Just Another Game...

In the words of Bruce Buffer: It’s Time!!!!!!!!!. Hello and welcome to my live running diary for game 5 of the NBA Finals. This is obviously a huge game for both teams with the series tied at 2 games apiece. I kind of hinted at it on Friday in my post, but I think Kobe is going to have huge game tonight, an MJ like performance. So, I think it’s going to be a battle tonight. Here we go…

6:40pm: And on cue Jon Barry echoes my sentiments by saying that Kobe Bryant is going to have a huge game.

6:41: ABC really on the cutting edge with its music so far… Boston earlier and Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock take us to break. Did I spell EZ correctly?

6:47: Man this is a long commercial break. At least “Catch Me if you can?” is on TBS

6:50: Random information from Mike Wilbon and Jon Barry or more like stat sheets fed to them by producers. And Stuart Scott gets cut off as we head to another break. This night is off to a good start.

6:53: You know what’s terrible Charles Barkley is that there is no way in hell anybody would go to Taco Bell just for that $2 meal deal or just order 1 taco and bag of chips from that place. I think everybody that goes to Taco Bell at 2am is ordering a minimum of 4 items and has a BAC higher than 2

6:54: Now the Boston Pops for our National Anthem or better known as stuff that old white people like

6: 56: Bynum is in the lineup. Let’s see how long he plays

6:58: Really Celtics jumbotron piece? The first three players you show are Big Baby, Nate Robinson and Rasheed Wallace

7:00: Just a brilliant intro by ABC. I am seriously excited after that. Well done, ABC

7:25: Crap!! I got caught on the phone for the last 20 some minutes. Thoughts so far: Rondo is being real aggressive, which I like. Bynum has started real strong, but it looks like his knee is still bothering him. The C’s got off to a fast start, but the Lakers closed the gap and took the lead very similar to game 3. It looked like Boston could have blown the roof off the Garden early, but it looks like were settled In for a good one.

7:28: These ads with Sandler, Spade, James and Rock really need to stop

7:29: Great shots of Phil coaching in the Puerto Rican league and the CBA. Great disco shirts!

7:30: Ron Artest continues to cement his legacy as worst offensive player in an NBA Finals. C’s up 20-18

7:31: Let’s see which team can close out this quarter. Tied at 20

7:32: Pierce hoop for the C’s and draws a charge on the other end. 22-20 C’s

7:34: A Nate Robinson heave for the last shot of the quarter probably not the possession the C’s wanted. Kobe closes out a mediocre quarter and Gasol only took 2 shots and yet the Lakers are only down 2 points when it seems the C’s really out played them all quarter.

7:37: No way! It can’t be!! Yes, folks you see that correctly Adam Morrison is dressed for this game.

7:38: The C’s are getting great looks and so far have knocked them down. C’s up 24-20 to start the 2nd.

7:39: No Bryant or Gasol to start the 2nd. Let’s see how this goes…

7:40: LA is really hitting the offensive glass with a 6-0 advantage and some easy 2nd chance points. 26-22 C’s up

7:42: Nate Robinson is just so excited not just because it’s the NBA Finals, but because he no longer plays for the Knicks. C’s 30-22

7:43: Tom Cruise tries to prove he’s still a legitimate star by making a shitty looking PG-13 action movie. Tom the gig is up and that movie looks awful.

7:46: Nate Robinson is a turnover machine. Doc needs to bring back Rondo asap and he does. C’s up 30-26

7:48: Rondo was great drive to the rim and a reverse lay-up. C’s up 32-28

7:50: Hey oh! Artest drills a three to close the gap to 1. C’s up 32-31 as Mark Jackson poorly narrates a Rajon Rondo highlight as we head into a break.

7:54: JVG breaks down Kobe’s game so far, which has been more as a distributor than a scorer.

7:55: Garnett fouled hard then Rondo shoves Artest. Wait, huge flop by Artest and a Tech on Rondo and now a solid disagreement between JVG and Mark Jackson. I agree with JVG in that flopping should not be encouraged in basketball to draw calls. JVG getting gangster on this telecast calling out Queensbridge.

7:59: The Garden is rocking with the C’s up 41-37. Someone must have told them Aerosmith cancelled their half-time performance

8:00: This game is really out for the Lakers to steal. Kobe is 4-11 and it seems like the C’s are shooting the lights out. Yet their only up 4.

8:04: Bad officiating strikes again!! Rondo called for questionable push off. Otherwise the refs have not been to bad tonight. Although, I say that now there is still plenty for Joey Crawford to screw up.

8: 06: Runner by Rondo no good to end the quarter. Another bad end of the quarter possession by the Celts and they are leading 45-39.

8:08: The C’s are shooting 66% to LA’s 39%, but the Lakers have been pounding the offensive glass and getting to the line. This game is the Lakers for the taking if Kobe goes nuts in the 2nd half.

8:21: Here’s my guy Chris Connelly (sp?) doing the piece on Derek Fisher and my family. If tragedy strikes in sports there is an 85% chance that Chris Connelly will be there to report or narrate it.

8:25: This half needs to start so they game will be over by 10pm so I can watch the season finale of the best show on TV: “Breaking Bad”

8:28: Rondo opens the half with cutting lay-up off a pass from Garnett and Pierce bangs a 3. The C’s could really open up this game if they can get on a run. C’s up 50-39

8:30: Kobe needs to pick up his game and maybe that turnaround will be just the thing to spark it. 52-41 C’s lead

8:32: Ray Allen misses his 16th straight 3, but at least he is hitting his lay-ups.

8:35: Kobe is getting real warm to start the 3rd. He is in eff you mode right now, which means opposing defenders and young blondes of Colorado be damned you ain’t stopping him.

8:38: Kobe getting pissed out of the break and wants to guard Pierce, which means then there is absolutely no purpose for Ron Artest to be on the floor. Let’s see if Phil obliges him. C’s up 60-51

8:40: Turned on the Cubs-Sox game and fell asleep.

8:42: Kobe is turning in a quarter for the ages, but the Lakers can’t stop the C’s, who are still up 64-56.

8:43: I like Phil going with Walton instead of Artest . It should help out on both ends of the floor.

8:44: KG is putting on a clinic in the post tonight. This has been a weird game.

8:47: Fisher flops and doesn’t get the call and Allen scores in the post. Please stop with the flops. This is not soccer and you’re not European, Derek

8:49: Kobe may as well be playing 1 on 5 because he has gotten zero help and zero points so far this quarter from his teammates.

8:53: Pau Gasol goes hard to the rim for an And-1. I am pretty sure everybody got out of Gasol’s way because it looks like he has not showered in a month.

8:54: The Shrek (Big Baby) and Donkey (Nate Robinson) show is not in full swing here in game 5. In fact it’s been a bust.

8:56: Pierce has certainly showed up tonight in a big way for the C’s.

8:58 End of the 3rd, where Kobe killed it with 19 points, but the C’s still have the lead 73-65. Kobe was also on the bench at the end of the quarter, so will see if Phil is going to give him a rest.

9:02: The C’s are still shooting in 60% range, but the Lakers only down 6 after Gasol opens the quarter with a lay-up

9:03: Battle of the benches, except Kobe and Gasol still on the floor for LA. Score the 1st blow for Boston with that Rasheed Wallace 3

9:04: Even his own teammates don’t like him (Sasha Vujacic) as he failed to rotate on defense to stop Nate Robinson

9:07: I really like the way Pierce has played tonight. I have been waiting for him to do this all series.

9:07: And now the trailer for the best movie of 2010: “The Expendables”. This looks epic

9:09: All of these ABC summer shows look awful. I am going to hate my life (TV viewing at night) after the NBA Finals finish up.

9:11: C’s bring back in starters except for Rondo and Perkins, which is a lot earlier than they did in game 4. I think it’s a good move by Doc. Meanwhile, Phil benched Gasol and brought back Artest and Bynum, so let’s see how that works out.

9:14: The streak is still alive… Kendrick Perkins picks up a foul for a moving screen.

9:15: Artest open for 3??? Yeah, no thankfully for the Lakers Odom cleans up his mess. Artest is simultaneously bringing joy to all Celtics fans when he shoots and slowly killing every Lakers fan just a little bit with each shot. C’s up 81-75 heading into break

9:18: Crap, I jinxed it in my last blog post they just showed Spike Lee at the game.

9:20: The C’s really excel on the 1 on none fast break, then not so much in every other phase of the fast break. Maybe they can take some notes from Gabe Kaplan

9:21: Just realized nobody got that Kaplan reference. Check his imdb page I don’t have time to explain.

9:22: Ridiculous tip by Rondo on a missed 3. He has really been solid tonight. All of the C’s that needed to show up and elevate their game tonight have done so thus far.

9:23: Kobe just picked up his 5th foul and David Stern promptly called down to the scorer’s table to say that it will be his last called foul of the night. C’s up 87-75

9:25: Switched onto the Cubs game as they try to blow a 9th inning lead and I am not really surprised. Man, I hate baseball.

9: 29: Gasol knocks down 2 FT’s and gets to double figures. He is the only player besides Bryant to reach double digits tonight. And even he’s has been pretty average tonight.

9:31: Here comes the foul parade. Artest hits 1-2 for LA and Perkins fouled on the miss.

9:32: Perk misses both as the Zen master takes a 20 and looks down his bench for Bobby Hansen

9:35: Bryant fouled on 3. Hits all three 3 FT’s as somebody throws something on the court during his 3rd free throw.

9:37: Questionable 24 second shot clock violation goes the Celtics way as the refs say the ball hit the rim C’s keep possession. Why is that not reviewable? Wake up, David Stern this is the 21st century and let’s use replay on that call. It looks like the Lakers got screwed.

9: 40: Phil is saying the Celtics know how to lose in the 4th quarter. Great motivation, Phil. Exactly, how do you plan to execute that? Because it’s not looking good at this point

9:41: Artest fouled on a breakaway off a jump ball and misses both FT’s. Why is he in the game again? C’s up 87-82 with 38 seconds left going to a break.

9:44: Here comes the GNR and just an unbelievable play by Pierce to save the ball and insane finish by Rondo, who should have been fouled by Artest. C’s up 7 with 35 seconds left.

9:45: The Lakers let 10 seconds go off the clock before fouling Ray Allen. Not exactly a good game plan

9:46: Garnett hits 1 of 2 free throws. Lakers call TO down 6 with 8 seconds left.

9:48: I know they are only down 6, but it seems like the Lakers have never been in this game after the 1st quarter. Everybody besides Bryant has been terrible and that is certainly not a championship formula. I would send Artest back to Queensbridge for game 6 and possibly game 7 especially if he can’t stop Pierce.

9:49: 2 desperation 3’s fall short and that’s your ballgame 92-86 Celtics

9:50: The C’s really stepped up tonight. Pierce played his best game tonight and Rondo was great as well. The Lakers wasted a great game by Kobe, so let’s see if they can regroup back in LA.

9:51: The C’s can close out the series on Tuesday night and win a championship and myself a little bit of walking around money. Till then…