Something foul in Boston
Is that wheelchair still around?
Somebody needs to pull it out of the Boston Celtics locker room and pour the Lakers in it.
Push them to the airport. Carry them to the plane. Fly them back to safety with bandages and balm.
After two games of the NBA Finals, your heroes are coming home in a heap.
This is no fake. This is a forearm. And an elbow. And a shove. Lots of shoves.
The final images of Sunday's 108-102 Celtics victory were of a different type of green and purple.
The Lakers' faces are green, and their bodies are purple.
The Lakers trail this series two games to none after being embarrassed by the actor who previously used that wheelchair -- Paul Pierce bravely scored 28 points! -- and being beaten up by everyone else.
A toughness that was questioned has been answered. Right now, they're not tough enough.
A youthfulness that was feared has been realized. Right now, their kids are playing like kids.
Yes, the Lakers scored an amazing 31 points in the final eight minutes to cut a 24-point lead to four points.
But, no, it didn't matter, not when they didn't have anybody big and strong enough to stop Pierce from driving the lane and forcing two free throws.
And not when headstrong Sasha Vujacic didn't look for an open Kobe Bryant and threw up a three-point attempt that was blocked in the final seconds to essentially end it.
Their night in 10 seconds.
Their coach in a rage.
Phil Jackson agreed later that his team was pounded, but he didn't agree that it was legal.
In the manner that the Celtics attacked his players,
he attacked the officials in a rant that will cost him money in a fine, but probably earn him an advantage in future calls.
"I've never seen a game like that in all these years I've coached the Finals," said a man coaching in his 11th Finals. "Unbelievable."
He was angry that the Celtics shot 38 free throws while the Lakers shot 10.
He was really angry that Leon Powe, the Celtics young reserve who scored just four points in the opener, was able to muscle for 21 points while shooting 13 free throws in the process.
He was so mad about Powe, he even mispronounced the kid's name, calling him "Pow," as in "Ka-Pow."
While that would have worked on this night, his name is actually pronounced "Poe," as in Edgar Allan.
That works even better.
