Somehow, some way, it’s coming. If the events of the past week in the NBA playoffs weren’t enough indication, they’ll be another epic blockbuster with a cataclysmic finale this summer (or winter, depending on what part of the globe your nuts freeze in). If this was Jeff Van Gundy, you’d hear something along the lines of, “Avatar in 3D against this?…Are you kidding me???”. The planets are aligning. Apparitions of the Russells, the Wests, the Birds and the Magics are coming back to take center stage, but not quite. This is unfinished business. It’s gonna get nasty. It’s gonna be riveting. And David Stern is having yet another wet dream.

The Boston Celtics versus the Los Angeles Lakers. The 12^th installment. The champs of ‘08, going head to head with the defending champs of ‘09. Arch-rivals. Mortal enemies. Sheer hatred. Both significantly better than the 2008 editions.

Arguably the most heated rivalry in sports is so close you can taste it. It’s a guilty pleasure. Don’t fool yourselves, if you’re a traditional basketball fan, then there’s a part of you that hopes the Conference Finals will just end now. Let’s face facts- LeBron gave up, Disney Dwight’s merry men just don’t cut it, and Nash’s Los army already won its title when it beat the San Antonio Spurs. The quality of the rest of west is about as raggedy as Mick Foley’s testicular fortitude. Spare us the mere rebuttals that the Orlando Magic and Phoenix Suns (both down 0-2 respectively) will try to make in the next week – the writing’s on the wall.

It’s the matchup that most of you wanted last year, except KG’s knee prevented that from materializing. Now that Boston is healthy and firing again, and that L.A.’s killer instincts are back, you can’t help but look ahead. Although, judging by the events of season 2009-10, the possibilities of such a rematch were about as remote as Allen Iverson was to making this year’s all-NBA first team.

Sometimes it’s not about being hot at the right time of the season (Orlando) or being the best positioned (Cleveland), but rather the most determined, focused, even desperate. Boston represents all of the latter and are on the verge of vindicating a legacy that will see them add title number 18 to their already overcrowded trophy cabinet.

Sometimes it’s not about how badly you played last game, last week or last month, or how banged up you are, but rather how you respond the following night. About how you tell the detractors and the critics to go shove it, and then go out and stick it to the opponents while handing them plane tickets to Panama. The Lakers have been in the hunt all year, and somehow got lost in the shuffle of favoritism when Orlando and Cleveland started partying early.

We’ll go east to west.

Boston has lulled all of us to sleep based on a lackluster season that still produced a respectable 50 wins. After ending 2009 with 29-10 record, the Celtics went 21-22 the rest of the way prompting a surge of questions marks ranging from ‘Too old?’, to ‘Is the hunger still there?’. Both have been answered emphatically the past fortnight.

There’s nothing you didn’t already know about Boston, the Celts predicate their game plan on suffocating defense, while spreading the load offensively. Since this group was brought together, most would associate Boston’s success around the Big Three of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen – all surefire inductees to Boston’s bingo pads that hang above the Garden floor. If they are victorious again, then the hierarchy will likely add another on the back of Rajon Rondo, the one-man engine room that has re-invigorated his veteran mates to stand up and be counted again. Rondo is in the form of his life. He fueled the first round pumping of the Miami Heat, practically destroyed the Cleveland Cavaliers on his own and is now tap-dancing around the Magic, all the while adding another string to his bow- the jump shot (which is clutch). If the NBA handed out playoff MVP’s instead of final’s hardware, then Rondo would be topping the vote getters. Kendrick Perkins has become KG’s Scottie Pippen at the defensive end, blocking, rebounding and displaying all the intangibles that don’t make it to the finer print- screens, prompt rotations and the inner nastiness that is a pre-requisite within a champ. Boston’s second unit is also vastly different to the ‘08 squad, with Rasheed Wallace, Glen Davis and Tony Allen (both non-factors that year) playing pivotal roles. The Lakers should expect nothing less.

Los Angeles somewhat traveled a similar path to the Celtics but without having to settle for a lower seed out west. Like Boston, the Lakers jumped out of the gate finishing 2009 at 31-8, but finished the season going 26-17. Center Andrew Bynum re-injured his right knee midyear and only returned at the start of the first round. Bynum was in career-best in 2008 before his injuring his left knee which sidelined him for the rest of that year. If his legs for that matter hold up, his presence alone levels off the playing field against the Celtics bruising frontcourt. Pau Gasol has dominated the Western Conference playoffs and done what superstar forwards do; raise their level of play to the tune of 20 points and 12 rebounds in 11 games (memo to Rashard Lewis, Antawn Jamison and Carlos Boozer). The test for him comes in the next series. Phil Jackson clearly had it out for him the last time Boston beat him up. So will we see Gasol or Gasoft? Derek Fisher continues to be Derek Fisher, while Lamar Odom has been a major factor off the bench using sizable matchups and luck apparently to torch the opposition. Nothing fuels a competitor more than a grudge match, unless it’s a revenge-root against the ex-Mrs. Kobe Bryant’s already getting his against the hapless Suns, and with Boston cleaning house back east, he’ll no sooner get his chance.

There’s a ridiculous amount at stake. Both teams have gotten stronger as the playoffs have progressed. The history books show that Boston’s won 9 of the 11 meetings between the two. Aside that other little guy, their present day Big Three were built for the ‘now’ and will only require another ring to solidify their legacy. The Lakers on the other hand have been building for two years to have another crack, practically having the 131-92 game six score line seared into their skins. Laker vengeance for being owned will be at an all-time high and they’ll have homecourt this time around, not that it’ll matter to these Celtics. Ron Artest is the only Laker without a ring, and is hungry as hell to finally lie down and have champagne poured on him as opposed to a beer cup. Kobe also wouldn’t mind title number five.

Orlando and Phoenix deserve an outsider’s chance of making the Conference Finals interesting again, but would you bet against two experienced teams that rarely lose once they’re up 2-nil? Peril. Together, the Celtics and Lakers have amassed 32 titles of the 63 NBA championships won. Thirty-three looks a sure bet, but who takes it is anyone’s guess. It doesn’t matter either way really, Commissioner Stern’s already changing his underpants.

Tags: 2008 Finals, 2010 Finals, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers

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