> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# No place like home for Lakers, Celtics
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/no-place-like-home-for-lakers-celtics/
- Published: 2008-06-13T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T19:54:12.000Z
- Author: Jack Neworth
- Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica, #archive-import

BY THE TIME YOU READ THIS, THE Celtics-Lakers series will be tied at two games apiece, or the Celtics will be up 3 games to 1, in which case the series will essentially be over as will I. Either way, I promise this will be my last column on the subject. The problem is I have no other place to vent. My friends are tired of my complaining and I can’t afford therapy. I know in the past I made mention that if the Lakers even made it to the finals I would be totally satisfied. Apparently, I was lying.

I wish I weren’t so hooked on the Lakers but I’m powerless. I probably should be going to L.A. meetings — Lakers Anonymous. Laugh, but who knows there isn’t such a thing? On the plus side, at least I use the Lakers games to work out down in the gym. I even bring my own universal remote with me, as if people didn’t think I was weird enough. But when things go awry for the Lakers (too often for my tastes) I have to be careful not to swear. One could get the impression I was obsessed. Who, me?

Before game two a friend in the gym seemed rather concerned about me.“You do realize in the big picture of your life this game doesn’t matter, don’t you?” he suggested. He obviously doesn’t know my life. Later, as the Lakers were getting trounced, he asked me if I want to buy a ticket to an Obama fundraiser he’s co-hosting at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. After all, tickets are a mere $2,300 per couple although they go up to $28,000\. I like Obama, but I explained I was approximately $2,250 to $27,950 short.

In game one the Lakers lost when Paul Pierce injured himself and was dramatically carried off the court by his teammates. The crowd gave him a standing ovation and his team rallied heroically. Then about three minutes later, as though he’d been cured by a faith healer, he came back on the court (another ovation) and lead his team to victory. That’s par for the course in Boston. Over the many years of this bitter rivalry, I’d swear leprechauns have interceded on the Celtics behalf.

The Celtics star of game two was little used reserve Leon Powe. He almost killed the Lakers single-handedly. At half time ABC showed a pre-recorded video of his life story, which was very touching. As a young boy Powe’s mother’s house burned down and he and his brothers and sisters wound up living in abandoned cars and foster homes. Powe’s life story is inspiring and, were it under any other circumstances, I’d be misty-eyed. But he plays for the Celtics! And, for that matter, how did ABC just happen to run that video on the very night Leon had a breakout game. I sound like a paranoid Humphrey Bogart in the “Caine Mutiny” over the strawberries. The Celtics will do that to you.

Not surprisingly, the ratings of this series are double that of last year’s. The sounds you hear are the cash registers at ABC and the NBA.

This makes the fortuitous trades of Garnett to the Celtics by Kevin McHale, a former Celtic, and Pau Gasol to the Lakers, drafted by Jerry West, a former Laker, all the more suspicious. Meanwhile, a former NBA referee, Tim Donaghy, claims fellow refs manipulated Game 6 of a 2002 playoff to favor the Lakers and bring about a seventh game against the Sacramento Kings. Actually we could use them now!

Donaghy made this claim in court papers filed ahead of his sentencing hearing for felony charges of taking payoffs from gamblers and betting on games. By cooperating with federal agents he’s apparently seeking a reduction in sentence.

Adding to the circus atmosphere is Ralph Nader, of all people (Remember him? Florida, 2000, helped give us Bush). In 2002, on behalf of the fans, Nader asked NBA Commissioner David Stern to investigate the officiating in the Lakers-Kings series. If Stern is worried about this controversy he isn’t showing it. He’s all smiles as he looks at the Nielsens.

While I’m exhausted, the good news is, by next week at this time either the Celtics or the Lakers will be world champs and all this will be over. The bad news is, what will I write about? Oil prices through the roof? Worldwide food riots?

Impeaching Bush (I’d trade a Lakers championship for that)? I suppose there’s always the Dodgers. But, this season, that only makes me long for the opening of Lakers training camp. It’s obvious if I can’t find one of those L.A. meetings I should start one.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 13, 2008.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/061308.pdf?ref=smdp.com)