Black Mamba on the prowl: Kobe Bryant is ready to take on the Boston Celtics in the Finals.(Christian Petersen/NBAE/Getty Images)
The Phoenix Suns had homecourt advantage in game 6, Steve Nash and gang knew they could beat the L.A. Lakers and force a Game 7. They got everything planned out and their game plan was in full effect. The 2-3 zone bothered most of the Lakers but they forgot about the one guy they should really worry about -- Kobe Bryant.
A typical Kobe performance dropping 37 points on the Suns to make yet another return to the Finals. Phoenix's resilience and tremendous comeback undoubtedly gave the Lakeshow a run for their money. Amar'e Stoudemire knew their efforts didn't do too much against the Lakers:
“We played great and we were only two games short of getting to the Finals,” Suns forward Amar’e Stoudemire said. “They (the Lakers) have a great team and they have all bases covered; from the bench, to the starters, to Kobe.”
Suns veteran and co-captain Grant Hill agrees with Stat:
“It makes it hard when you’re down like that,” Suns co-captain Grant Hill said. “We fought and got back into the game but they have experience of being in these types of games before and they’re pretty good.”
Who could forget Suns' heartbreaking loss in Game 5 at the hands of one Ron Artest, who was always criticized by the Phil Jackson of his poor shot selections -- he didn't complain about his game winning shot though. How about Kobe's little gesture on Phoenix Suns coach Alvin Gentry after hitting a big 3-pointer -- with Grant Hill all over him -- late in the 4th quarter? This clip says it all:
Stoudemire lead his team with 27 while Steve Nash collected 21 points along with 9 assists. Despite the loss, the Suns' court general praised his team for a great season and playoff run:
“I know everyone makes a deal out of I've never made the finals,” the playmaker said, “but if I play with a team like I played with this year, I'll be satisfied with that. It's phenomenally rewarding to be part of a group like this.
“It's a great source of pride for me to get a chance to play with these guys. They're just such great, great people and great teammates. They've committed absolutely to what we're trying to do. You want to say we overachieved until you think about it and say, 'We're a good team.' We had a real legitimate chance to beat the Lakers and go to the Finals and play for a championship.”
So it's come to this, the Lakers-Celtics rivalry is back in full effect. The Lakeshow now has the opportunity to avenge their loss in 2008. The defending champs have lot to prove as they have yet to win against the Boston Celtics in the finals. Kobe Bryant comments on what to expect in their storied rivalry come June:
"The challenge is to win the championship. The Celtics are in the way. They feel the same way about us. Obviously this is a matchup, it's very easy to talk about. There's a lot of things that people can write about and talk about. It's a sexy matchup.
We're looking forward to this challenge, looking forward to the test. When the ball goes up, we'll be ready to go."
As the 2010 NBA Finals loom, this is going to be yet another great championship match-up of epic proportions. It's win or go home for both teams. The Boston Celtics are aiming for NBA title number 18. The L.A. Lakers however want not just to defend their 'chip but it's all about redemption.
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