Celtics rout Lakers to win 2008 NBA Championship

In a veritable rout last night, the Boston Celtics beat the Los Angeles Lakers 131-92 to win the 2008 NBA Championship Series 4-2.

This represents the first title the storied Celtics have won since the halcyon days of the 1980s, when Larry Bird led them to championships in ’81, ’84 and, most recently, in ’86.

This also gives them a league-leading 17 titles in NBA history. And it’s noteworthy that this is the first Celtics championship team that does not feature a white player….

Yet it is an indication of how much the NBA has faded in popularity in recent years that the only household name amongst the players fighting for this championship was Kobe Bryant. Never mind that this probably has as much to do with the sensational rape charges that were filed against him in 2004 as with the three-consecutive NBA championships he helped the Lakers win in 2001, 2002 and 2003. (Incidentally, Kobe got off on the rape charges by reportedly paying his accuser $5 million in hush money.)

Frankly, what I found most interesting about this year’s NBA finals is the prospect of Kobe finally leading the Lakers to a championship without the purportedly indispensable assistance of Shaquille O’Neal.

Recall that the Lakers traded Shaq to the Miami Heat in 2004 to indulge Kobe’s petulant and narcissistic personality. And since then all NBA fans have wondered which of these two franchise players would be the first to lead his team to a championship without the other.

Therefore, Kobe must have resented watching Shaq lead the Heat to an NBA championship in 2006. And his resentment must be especially acute today given that he just lost what was probably his last, best chance to match Shaq’s coveted feat….

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2008 NBA Championship, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers