'Doubts, there were always doubts'
Hub Blog had doubts -- and I'm glad I was wrong. ... Quickly to the LA-Celts showdown: 1.) BS says it's going to be the Lakers. But it could be a reverse-psychology ploy by Bill. 2.) The experts unanimously pick the Lakers. But Boston fans are pushing back in the comments thread. 3.) The LA Times makes a good point: The Celts-LA games earlier in the season are irrelevent. The Lakers didn't have Pau Gasol then. 4.) Paul Pierce has 'torn loyalties' my ass. 5.) I hope Doc pulls a Bill Belichick and throws all the prediction clippings at the Celts. I can see Kevin Garnett steaming already. ... Great summary of the past year from Bob:

This is a team stitched together on the fly, a team that is a brief year removed from praying for the first pick in the lottery, and that is now going to play for the world championship.

More on the Celts ownership team here. It's a who's-who of the Boston financial world (with a few deftly placed Left Coast spies thrown in). ... Great retro photo(s) at Bunko Squad. ... Bert writes in about my Kendrick doubts:

I’ve got a friend who would lend a sympathetic ear to your Perkins rants. Maybe he wouldn’t today, but in general he would. His biggest beef is when Perk grabs an O rebound and then tries the power dribble-gather-go up strong sequence, but can’t make it work.

OK, Hub Blog's predictions. Well, really not predictions. I'm tilting toward the Lakers. All the experts say I should. But I can see the Celts getting pissed at all the Lakers-are-so-good pronouncements -- and coming out mad. I've also stumbled upon a superstitious routine that's going to be hard for the Lakers to overcome.  ¶ 7:15 AM