The Celtics and Lakers are left to ponder what happened and what to do, but is Miami really the next?
Yes folks, it's been a while and it's called reacquainting myself with my family, as in a slight vacation. But I'm back and I've been watching as I'm sure many of you have. Yes I had to take it in the chops as my Finals prediction went up in smoke thanks to both the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics being kicked to the curb.
Amazingly, they won only one game between them in their respective conference semis, being trounced by Dallas and Miami. Those two teams just happened to be the finalists in 2006 and some people are now looking forward to a rematch… but not so fast.
So what happened to the Celtics and Lakers? Well, both teams failed to execute in key times as they bowed out. The Lakers screen roll defense was as bad as it was against New Orleans in the opening round and Pau Gasol simply couldn't guard Dirk Nowitzki. Why that matchup was so prominent should have been the first question for Phil Jackson.
Boston, due to the Rondo injury, just didn't have its main decision maker at 100%. Credit Miami for putting the pressure on him defensively and "banging" that left elbow around in screen and roll situations.
Where do these teams go from here? Boston has already secured its coach for the next five seasons as Doc Rivers has signed his extension. Danny Ainge discussed the entire situation here and now has to go out and tweak the roster. They need help to get back to the finals as the window seems to have closed a bit more this season.
The Lakers have a few key decisions in these eyes. First off, the personnel is fit to playing the triple post aka "triangle" offense. If they're only going to slightly revamp the roster, then they need a coach who can use the personnel properly. If they hire a coach that has other ideas, more "traditional" NBA ideas, then they will need to make more significant roster moves to lessen the load on Bryant.
Continually putting an aging Kobe in screen roll situations on offense won't work the way it did in the past. The coaching search in Los Angeles has many key names on the short list (Brian Shaw, Rick Adelman and Mike Dunleavy) and if they don't make the right hire, the dynasty may have just died.
The Celtics and Lakers will have plenty of time to ponder strategy for next season as they watch the Heat push toward what Miami hopes will be a title. Miami is a confident team right now, with confidence being a zero sum entity in any battle. As the Heat's confidence grew in the conference semi, Boston's receded.
But Chicago will be a tougher test. The Bulls have the same style defence as Boston but with younger players. Mind you, some will say the Bulls haven't been as impressive as Miami in getting to the conference finals, but hey, they are there regardless.
Miami will once again have to move the ball and if all else fails; they will call on Dwayne Wade and LeBron James to simply make a play. James hit a couple big shots in the close out game against Boston, but they weren't great shots that came off terrific ball movement. If he had missed, we'd be hearing the phrase "settling for the jumper" again with James.
But the barometer for Miami is Wade. His numbers were, in stark contrast to the regular season contests with Boston, outstanding, and he needs to keep it up against Chicago. I'm a Missouri "show me" kind of person, so Miami will have to show me again in the conference finals they are worthy of being the Eastern Conference's representative in The Finals.
