In order for the Boston Celtics to win its 17th NBA title in franchise history, they'll have to prevent the Lakers from pulling off something that has never been done in NBA Finals history. The Celtics return home for games six and seven, where they are 12-1 this postseason. A series win will give the Celtics a new record for most home wins in a single playoffs, breaking their tie with the 1984 Celtics and 1988 Lakers.
Fans and players both know the significance of this series. Want to see the action live from TD Banknorth Garden tonight? Get ready to pay a pretty penny. The average price of a game six ticket on StubHub is $943. Some die-hard fans on StubHub dropped $27,500 for two VIP mid-court seats. I don't know if this game can draw the most money a ticket has ever gone for on StubHub ($14,000 for MLB ASG at Yankee Stadium), but maybe a game seven ticket could.
In order to force a winner-take-all game seven, Kobe Bryant will have to will his team to victory. Bryant will have to pull of a true MVP-caliber performance. Throughout the series, Bryant really hasn't been able to do that. The Boston defense has forced Kobe to take unwanted jumpers ("bunnies" in which he has missed) or force his way to the basket picking up charges or having to make contested baskets. In game four, Bryant was scoreless in the first half, but his team was killing. During the second half he tried to take over, but only allowed the Celtics to get back into a game that the Lakers controlled with a 24 point first half lead. Bryant started game five with 15 points in the first quarter, but only managed to score 10 points after that -- resulting in Boston's two separate double-digit comebacks.
Kobe's game-clinching steal and dunk at the end of game five will help carry both the Lakers and Bryant into just the second elimination game they've had to face during the playoffs. Paul Pierce has looked the part of league MVP in the NBA Finals -- but the real league MVP needs to outshine the potential Finals MVP in game six if he wants to force a deciding game.
Kobe is an phenomenal talent and deserving of league MVP. He is very capable of leading the Lakers to a victory in both games six and seven. Through five games of the NBA Finals, Kobe has yet to be Jordan-esk. It's a game like tonight's game six where MJ would have single-handedly done whatever it took to force a game seven. And if No. 24 wants to "one-up" No. 23 -- he'll have to do his best Jordan impression over the next two games.
Despite the fact that Boston was 47-7 at home this season, Kobe and Phil have both said that this series isn't over. While there have been some wide open leads in almost every Finals game, it seems as if people have been ignoring the fact that every game has ended up under five points with three minutes to go. Also, keep in mind that Los Angeles has been able to take at least one away game in every series this postseason. If Kobe can win game six, anything can happen in game seven.
Boston leads series, 3-2.
Game Six, Tonight, 8:30 ET, ABC
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