I've mentioned before how I couldn't watch the NBA, mostly because of referees (notice that complaint came a year before the Tim Donaghy Scandal). Well, this year's NBA Finals is just reinforcing my aversion.
The Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics seem to be everyone's dream final... especially the NBA's dream. Well, it's definitely not mine. Not that I wanted Spurs vs. Pistons, but at least those two teams weren't gift-wrapped trips to the Finals. Both the Celtics and Lakers benefited from ridiculously lopsided trades which virtually guaranteed their conference championships.
The Celtics were first, when former Celtic and current Timberwolves executive Kevin McHale sent Kevin Garnett to Boston. The Timberwolves essentially received the Celtics bleak future of young players. The Lakers on the other hand received Pau Gasol for... well, aside from Kwame Brown I don't even know what they got. Sounds fair doesn't it?
Think about it, a year ago if you could have placed a bet against a Lakers-Celtics final this year you would have taken that in a heartbeat. The Celtics were young and completely unremarkable and the Lakers had ONE good player who didn't even want to play there anymore. Now they're playing each other for the championship. I won't scream NBA conspiracy, but it's enough to make you think.
