Boston Celtics VS LA Lakers Pick: NBA Finals Game 7

Here it is, one game for all the glory. It’s really a nice thing to see, a do or die situation in the NBA Finals – for both teams. How rare are these things? Really rare, so rare in fact that I don’t even care to look up any numbers about the rarity of the situation because I know it’s very rare and that’s good enough for me. This is what makes many playoff situations great, that last game with everything on the line, both teams playing at their best, do or die.

So far, the Lakers and Celtics have been pretty even. The road team has won a game in their opponents’ house, and each has taken two at their own place. This game is being played in L.A. where the Lakers bench seems to do better work than the Celtics’ reserves. Kendrick Perkins, the Celtics best post defender, has been ruled out for this contest after spraining all the CL’s in his knee area – and that guy has huge knees. So yes, this game looks to be favoring the Lakers.

But the bench for L.A. played so well a couple nights ago – can they really do up the Celtics twice in a row? Can Ron Artest hit pull up threes in his defender’s face? Can he hit fadeaway jumpers that rattle home? Will Pau Gasol flirt with a triple double? Will Rajon Rondo shy away from the paint after getting dome shotted by Artest in Game 6? Will Paul Pierce struggle to find his touch? And what about Ray Allen? Record setting Ray-Ray and his beautiful J… Where has that been this series? Did he use up all his good ju-ju in Game 2?

I want to take the Celtics, I really do. 7 points is an awful lot to give in a Game 7 situation, but I guess I give a lot of credit to Kendrick Perkins. If the big man was in a green and white uniform tonight, I’d be taking Boston to cover in a close game. But without Perkins defending Pau Gasol and/or Andrew Bynum, that post up game advantage gets just that much better for LA.

If I was picking the Celtics, it would be an “against all odds” pick. They have an injury problem, playing on the road, struggling offensively, on their last legs – nothing is looking good. But I know they’re fighters, and they certainly have their back against the wall. But L.A. should win this game. They have better, younger players. I’ll take them to cover the touchdown spread.

Boston Celtics @ L.A. Lakers (-7)