So what is the big deal about Miami having a party?

So, I think 710 AM is attempting to engineer some rivalry today. Michael Thompson and Andrew Ceciliano were on the radio arguing about whether it was appropriate for Miami to hold a party recently. Strange question.

The official reason for the party was the acquisition of LeBron. According to 710AM, Laker fans either felt it was a dis or laughable. This is non-sequitor It's like saying that Aluminum melts at 900F because Santa Clause has a red nosed reindeer. There's no reason to draw either inference. The whole story may be a fallacy ontop of false premise, but 710 AM was taking a big swing at it anyhow.

The funny thing was the engineering seemed to be working. A few aggravated Laker fans called in with complaints about Miami's party for LeBron. Drew-pooh insisted that everyone at the Dodger game a couple days ago though the party was preposterous and laughable.

I have one question: Why? Because they are acting like they won something. Well, they did. They won the LeBron sweepstakes. No, but they are acting like they won the championship and we (the Lakers) did not. I don't know why you would say that. Well... they are acting like they are guaranteed a championship! I don't know why you would say that.

Folks, I believe most Laker fans are like me. They were probably listening to these fallacious arguments with a quizzical smirk on their faces. This is mostly nonsense. I think the NBA is afraid of a lower Nielson rating next season if Miami meets the Lakers in that much-predicted final. I think they want to stir-up a shitstorm, and make sure the cauldron is boiling when and if this series rolls around. I think this dovetails nicely with 710 AM's need to continue talking Lakers Basketball during the deep-off, prior to the All-Star Game and the advent of football.

Good luck with that, but I am not buying in.

I think one or two of these angry callers were set-ups. I think the others are the nervous sort of Laker fans, who are afraid of loosing a threepete.

So what do I think? Relax. Nothing is proven yet. In Rock 'n Roll history, many super-groups have been assembled. Most could not make any good or memorable music together. How many of them were like Bad English, or the Firm, The Traveling Willburies, or Chickenfoot, or the recently dead Army of Anyone. Most of these projects don't work out like the Fleetwood Mac Rumors project. Not that I am a fan mind you, it's just that Rumors is probably the benchmark for all successful Super-Group projects. Most are like "A Perfect Circle". They succeed a little bit.

So we are going to find out of LeBron, Bosh and Wade can make some beautiful music together. Right now we don't know that they can. This is not to say that they cannot make great things happen together. They just haven't proven they can work together as a team yet. They may do so. If they can, we should have a sensational opponent for next championship series.

Even if they can play together, don't worry about it. Playing Miami is preferable to playing Boston again. I like the prospects. I don't know why you white-knuckle guys are shitting your pants with fear. Just a couple months ago, you were saying that LeBron has a chicken-heart that pumps Cool-Aid.

Your opening match-ups in tonight's game 1 of the NBA championship series

According to the poop-wire, a leak occurred in the Lakers' pipeline and Coach Phil Jackson's initial defensive theory has been revealed. What is that theory? Here is the chart for your viewing pleasure.

Bryant will go against Rondo. Fisher against Allen. Artest against Pierce. Gasol against Perkins. Odum against Garnett. There aren't too many surprises. Something thought Bryant would be put against Pierce and Rondo would be covered by Artest. I thought Gasol would be put against Garnett. That is the most difficult match-up to believe, if it is true.

If there is any truth in this chart, then it is clear Coach Phil Jackson believes stopping Rondo and Pierce is the absolute key to victory in this series. It is not a bad theory; not bad at all.

I think there can be little doubt that Rondo is the Celtic's MVP. He has been the force driving them on this playoff run. Rondo is the consummate point guard who dribbles, collapses the zone and dishes off the ball to the open man. Smothering him is the key to the series.

Bryant is a hell of defender when he wants to be. I have seen him get pissed and shut guys down. I forget the name of the New York Knick who said he was expecting a big game because Kobe couldn't play defense. Kobe responded with a defensive eruption and said Knick scored 5 total points. One of those came on a free throw. Bryant fucked him over entirely.

With that said, I doubt he can thwart Rondo to this extent, but suppose for the sake of argument Kobe did transform into Deion Sanders tonight and utterly shut down Rondo. Imagine how that would turn out for the Celtics? Things would not go well for the Celtics. The Celtics need Rondo to perform. If you kill Rondo, the point guard distributing the ball, Pierce, Allen and Garnett will die on their own.

I would say the second most critical matchup is Pierce v. Artest. This is what we got Artest for. This is why we retained his services. We brought him into the fold because we needed a crushing defensive performer for guys like Pierce. This is it. Make no mistake where you are. This is the moment to play that defensive.

I don't like the match-up of Fisher v. Allen. That favors the Celtics. Fisher is better than anyone gives him credit for, but Allen is a real trouble-make. When he pops 5x3s, you are a in a lot of trouble. This is a trouble spot. Prepare to bring Jordan Farmar and Luke Walton off the bench quick. Sasha should be ready also.

Odum v Garnett is another surprise. I would have put Gasol against him. If this is the initial defensive strategy, this is the first stratagem I expect to see change. Odum is a tremendous player. He is the James Worthy of this team. He is incredibly talented. Garnett has a considerable size, weight, strength, speed advantage. It could work out, but I would prefer to see Gasol handle him.

Putting Gasol against Perkins may be a move designed to get Perkins suspended. One more technical foul and he faces a mandatory suspension. I believe Perkins is quite over-matched here. He just might foul out of the series. This would force Rasheed Wallace into the starting lineup, and hurt their depth.

If this chart is accurate I infer three things:

• Jamming Rondo is the absolute key to the series
• Hammering Pierce is the second, but but very high priority
• Phil Jackson wants Perkins suspended as of tonight.

So who am I picking in this series? Of course the Lakers! I am an old-school Los Angeles fan: Lakers, Dodgers and Rams. No fucking Raiders, no fucking Clippers, no fucking Angels (although the Angels are cool).

That aside, I believe there are good, cold logical and factual reasons to believe it also. The Lakers are a much better team than they were in 2008, when we were embarrassed by the Celtics. Several of our dudes seem to be peaking right now. Lamar, Kobe and Pao, to specific. With the exception Rajon Rondo, the Celtics are definitely not peaking right now. Their peak is in the rear view mirror.

Mind you, I do believe this going to be a street fight, but I believe we have good reason to be confident in this series.