback as the one they call, "King James" registered only the third triple-double ever in an NBA Finals game 7 and became the first player to ever lead a series in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. While many including myself thought LeBron James was on the decline, he proved otherwise with what just might go down as the greatest series performance in an NBA Finals. Though he only had 27-points in the decisive game 7, he logged 41-points in games 5 & 6, including a 41-point outburst by both James and teammate Kyrie Irving as the two became the first duo in Finals history to each score 40-points or more in a single game.

LeBron did it all as evident of his statistical dominance. His most remarkable feat of the night, however, just might be the chase down block he had on Andre Iguodala. With the game tied at 89-89, Golden State appeared to be on their way to a 2-point lead with just under two minutes remaining when Steph Curry and Iguodala had J.R. Smith all alone on a two on one fast-break. And then out of the shadows soaring from behind, racing in full speed was James who swatted both the ball and any hopes the Warriors had left, like he's done so often throughout his career. But this time was different. It was almost as if Golden State had the air knocked out of them following what I'll always refer to as, "the block heard round the world." The play that will go down as one of the greatest defensive plays in NBA Finals history rattled the Warriors who were unable to score a another basket. Lock down defense by the Cavs coupled with poor shot selection from the Warriors doomed the defending champs who suddenly went dry from the floor and failed to score a single basket in the final 4 minutes and 39 seconds. The shots that Steph Curry and Klay Thompson couldn't seem to miss during the regular season, suddenly stopped falling when it mattered most on the biggest of stages and under the brightest of lights as the two combined to shoot a woeful 12-for-36 from the field.

Following their inability to closeout the series at home in Game 5, the pressure on Golden State only mounted more and more after each failure, meanwhile the confidence inside the Cavs locker room only grew. But with a Game 7 to be played on their home court, even the Warriors never worried too much and they didn't have much reason to, seeing as no home team had failed to reign victorious in a game 7 since 1978 and the Warriors hadn't lost three straight games all year. But with a chance to deliver the state of Ohio its first ever NBA Championship, something he's dreamed of doing since entering the league in 2003, LeBron made it his sole mission to deliver on that promise, playing like a man possessed as Golden State's first 3-game losing-streak of the season came at the worst time possible. His teammates also came through in the most trying of times, whether it was Kevin Love's lock down defense on Steph Curry in crunch time with just seconds remaining or Kyrie Irving's clutch three-pointer in the final minute that broke a tie and gave Cleveland the lead for good. It all amounted to a 93-89 victory that resulted in the Cavs becoming only the fourth team to ever win it all in the same year in which they replaced their head coach mid-season when assistant coach Tyronn Lue took over for the departed David Blatt who was fired in late January.

Had it been the Warriors who won in the franchise's first ever Finals game 7, it might have been Draymond Green who we're talking about and praising here. While I could spend plenty of time criticizing the league's questionable decision to suspend Green for his tussle with James and use that as the turning point as to why Golden State collapsed or Cleveland came alive, I'm not going to discredit the Cavs for pulling off their remarkable comeback. After missing Game 5 due to a suspension for having committed four flagrant fouls during the playoffs, Green came out firing on all cylinders in game 7, lighting up the first half and knocking down 11 of 15 shots, including 6 of 8 from behind the arch and finishing an assist shy of a triple-double with a game-high 32-points. However, it wasn't enough as his blazing start fizzled out down the stretch. The loss now begs the question, where do the Warriors go from here? With Harrison Barnes expected to test the free-agent market and likely out the door with a huge payday coming his way, could fellow free-agent Kevin Durant be the answer? Would he even be a good fit in Golden State where there's already two prolific scorers in place? Sure he's shared the same court as Russell Westbrook and James Harden who have evolved into some of the best scorers in the league, but those were both two players he developed alongside since debuting in the league. While those questions are yet to be answered and remain as possibilities at this point, what we do know is that coach Kerr's team can't be any better during the regular season than they were in 2016, nor do they need to be since they won't be chasing a meaningless record this time around and can actually rest down the stretch if need be. They've also proven that they are in fact beatable as evident by what happened in the Finals.

Now that the Warriors have failed to highlight their record-setting regular season with a championship, will their historic run now be remembered in the same light as the New England Patriots' 18-1 run in 2007 when they failed to finish the season perfect and were upset in the Super Bowl by the New York Giants? Yes or no, one thing is certain -- that they'll no longer be considered the greatest team of all-time, simply because they couldn't capitalize on their home court in a deciding game 7. As for the champs and their leader who continues to cement his legacy among the game's all-time greats, the adage of Cleveland being a bunch of losers can now be lifted as their championship drought has finally ended some 56 years later. Also worth noting is that LeBron is officially a free man now that he's delivered on his promise. If he decides he wants to leave the Cavs to pursue other endeavors like playing for the Lakers or Knicks, the city of Cleveland could never hate him or burn his jerseys like they did the first time he left them for the sunny beaches of Miami, simply because he brought the starving city of Cleveland a title. Not that I think it'll happen, but if it did, he's earned the right to do whatever he pleases without the state-wide witch hunt and death threats. Personally, I think he's there to stay and isn't quite finished with how he plans to leave Cleveland's trophy case looking when his career is all said and done.


Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest

Road to the 2012 NBA Finals & Prediction

With both the Eastern and Western Conference Finals coming to an end, the table is now set for the 2012 NBA Finals. And like last year's Finals which featured plenty of drama-filled storylines from LeBron James being unable to follow through on his promise of bringing Miami a title, to he and teammate Dwayne Wade mocking Dallas Mavericks Forward Dirk Nowitzki for his late game heroics in Game 4 despite having a fever of 101 degrees, this year's series should be no different. Though the storylines differ from last season, there shouldn't be any shortage of excitement as fans will be treated to what's expected to be an all-out battle between a high-octane offense in the Oklahoma City Thunder and a defensive juggernaut in the Miami Heat. Not to mention the series will showcase arguably the best two players in the league (Kevin Durant and LeBron James) facing off against one another.

The road these two teams took to get here, however, is a bit one-sided as far as which has been more impressive. Of coarse no path to the Finals is an easy one, but to say the Thunder's journey was a more difficult one than Miami's would be an understatement. While the first round of the NBA Playoffs saw the Miami Heat face an underachieving New York Knicks team which dropped the first three games until finally claiming Game 4 before eventually being eliminated in 5, Oklahoma City made quick work of the defending World Champion Mavericks by completing a four game sweep. The Conference Semifinals featured the Heat against an Indiana Pacers squad which stole home court advantage and took a 2-to-1 series lead before falling three straight. The Thunder on the other hand faced off against the Los Angeles Lakers, but aside from Kobe Bryant's valiant effort to try and put his team on his back and carry them to another championship, the combination of speed and youth proved to be too much for a banged up Laker team as OKC prevailed in 5 games.

For Miami, the Conference Finals would prove to be their most difficult challenge yet. After winning the first two in Miami, the series would shift to Boston where the Heat would lose Games 3 and 4 as well as Game 5 back in South Beach. With their backs against the wall facing elimination, the Heat would need a Hall of Fame-like performance out of LeBron James in Game 6. And with 45 points, 15 rebounds and 5 assists, they would get just that as LeBron and co. forced a decisive Game 7 to be played in Miami where the Heat came alive in the second half and never looked back. As for the Thunder, they'd have to take on the daunting task of having to play the number one seeded San Antonio Spurs who tied the Chicago Bulls for the best overall record in the NBA (50-16). And with Games 1 & 2 in the books, Thunder head coach Scott Brook's team appeared to have finally met their match in a deep, veteran-filled Spurs team, facing an 0-2 deficit. But a trip back to their home court coupled with the two game disadvantage would be the perfect wake up call for Kevin Durant and company as OKC would win the next four, sending the Spurs home packing earlier than they would've hoped for the second straight year as the no. 1 seed. 

Prediction: With the Thunder appearing to be clicking on all cylinders, for Erik Spoelstra's Miami Heat team their toughest task might be what lies a head. With this year's MVP LeBron James expected to draw plenty of attention on offense, it'll be up to Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh and the rest of the Miami Heat cast to step up and do their part. LeBron hasn't necessarily duplicated his MVP-like stature on the biggest stage of them all in the Finals in his first two trips there having lost last year against the Mavs and in 2006 to the San Antonio Spurs while with the Cleveland Cavaliers, but as of late he's been playing on a level unmatched by the opposition. And unless the Thunder find an answer for him, they might be sitting in the locker with their heads down while Miami pops bottles of champagne in celebration by series end. But with such a young cast of talent led by Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden, I don't think that'll be the case. And with the ball in their court owning home court advantage, all signs point towards the Thunder coming out on top given they're yet to lose a home game during these Playoffs (8-0). And while I see the series going the distance if not six games at the very least, I've got the Thunder prevailing and being crowned as this year's NBA Champions with Kevin Durant writing a chapter in the history books as the Finals MVP. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest

We Are The Champions...Again!

Sweet Sweet Revenge - After losing to the arch rival Boston Celtics in the 2008 NBA Finals, it seemed as if Kobe Bryant was never going to get over the hump of winning a tittle without former teammate Shaquille O'Neal. But just one year later, the 2008 MVP would have another chance to rise from the shadows of his 7-foot companion as the Lakers went on to defeat the Orlando Magic in 5-games. The tittle would be Kobe's 4th overall and Lakers head coach Phil Jackson's 10th, surpassing Boston's Red Auerbach who donned nine rings. However, both Bryant and Jackson would prove to be unsatisfied with their resumes as they eyed yet another tittle. After making it to the NBA Finals for the third straight season by defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder, Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns, only one team stood in their way -- The Boston Celtics.

With both teams set to add another chapter to the long history of the greatest rivalry in NBA history, the Lakers had one thing on their mind -- revenge. This time around opposed to the 6-game series Boston would eventually win in '08, the Lakers were the ones with home court advantage. But after splitting the first two games at the Staples Center thanks to a record setting performance by Ray Allen who set an All-Time mark for the most three-pointers made in an NBA Finals game with 8 surpassing the previous mark (7) shared by Kenny 'The Jet' Smith and Scottie Pippen, 2010 was beginning to look a lot like 2008 with three straight games set to be played at the TD Garden. But a big contribution from veteran point-guard Derek Fisher in game 3 would help L.A. steal back home-court advantage and give the Lakers a 2-1 lead.

The results of games 4 and 5 would end similar to one another as Boston came out on top by 7-points in game 4 and 6-points in game 5, despite a 38-point clinic put on by Bryant. With a trip back to L.A., the Lakers were in a do or die situation and were in need of a win to survive and force a game 7. With their backs against the wall, L.A. played their best defense of the series by allowing only 67-points in a blowout 22-point victory. Prior to game 7, it was learned that Boston would be without their starting center - Kendrick Perkins who left game 6 due to a torn PCL & MCL after leaping for a rebound and landing awkwardly. With Perkins sidelined, Celtics coach Doc Rivers had to fill the void and decided to go with veteran Rasheed Wallace due to his more lengthy playoff experience.

Out the gates, the Lakers found themselves trailing early and were down by as many as 13 after halftime. Kobe shot poorly from the field throughout most of the game which didn't seem to help much, and the rest of the Lakers couldn't hit free-throws to save their life. But Pao Gasol and Ron Artest who knocked down the biggest 3-pointer of his life, would steal the show and come up big when needed most. With some crucial free-throws coming late from Bryant and Sasha Vujacic, the Lakers overcame the deficit and held off the Celtics by a final score of 83-79. Bryant was named Finals MVP for the second consecutive season and hoisted his fifth NBA tittle, as did teammate Derek Fisher. For the Lakers franchise, the NBA Championship was the team's 16th overall and 5th in 11 seasons.

Although the 7 game series couldn't have made for a better story book ending for us Laker fans, it couldn't have worked out any better for ABC either as T.V. ratings sky rocketed through the roof. With the help of our international friends, this year's NBA Finals generated more viewers than ever before. The series was broadcast around the world in 215 countries and territories and translated in 41 different languages. But with the celebration of the victory came more rioting amongst the troublemakers in L.A. Then again, what more can you expect from the Laker faithful? Even though I'm a die hard Lakers fan, one thing I can never do is compare myself to the rest of the pack, as most Laker fans are known for being ignorant and extremely biased. As for the parade that took place a few days after the ruckus that filled the streets of Southern California, I was in attendance and took a few photos of my own that I will post later on along with my trip to Cali.

The Zen Master x Charge!

The Ultimate Showdown - The table is set for another round of good 'ol Lakers-Celtics basketball as both teams look to once again renew their rivalry and add another chapter to the archive of never ending L.A.-Boston NBA Finals faceoffs. Something else both teams hope to add is another Championship to their trophy case. As the Celtics remain atop the list with 17-world tittles, the Lakers are in the rear-view mirror close behind with a total of 15-world tittles. But what's a good 'ol rivalry without adding a little spice to the mix? Adding fuel to the fire is something no man can do better than the Zen Master himself.

After commenting on the NBA officials and the superstar treatment they were giving Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, Lakers head coach Phil Jackson was fined $35,000 by the angel of NBA commissioner David Stern as PTI's Tony Kornheiser likes to say. Next on the list was Phoenix Suns veteran point-guard Steve Nash who was accused by Jackson for carrying the ball. After completing a four-game sweep of the San Antonio Spurs, Nash fired back by saying, "The best coach in the league Gregg Popovich didn't seem to complain about it." And when Phil's Lakers punched their ticket to the NBA Finals for the third consecutive year, it wasn't long before Jackson was back at his usual mind games. This time aiming at the Lakers archrival Boston Celtics and their star center Kevin Garnett, hoping to ploy the same problems that both Durant and Nash faced in rounds past.

After labeling the Celtics as a team with a smack down mentality, mainly referring to Garnett and his karate chopping of Dwight Howard's arm in game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Jackson made some comments that could influence the refs. "That's not our team, we don't go out there and smack people around." But unlike Phil's past victims, Garnett didn't fall into the trap of the almighty Zen Master. Instead, he called Jackson's bluff and said it was all part of Jackson's little game. But whether or not Garnett and the rest of the Boston three-party alongside Rajon Rondo decide to fall for any of Jackson's tricks that may be up his sleeve, they're going to have to look out for one thing and one thing only -- Charges.

The Lakers plan to attack the big bodied Celtics by taking and committing charges. And for every successful charge, a Laker will earn an extra $50 to their pay check. All Laker players seemed to get the memo, except for the trouble Ron Artest of coarse. Artest, the hero in game 5 of the Western Conference Finals told ESPN, "If you take a charge on the playground [in New York] and call it, someones getting stabbed." I'm not sure if Artest was the one threatening to do the stabbing, but I wouldn't doubt it. After all, this is the same guy that ran into the stands in Detroit and caused what would go down as the biggest brawl in NBA history -- the Malice at the Palace...

Game 1 of the NBA Finals starts tomorrow at 6 pm on ABC, Go Lakers!