Kevin McHale breaks down the NBA Finals
Former Celtics forward Kevin McHale won three NBA championships with Boston, where he played for 13 seasons. He will be an analyst for NBA TV during the Finals.
He famously delivered a hard foul to the Lakers’ Kurt Rambis in Game 4 of the 1984 Finals. After McHale flung Rambis to the floor, Boston came back to win the game in overtime and the series in seven games.
McHale’s preview of the Finals, as told to Times staff writer Diane Pucin:
The Celtics will win if Rajon Rondo can put pace in the game and attack Derek Fisher, especially in the fast break or in any kind of odd-man situation. He can attack Fisher if he can get by him, get in the paint.
That opens up jumpers for Ray Allen and Paul Pierce, and Rondo can get Kendrick Perkins easy baskets, Kevin Garnett easy baskets because they will run hard.
The series will be decided in the paint. If the Celtics can get Garnett and Rasheed Wallace to maybe outduel Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol, it will be fun to watch. In 2008 the Celtics put it to the Lakers physically and the Lakers did not respond. We’ll see what response they have this year.
The Celtics will win if Ron Artest can’t slow down Paul Pierce. Paul was the best closer in the 2008 series, he did a gritty job in those games. Is Artest the guy? The Lakers got him to say, “Hey, we’re going to slow guys like Pierce.†Kevin Durant seemed to figure Artest out a little more. Artest makes you take a lot of shots and that’s going to go a long way to the Celtics’ winning, if Pierce is able to shake free of Artest.
Who’s the best closer, Kobe or Pierce? Kobe has been for a long time but Pierce was in 2008. If Pierce is, the Celtics win.
I have not been sold on the Laker bench. Yes, it’s got Odom, but Odom, to me, is like a starter. Jordan Farmar is going to have to make shots, Shannon Brown is going to have to play good, give them some spark, but the bench advantage goes to the Celtics. Tony Allen gives the Celtics some hustle points and they’ll use him on Kobe at times. Wallace has been very effective in the playoffs. [Glen] “Big Baby†Davis has been good, Nate Robinson is getting a little bit of love. I like the Celtics here.
The coaching matchup is interesting. Phil Jackson imparts a lot of his coaching stuff throughout the year. It’s not like Phil makes a million adjustments. Doc Rivers will make adjustments. Doc will decide who he wants to beat him. He’ll load to the strong side, bring a man and a half at Kobe. If Kobe gets rolling, Doc will get the ball out of his hands. I like the coaching matchup for Boston. Doc is a tremendous coach.
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