All right. You've just come down with the flu the night before a date with Jessica Biel. You're convincing yourself that you're in good enough health to go out with her.
Now you've just watched the first six games of the Cleveland Cavaliers-Boston Celtics series in the Eastern Conference semifinals. For the most part you've been half-asleep for some of the games, fully asleep for others, and are convincing yourself that painful 76-72 final scores constitute exciting, close-fought battles. Plus, it's tied 3-3 and going to a Game 7. LeBron James! Kevin Garnett! It must truly be exciting!
Leading up to tip-off, I wasn't holding out much hope for that seventh game being something remotely resembling a memorable event. After all, I saw Boston's first Game 7 of the postseason, and I figured the same tea of dominance would be dumped into the lap of the undermatched Cavs.
But this Game 7 didn't have much in common with the one featuring Atlanta. For one, Atlanta — at one time in the game — had the lead. And, as is standard protocol with 34-point blowouts, the Boston-Atlanta Game 7 was never exciting, unlike the Celtics' duel with Cleveland.
But they did have one thing in common, and it's strikingly relevant: Boston won.
The Celtics' 97-92 victory over the Cavaliers at TD Banknorth Garden is already being branded as one of the more, if not most, memorable Game 7s in NBA history, and I'm not sure I'd go that far, but it definitely broke the mold from the first six. So it's as if you took the right amount of DayQuil and Sudafed and masked the symptoms enough to make it to that date with Jessica.
Of course, since the cosmos remained aligned and Boston predictably won, Ms. Biel does not find your sweating all that attractive, and you will not advance to a second date. (Or even second base.)
Article comments
1 - Cody Hunt
Paul peirce can kiss my ass because lebron and the cavs should have beat thos bosten cheaters
2 - RJ Elliott
What's your pick in the Celtics-Pistons matchup, Suss?
I'm going with the Pistons in 6. (But then, I'm biased.)
I think the Pistons will steal one of the first two in Boston, and then lose one of two at home in games 3 and 4. Then I expect a close Detroit win in game 5, and a demoralize Boston team getting crushed on the road in game 6.
Pistons-Lakers in the Finals? Sounds about right to me...
3 - Matthew T. Sussman
Two things going for Detroit that have happened since the playoffs began:
• They have a better road record than Boston
• They can get a lot of quality minutes out of Rodney Stuckey, saving the 4th quarter for the not-100% Chauncey Billups
But I'm taking the absolute opposite. It's looking like Spurs-Celtics. In which case I'm rooting for the meteor.
4 - RJ Elliott
Well, I've been correct through four games... ;-)
5 - Brian
that was great writing.