Whitlock - Trophy Goes to the toughest team...

Whitlock: Trophy Goes to the Toughest Team
6/17/08

BOSTON | It’s funny the generalizations we can make without creating a fuss.

Now that the Boston Celtics have exposed the Los Angeles Lakers as frauds, much of the NBA offseason will be spent discussing why it’s nearly impossible to win pro basketball’s most prestigious title with a roster polluted with non-American players.

Oh, of course, this discussion will only transpire after we in the media finish blaming Kobe Bryant for not dragging LA’s collection of soft, spot-up shooters to the championship. The first rule in the NBA is to blame Kobe for whatever goes wrong.

Plenty went wrong for the Lakers on Tuesday night at TD Banknorth Garden. The Celtics closed out the NBA finals with a finishing kick below the belt that probably wouldn’t even fly in the UFC, blasting the Lakers 131-92.

To read more: http://www.kansascity.com/182/story/668737.html

L.A. Times - Bill Plashke: http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-plaschke18-2008jun18,0,4426477.column