Kobe Bryant or Lebron James on Celtics Fans Wish List This Christmas?
What may seem so simple as, “Celtics fans never cheer for the Lakers”, may or may not be the case this Christmas. Both the Lakers and the Cavs are heavy contenders seeking who is the better team. A Cavs win would surely give them a refreshed look in the eyes of the media as there 20-8 record may simply be a fluke. A Lakers win would be what NBA fans probably expect as they play on their home court for Christmas for the second time in as many years, and have gotten out to such a fast start. On December 25th, when the ball tips at 5 PM ET in LA, Celtics fans should hold their motto, and “never”, atleast not for this game, cheer on Kobe to out last Lebron.
Lets understand that one team has to lose, and that will favor the Celtics. If it were to be the Cavs that lose, Celtics fans should be able to accept that as it puts the Celtics in a strangle hold on the Eastern Conference. The Cavs would be 4 games down in the loss column to the C’s (assuming the Celtics beat the Magic). This comes with the understanding that the Celtics beat the Cavs in Cleveland, so Cleveland would be forced to win 1 of the 2 games in Boston this year to combat that (while winning their remaining home game vs Celtics). In other words, Boston has the upper hand when it comes down to head to head matchup with the Cavs, so it would be very difficult for Lebron’s crew to gain any on the C’s in head to head matchups.
With 4 games against the Cavs, and 2 games against the Lakers, the C’s have more control of their EC destiny than they do against the Lakers who only play the likings of the Cavs, Magic, and Celtics for 6 times total. With that being said, the Cavs are the team I will be cheering for to win this Friday. What I think matters the most is our overall standing in the entire NBA. I am comfortable with the Celtics being better, and finishing with a better record than the Magic and Cavs. From what we have seen so far this season, the Celtics are much better than both of these teams, and have proven that with their ability to win on the road. A Lakers loss and a Celtics win would put the Celtics and Lakers back into a dead heat with the same record, which is where I am looking for them to stay. The opposite would result in the Celtics falling 2 games in the loss column back, and with both teams looking at finishing with win totals into the 60’s, that big of a defecit may be hard to make up.
For probably only 2 games a season, Lebron James has my attention. On Christmas, I will be watching and hoping that he goes out and does just enough to beat Kobe Bryant and the Lakers. It very well may come down to a one on one matchup to see who decides it. If (or when) it does, a great gift would be for Lebron to take charge and defeat Kobe Bryant’s Lakers, while the Celtics upend the Magic, so everything is back equal again, with the Celtics and Lakers having identical records.