BOSTON CREAMED PIE

Well, the Fat Lady sure sang during Game 6 of the NBA Finals. In fact, since the game was essentially over in the second quarter, she actually did two sets and an encore.

Having watched my usual diet of hundreds of NBA games during the 2007-08 season, here are some final thoughts on the Finals and the year that was.

While Boston proved that they were clearly the better team, considering all the drama and hype of a match-up between the Lakers and Celtics, the series was rather anti-climatic. Having worked for the NBA in the Eighties, I was there in person for the classic Bird/Magic battles and this series wasn't even close to that caliber. The Lakers didn't exactly rise to the occasion, especially in Game 4, where they recorded the greatest choke job in Finals history. George Custer could have outcoached Phil Jackson and the geeks color war team in Revenge of the Nerds showed more fortitude and guts than the Lakers in crunch time. And the heralded LA bench wasn't a non-factor, it was non-existent, while James Posey, Eddie House and PJ Brown were busy making Doc Rivers look like a cross between Red Auerbach and Albert Einstein. Gotta give Doc credit, he looks good in Gatorade, too.

Kobe Bryant, the league's MVP and the most unstoppable force in the game, was stifled for most of the series and he spent more time yelling at the refs than taking the ball to the rim. Yes, he had 2-3 guys on him every time he entered the lane, but that never seemed to stop him during the regular season. Is Boston that good a defensive team? Maybe, because the Celtics defense seemed to wear him down to the point where he was settling for off-balance fadeaway jumpers. But you can be sure the next time James Posey is guarding him, Kobe is going for 50, even if he has to take 50 shots.

This series also proved that the trades for Allen and especially Garnett were the Deals of the Century. I heard on sportstalk radio yesterday that Danny Ainge shouldn't be NBA Executive of the Year, more like Kevin McHale. And Paul Pierce proved that he is a prime-time player. His game may not be as pretty as some All-Stars, but it is damn effective. Of course, that whole wheelchair thing was ridiculous and comparing him to Willis Reed dragging his leg in Game 7 against the Lakers is a joke. Willis didn't come bouncing back out of the locker room like a young Muhammad Ali.

So Michael Jordan's legacy remains untouched, although neither Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom will ever be confused with Scottie Pippen (somebody needs to explain to Odom that it's a 48 minute game and Gasol needs to hit the weight room and work on that beard, which is not NBA caliber grooming). In the long run, LA just never showed the heart of a champion and when the Big Three stepped up in the Finals, Kobe's supporting cast wilted under pressure. Should have eaten their Wheaties.

You would not believe how often I had to defend the officials over the past 10 days. Every time someone asked me if I thought that the refs were altering the outcome of certain games based on a mandate from the league, I had a simple answer. NFW! The media is always looking for controversy and conspiracy, but this one doesn't fly. Do officials make bad calls and bad non-calls? Definitely. Do they sometimes give superstars preferential treatment or are influenced by the home crowd? Certainly. But purposefully determining the outcome of games? C'mon, get serious. Let's remember that these unsubstantiated allegations come from a criminal named Tim Donaghy, who will soon be officiating inter-cellblock games. Wait until he sees how those players deal with suspicious calls.

I loved the fact the NBA assigned Dick Bavetta to work Game 5. Kind of David Stern's way of saying "may you be fruitful and multiply" to all the doubters. I've always liked Bavetta, especially when he was caught on camera telling then-Celtic Bill Walton, "shut up, you big crybaby!" Of course, kissing Charles Barkley at All-Star Weekend is another story, but what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.

ABC must have been thrilled to get a Game 6. They did a pretty good job, but I didn't enjoy listening to the announcing team of Mike Breen, Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy at all. I'll take TNT's Marv Albert and Reggie Miller or ESPN's Mike Tirico and Hubie Brown anyday. Jackson is too straightforward and ho-hum while Van Gundy reminds me of the guy in high school who thinks he's smart and funny, but nobody likes. And I'm still trying to figure out what the heck Kevin Garnett said to Michelle Tafoya after Game 6. It would have taken about 20 Valium to get the Big Ticket to speak coherently, although I do believe he mentioned his mother.

On a positive note, the There Can Only Be one post-season promotional campaign was very creative and the :60 second spot that ran in the Finals outstanding. But I will enjoy an off-season without that same damn piano music from the Where Amazing Happens spots. Hope they retire that number in the rafters next to Cousy's.

All in all, it was a great season, especially for those of us who follow the Western Conference, where the last two months of the regular season were an extended round of playoffs. Actually, there's another bonus round to come, as Team USA heads over to China to reclaim the Gold. Better take their American Express cards and not leave Beijing without it.

So as a former New Yorker raised on hating the Celtics and Red Sox, here's a begrudging congratulations to the new NBA World Champions, who earned their title. But thank goodness the Giants beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl or Boston sports fans would be even more insufferable. Seeing Bill Belichick at the Celtics games was a reminder of how sweet that victory remains.

Finally, heard President Bush called the Celtics today to offer his congratulations and asked Series MVP Pierce if he had a nickname.

"The Truth," said Pierce.

"Well," replied Bush, "maybe the Lakers should have Denied the Truth, always works for me."