Dato's Boston Celtics friend's fan blogs

Clay Buchholz Would get his First Start of the Year- and it would be a good one.

 This being the first game since returning from the all-star break the Sox looked to stay in command in the East.  Not knowing if Beckett and Wake would pitch in the all-star game(which they didn't and I personally thought they really should have got Wake in the game)so they made this move. The Sox brought up Clay Buchholz (7-2 in minors this year) for this one start knowing no matter how good he did, he would be sent back to the minors after the game. This did not matter to Clay Buchholz, he came out gunning, he threw 103 pitches, only allowed 4 hits and 1 earned run and had 3 strikeouts--Nasty!!  He went into the 6th and was relieved by Bard who ended the inning and looked great also. Makes you think should we keep Clay up here and sit Smoltz, what does Sox Nation think??? Log in and let me know!!!

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Boston Red Sox Bullpen Blows a 9 Run Lead!!
So last night the 42 year old John Smoltz would get his second start of the year!!  In the last game he pitched he gave up 3 runs in the first inning, but then he was lights out. So I believe it was because it was his the first start and 1st inning jitters, so I didn't know what to expect. Well he was on point again and looked great. He only gave up 3 hits, 1 earned run and had 2 strikeout-- awesome! But the story is far from over. Meanwhile the Red Sox bats looked like they where going to explode, scoring 9 runs giving Smoltz a 9-1 lead, but that's when the rain came and this was big trouble for Smoltz and the Sox.(rain always seems to be trouble for the Sox).
After the rain came and went, a delay for about a hour and 20 minutes had gone by, Smoltz couldn't come back out, leaving a 9-1 lead up to the bullpen. At this point all of Red Sox Nation, including me, were thinking it's over, we got this in the bag and when it came to the 7th and the Sox now had a 10-1 lead I thought it's definitely over, but I was way off!! The Orioles would put our bullpen to work-- Masterson then Delcarmen and Okajima would allow 7 hits and 5 runs in the 7th making it a 10-6 game heading into the 8th!!  Okajimia would start the 8th gave up a quick 2 runs with runners on, so the Sox would bring in Saito who gave up another run making it 10-9 with men on 1st and 2nd and 1 out,  BIG trouble!!!    So of course the Sox would bring in Papelbon who is looking for the save which would set a new franchise record by moving past B. Stanley for No. 1 in saves, but after getting a strikeout and the 2nd out of the inning he would give up a double which rolled all the way to the wall allowing both runners to score giving Baltimore a 11-10 lead and the win.  This was a hard one to watch and definitely write about, well we got Beckett going today at 1:35 for a day game, so let's get a win!! Sox Nation here.

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Being from Boston, it's hard to even say that the Lakers are the champs; we wish the Celtics were in their shoes. But even a die-hard Celtics fan needs to admit that the Lakers earned the title and so did KOBE and PHIL.
The game meanwhile was strange. Orlando came out playing like no matter what, they were sending this to game 6 and, from the very beginning, it looked like it was going to happen! They hit every shot and played amazing defense. The 1st ended with Orlando up by 2. Then within minutes in the 2nd, Kobe and LA took over and it went from a 9 point lead for Orlando to a 9 point lead for the Lakers. They would go into the half up 56-46, and Orlando needed to step it back up or this was over.
The second half started just how the 1st ended with the Lakers putting the pedal to the medal and you could see the determination in their eyes that they were ending this tonight. After losing to the Celtics last year, I think Kobe had something to prove, and he did. He would not only put up 30 but he was making the right passes, a game high 5 assists, and involved his whole team and when he does that it's trouble for the other teams as we saw against Houston and Denver and now Orlando!!! Before this playoff I believe Kobe was always doing too much and not finding the open guys and not using teamwork. Since the Houston series, everything changed and Kobe started making those right team decisions and this would lead to everything going right for LA. I think that exceptional teamwork is the reason why they are the 2009 champs!!!

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NBA FINALS; Orlando Magic give LA a Battle of a Game, but Lakers Take It in Overtime!!!!
  Orlando came out of the gate a little sloppy, but so did the Lakers. Last night LA did not control the paint. This game was was a real fight and a really good game.  After the 1st period it was 15-15, an even game. The Magic really shut down Kobe in the first half, and played really great defense all around. D. Howard was getting his rebounds, 16 a game high and made some nice moves to help out the Magic's offense, scoring 17-points and 4 assists, a lot better than last game, and at half it was a 5 point LA lead.
   In the third period Lewis would step up, some big shots scoring a game high 34-points, also had 11-rebounds and 7 assists!!! This along with Turkoglu scoring 22-points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists got Orlando on pace and made this a back and fourth match from there on out. The score would just go Magic up buy 1, then LA up by 1 and on and on like this for the rest of the game.  Orlando had a 2 point lead heading into the 4th and were looking like they were going to take this one. But then it was "Kobe" time and he would get a lead for LA, then the Magic would tie it, and Kobe was making the smart decisions with passing, leading in assists again with 8, counting on his team mates. This is exactly what I wrote after the Denver series, K. Bryant did what he needed to do for the Lakers to stay in this game and take it, and along with his 29 points and all his team mates, including the bench where on point, getting LA this tough win.

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NBA FINALS GAME 1; Kobe and the LA Lakers Show the Orlando Magic their on a Mission!!
I thought that this was going to be a close game and a battle, even Vegas had the spread at 6 thinking it would be close, but it ended up being a blowout!!
It started out like it was going to be a good one, the score going back and forth and at the end of the 1st it was 24-22 Orlando. But that would be the last lead the Magic would have because K. Bryant came out in the second and took control of the flow of the game and the Lakers would not look back!!  It was strange because in the 1st Orlando was hitting the shots, but then they couldn't get a bounce or a stop leading to a melt down. D. Howard who just scored 40 against Cleveland was held to one hoop and only scored 10 points from the free throw line ending with only 12 points. While Lewis only had 8 points, Turkoglu 13 points(8 in the 1st) and Lee 7 and was not able to control Kobe on the defensive end. This will give the Lakers the game when Howard can't score and the threes are not dropping, Orlando was done, even with a little spurt off the bench by Nelson who was an all star, but has been out for over a month(played well for 15 min). The Lakers also took control of the paint with Gasol scoring 16-points and 14 rebounds, Bynum 9 points and 9 rebounds and Odom with 11 points and 14 rebounds. With all that happening and then you have K. Bryant scoring a game high 40 points, 8 rebounds and a game high 8 assists the Lakers may be impossible to beat when they have it all working for them "good team work wins" and that why Orlando lost 100-75 in game 1. Even though in this one Kobe was the man and dominated the game LA put on a show as a team. So the only good news for the Magic is, it's game 1!! They have already been in this situation in this playoff series, so I'm sure they are going to come back stronger than ever and probably take game 2!! That's just what I believe, and log in and let me know what you think-- but either way we will see Sunday Night at 8 in LA. Go Red Sox, I mean Celtics no....what do you expect I'm from Boston!!!!!

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This should be a good match up, bringing us fans some entertaining finals games.  I called Orlando beating Cleveland and that was because the Magic played as a team throughout the whole playoffs; they didn't count on any individual, as Cleveland has to depend on L.James. So this series could be very similar to that of the Magic/Cleveland series. Orlando just wanted it more and took Cleveland 4-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals, and now they are headed to LA!! I mistakenly called Denver beating LA and that was for the same reasons -- "teamwork" (Kobe) passing or trying to score 81!! But if Kobe passes, drives to the hoop and kicks it to his teammates for open shots, this leads to him eventually getting his own open shots.  This ability win

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Western Conference Finals Game 5: Another Battle But Kobe Makes Right Decision For Lakers Win!!!!! As I wrote in my last couple blogs teamwork wins, and LA and Cleveland have not been playing as a team, either Bryant or James wins it for their team or they have lost because Orlando and Denver have been playing with teamwork for the whole playoffs.

Last night Kobe flipped the switch and used his team by having 8 assists a game high, and driving to the hoop, this means he  then draws the double team and last night he was then kicking it out for open shots for his team mates (instead of trying to take a hard shot while doubled) and that is how the Lakers can win and were able take this one. Kobe only took 13 shots, hitting 6, but by driving to the hoop he went to the free throw line 11 times and hit 10 so Bryant only ended with 22 points because he did not just keep shooting as usual, instead he controlled the tempo and made the right passes so all the Lakers starters and bench were involved,

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In the Eastern Conference finals, Orlando is showing everyone that they deserve to be in the finals!!!! They beat Cleveland again last night in a battle and, I might add, a very entertaining game giving Orlando a 3-1 series' edge!!!! Crazy, they already have commercials playing that are basically saying it's Kobe vs James rather than Orlando vs Denver.  I think that's awesome as I always love the underdogs!!!

Back to last night's game. L. James played a great game scoring 44 points, 12 rebounds and 7 assists but is that enough to carry and win this for his team?  Not in this game.  Orlando was trailing most of the game, down by up to 16 points in the 1st half, then an 8 point lead going into half by the Cavs. So going into the half Cleveland looked ready and L. James was getting some help from West (17pnts), Wallace (off bench played great D), Williams (18 pnts), and IIgauskas (12 pnts). But in the second half, Orlando came out on fire with a look that said they were on a mission and were going to come back and take this, and they did. They shut everyone down on the defensive end and scored a franchise record 17 playoff threes, all when they needed them. So heading into the 4th, the Magic cut the lead from 8 to 1 and now it's anyone's game.

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Even though I am still bleeding green, I have to say that Denver showed us that they are for real. Denver had game 1 in their hands but just couldn't close it out, thus giving the Lakers a win by 1 point and a lead in the series 1-0 going into last night. But last night's game was a little different than usual in the fact that it was a total role reversal. LA had the lead most of the game (like Denver did last game) but this time, Denver closed them out by keeping their lead at the end of the game turning it into 3 points and giving LA only 1 shot to tie with 6 seconds left. D. Fisher couldn't hit it and Denver walked away with the win 106-103 and tied the series at 1-1 and are now headed to Denver. C. Anthony was on point again scoring 34 points with 9 rebounds and 27 points from Billups giving Denver the edge!! While the Nuggets were able to hold Kobe to 32 and control the boards and get 19 second chance points and 14 offensive rebounds was enough to take game 2 and tie this battle up and I think it's only going to get tighter!!  So get ready for another intense basketball game Saturday Night at 8:00 in Denver; it should be entertaining. Still wishing it was the Celtics who were beating Cleveland, but there's always next year. Meanwhile, Celtics nation should be rooting for Magic and Denver!!

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The Western Conference playoff started last night between #1 seed LA Lakers and #2 seed Denver Nuggets. Denver has been playing well since they got C. Billups who is able to take some pressure off C. Anthony. C. Anthony s one of the best players in the league, but with K. Bryant and L. James, Carm does not get much credit.  

In last night's game, Denver went into LA and had the win in their hands, but in the last minute they blew it with stupid turnovers.  So the Lakers walked away with game one, 105-103, and they were lucky to get it.  This game does prove Denver is a for-real team, and I believe they are going to give LA a run for there money. K. Bryant basically won that game for LA (as he usually does) scoring 40, but C. Anthony gave him a great battle scoring 39.  It was a physical fight on both ends of the court between the two, and I believe Anthony won 3 quarters, but Bryant took the 4th like a veteran and LA won by 2.  So the next game  should be another crazy fight; one you don't want to miss -- Thursday night in LA 9:00. Tonight Orlando heads to Cleveland for game 1 of the Eastern Conference at 8:30.  Still Bleeding Green.

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