Seemingly unable to come to grips with their position in the NBA Finals, many Laker fans have been desperately trying to avoid admitting that the better team won. I understand the natural tendancy to look for other explanations but it seems to be getting absurd.
Calling Pierce a "faker" still boggles my mind. Whining about the officiating was to be expected from the fans, but the Zen Master is just embarassing himself. Still, none of that tops this beauty of an article over at Forum Blue & Gold (keep in mind, this is written by a guest blogger, not Kurt).
Previously unheralded outside of hardcore hoops circles, Tom Thibodeau is now being feted as a defensive genius and the architect behind the resurgence of the Boston Celtics. As Karl Rove was to GWB, TT is to Doc Rivers. How else do you explain it? A bottom rung defensive team, populated with defensive sieves like Paul Pierce, supplemented by the likes of Ray Allen transformed into the basketball equivalent of the Steel Curtain. Sure KG had been a fine defensive player and Posey certainly helps. But it takes talent, tactics, and time to become a great defensive team. How can any coach take a brand new group of guys and implement a defensive system in one training camp that is more effective than the vaunted Spurs defense who’ve played together for years?
You have to cheat.
It sure is an amusing theory. Well written and thought out ...and total lunacy. Kind of an NBA Spygate tale that would make Oliver Stone proud.
Note to Laker fans: Whatever Tom Thibodeau is doing, he's doing completely within the rules (both the letter and the spirit of the law). He's just doing it better than anyone else. Oh yeah, and having KG doesn't hurt either. He's a little more than just a "fine defensive player."