Say Queensbridge

Thanks to a 89-67 shit kicking the Los Angeles Lakers forced a Game 7 in the 2010 NBA Finals. Coming off back to back losses in Boston many people, including Michael Wilbon, John Barry, and even Magic Johnson, had the Celtics taking Game 6 and the series. Midway through the 1st quarter it seemed like that prediction was on its way to become true.

Then Kendrick Perkins fell awkwardly on his knee.

When that happened the refs may as well have called the game and handed the championship trophy to the Lakers because I can tell you 100% that this series is over.

Perkins may not have been the biggest threat on the stat sheet (averaging just 7 points and 7 rebounds per game) but he was a physical presence on defense and an emotional leader. His ability to pound Pau Gasol down low was allowing the Celtics to win the battle on the glass which so far has proven to be the key to this series (in every game the team that grab the most rebounds won the game).

Jeff Van Gundy said it best tonight when he stated, "With Perkins out Rasheed Wallace now becomes the most important player in Game 7." Every Celtics fan just let out a collective "we're f*cked!"

Just how bad is Rasheed Wallace? Forget that he averaged 9 points and 4.1 rebounds per game and don't even dwell on his uncanny ability to shoot 28% from beyond the arc, instead focus on the fact that he is a washed up loose cannon that can't play defense and after 82 regular season games and 17 playoff games is just now getting into "playing shape."

How bad has Wallace been this year? Ask longtime diehard Celtics fan Bill Simmons of ESPN. In an April article (which can be found here) he wrote, "Sheed has an apathy problem. His doughy, nonchalant shadow looms over every game." He went on to write, "heed doesn't rebound as much as debound. "Lazy" isn't a strong enough word. He always seems to be standing in the wrong spot. He constantly forgets to box out. His hops are long gone, so balls routinely bounce over his head to opposing players. When matched against a hustler like Anderson Varejao, it's like watching a golden retriever fight off a Rottweiler."

Imagine what Gasol is gonna do to him on Thursday night.

But hold on Celtics fans it gets worse. Rajon Rondo, you know the supposed best player on your team, is currently having his worst series of the playoffs. He is scoring only 14.2 points per game, getting only 7.4 assists per game (down from 8 against Orlando and 11 against Cleveland) and is shooting a pathetic 26 percent from the free throw line. Forget the Hack-a-Shaq how about the Hack-a-Rondo.

The reason for Rondo's dip in success is easy to identify, the defense of Kobe Bryant. People seem to forget that Kobe Bryant was on the All NBA 1st Defensive Team. He is a tireless worker and rises to the occassion when he is matched up against another great player. In the first 3 series of the playoffs Rondo was guarded by Carlos Arroyo, Mo Williams and Jameer Nelson aka the Turnstile Trio.

Unlike those 3 dusters Bryant has opted to play off Rondo and force him to make jump shots (the biggest weakness in his game). This not only makes Rondo less effective as a scorer but also allows Bryant to help his teammates better as he can move to double teams quicker since he doesn't have to worry as much about Rondo shooting.

So without Perkins, the teams best defender, and with Rondo playing mediocre it seems the Celtics are screwed for Game 7. Add in the fact that Phil Jackson has never lost a playoff series after winning Game 1 and the fact that Ron Artest hasn't had a meltdown and is doing a decent job on Paul Pierce and there are only 2 words left to say: Say Queensbridge.

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