Sean Grande, Celtics Broadcaster

Well I senate falls under the in the category of be careful what you wish for and Celtics fans didn't wish for a game seven. But if you could remove yourself from the emotion of losing game six game seven Celtics lakers for an NBA title is everything you could ever want as a sports fan. Joining us on the eighteenth -- hotline AT&T rethink possible as the voice of the Boston Celtics John -- Tayshaun. -- a great Avril you know.

It. It's you've got you thought. Like I did you about last night it was going to be a night of sipping champagne of shipping Sam I champagne.

I really didn't but iconic do you -- may -- Predictions about this team long time ago because it's -- that sort of you know last month the.

Which -- pretty and I know you've been good Adams.

Well you know early at the feet and I really thought you know you don't like -- that. That's memorable conversation that night in Detroit after the you know users I thought the public works you just don't have a chance to make a run and gently the year option Marquette but they -- fine if you need if you. You pay attention the MBA promote the march. You can endorse schedule losses. For the most part you know they had quality wins when at rest in between you concede or playing a decent there was going to be. Allow them to make a while we'd like them against Orlando and them match up I did. No I think I like most people Cleveland a little bit but -- the content they can put so much better. In the playoffs they did over the last few weeks. To reach that want you could Vietnam on that list is because it had never happen. We had. Never seen -- Wrote in the Indian the only comparison that 95 rockets team but they've 500 over the last two thirds of the year like -- So there's really no president -- switches and the beauty -- residents that mark --

I know we don't have anything official and I understand that now I'm not trying to do you know put the cart before the horse here. But it seems unlikely to me that Kendrick Perkins is going to be able to play tomorrow night. What will that mean to the Celtics assuming that's true.

Well it's it's pretty significant you know that that started that's another reason that. I think you know you still had hope going to play out too late you're because the Celtics all you may -- the starting five were still won best teams in the NBA under 500 team didn't. Starting. You know it makes it. It's one of those things it does show up in the box score but you know in this time when there's thirty minutes of highlights and sports -- are consortium but he breaking now plays. One of the reasons the Celtics and they did to. And -- writes so well written too Colby and all the lakers is because. Yet only now the real front of the sort that out the -- of again of Perkins and Kevin Garnett so cute like together that's such a big part of optical we. Don't want to go to stop -- he wants to go if -- one of the real thing about the game last night. Was obvious all -- triangle the and in the games in Boston he was. Could get anywhere near the way it likes to be at that. Mid block at that elbow he was much farther out at his -- some discipline the element of the equipment and without park. You know it it obviously changed that but lot of pressure on what was to replace can be -- be -- be -- or eagle that and it's just so. Ironic that's all discussion about a potential suspension. Throughout the entire yours and so -- pick up that technical that he might happen -- finals. Are particular.

Sean you know this team as well as anyone. If not better than everyone. It do you think they have the right mentality last night and had some people call them and ask how could that team be so. Yeah that lackadaisical or aren't prepared. About a game six with an opportunity to close out championship in which you've seen they have the right up the right attitude right approach.

I think that. It terms of a game seven having uses exactly the kind of guys that you want in the game I think that. Sometimes we have a tendency well tendency now -- look at our own team but to look at the team that boss and say why they mostly got out hustled. Just that they out hustled lakers you know too loose ball almost 5050 plays you know rebounding is the story of -- payments outbound the other has won all six games and lakers came out ferocious. You know on the glass. Point two. Individual. You know what -- travel. Point you. It's about not being prepared. But -- prepared at this point but the lakers played harder than Celtics did in in game six of the Celtics had you know outplayed them. In the games that they so I think we have just two very very good team and analyze people's enemy while so evenly matched. And I think it's occurred to me over the last two weeks is that I think these teams. Arsenal on evenly matched at the different positions so what's it symmetry in the match -- that what it all adds up to. As this perfect match up that is why he got seven games.

Rasheed Wallace said for personal files in seventeen minutes last night. Give me a reason to believe that he could stay on the floor enough to give the Celtics 3035 minutes tomorrow night.

That's going to be hard he isn't in that spot he's used to espouse you know he's one of many guys in this series is basketball IQ is. He has adjusted his game -- 1720 minute game -- in terms of using his spouse and and -- have been neck cavity and force the change he won. Do it was one of the scary parts helped perspective last night was knowing Specter had to -- they play. It -- seven was watching she. In a fairly emotional third quarter. Be concerned that he was gonna pick up technical -- in the merry it would be talked about today in a park worksheet. Of going in -- seventh game. I he would gently not -- two bad games in a row in. In the playoffs a couple of games which he wasn't good in the Miami series and maybe one we've observers but for the most part spent what. We thought he was going to be hoped it was going to be witches he -- and -- again in the playoffs he's not gonna have another old step. In games but that is they legitimate concern and the Mets are gonna have to be. Jumbled pretty fascinating way I think.

I -- really tough question freeze on really -- all your questions on that this is the toughest one. Who's the better team.

That is the -- because we don't know that's what we're going to game seven I think that. You know Kobe has been the best player in the series. -- history you know tomorrow night when it's over. It's going to be fascinating of them let's talk about the wet cement. A history course concrete you know tomorrow night 36 hours we're gonna have opinion several -- you know who's the better team but how this whole three year -- In the NBA is going to be remembered to you don't like this is how it gets remember. -- got you know the polls in the nineties the rockets had their two year run disperse. -- lakers in the ten years ago in the early part of a decade at least reach for your pocket in the NBA and this is gonna change common obviously without free agency things like that these two teams will be good team next year there's no question but it's almost as -- you're playing for the championship of the three years tomorrow night and and not the one I really thought. You know nine guys -- nine. That you know -- slight advantage to the Celtics but. -- the talk about this with -- with the game must play it's more than just having young players as strong tendency for benches. The -- better at home. And that's something we've seen throughout the course of this series and what they don't expect awhile lot people they would that a team of five games in the series was started by the it's starting out as -- the starting five was of the -- all your it is pretty. Pretty much but -- In this series but the difference have been the bench -- the that you changed the venue. And -- that must win game six on their own for the lakers bench outscored result expects to wait for up to first recorder. So. Other big fan of scorn departure over the course happened off of a -- side at this point if you were going to the judges' scorecards. You're probably six what position for LA right now they've been like you know they've been a better team probably up by great market. But 68 but. You know. Which guys do you want think about this group. In a in the seventh game -- you're looking at the obvious starting up humble side. You know Rasheed Wallace. Tony Allen's been phenomenal in this series. You know big baby Nate Robertson tracking -- roll -- poverty what's not to preach hatred toward our mark on. You know campground then okay Lamar Odom in the games haven't. You know push comes to -- I think that lean toward that -- expert but the beauty of tomorrow night you guys know that whatever we think all the guys that just imagine. And the eighteen guys that are gonna play that game tomorrow night we'll have an opinion about them as NBA player right now. That opinion is going to change for ever one way or the other -- lot of those guys are how they're gonna be remembered is gonna change.

Rajon Rondo is my favorite member of the Boston Celtics and and in my opinion. Probably the most important player on this team why isn't he playing well right now.

And it's also the question bill. That frequent attack last night you know you wonder about pre tertiary you wonder I think that was the concern of dark talked about before game five. Does it changes came a little bit when he doesn't necessarily wanna go to the free throw line obviously he's gonna have the worst free throw percentage in NBA finals history is another great irony in the fact he has. Finishing the -- started at the free throw line after you know a middle of the year which is -- Each playoff series of free throw shooting has gotten worse and worse. I think that the answer that question to me. Is again. You wonder what what something suddenly happened -- Ortiz suddenly being guarded by one of the best players in the world and you know nobody has been able to guard -- of the way. -- we had. And -- not been as competent or successful with the jumps out which the lakers are letting him have an early in the year when Rondo so. Guys were playing often and it was a dangerous gamble to make because. He could use that space not necessarily to shoot but the speed of war. And that make decisions. Let -- we make of speed has been very very good he got obviously other good defenders on on the lakers opened -- out but I think that's a big part of it. I think we're talking about Russia probably another game like that. Tomorrow night I -- no way is out.

I think Girardi said it you said Kobe has been the best player so far in a series I don't know why we. We've talked about this so much but we are talking about it and that's ago with the MVP of the series has been do you think it's been Kobe.

It has been -- but. Alcohol is a big game tomorrow by the way he's still in the mix to make its heart just given the way the media votes and reception an -- it's very hard for me to. To Nazi Kobe when MB a it's a lakers win. -- war. There certainly -- an -- now the seventh gate. If this Celtics win tomorrow night. In another one of those games it was the scoring is distributed very easily you've elected at all throughout the play out this is that this it never happened either. Where team at such ballots court throughout an entire playoff run. And he is the MB sparkles like stopped -- that it there -- certainly is an area. We're going to be talking a lot more -- people haven't already about the parallels with 1969. With the Celtics team that was an older team the end of the Bill Russell -- Finished fourth during the regular season and made the run in the playoffs winning series on the road course -- team -- the seventh game. In Los Angeles and in the year Jerry West with the MVP of the final so it certainly is an aerial I think debt you know. If there's a big game for -- tomorrow night for the Celtics pride but maybe Paul Pierce. Happen. Alike may be ahead of you know Russia Iran -- Kevin Garnett -- It has been very very good in the series to all levels subtle little plays but it's been so evenly balanced for the Celtics and certainly the scenario that helped the post game -- evenly distributed -- more night and -- scored 35 penalties cost that. Kobe can be MVP anyway.

He would take it. I'll bet you would take about dancers and you lose you lose game seven and home and just what you said earlier about. -- just championship of 2010 but the championship of the three year period. You lose that game at home that's what Kobe will be remembered for and he'll be remembered for taking that MVP -- it would turn into Saturday and Saturday Night Live skit. There's no way he'd accepted.

I think well what what you're getting on is -- sheer magnitude of the game -- think about the emotions because their -- sort of basic for the first time portal would be like to boost the lakers and again that that magnitude of 20082009. Thrown into the mix people here feel it's funny that we know we -- we didn't -- major -- 2008 the -- were were lucky to -- which is really. Talk about beyond revisionist history that was not a close -- Celtics. Decimated lakers in that series it was a five game series disguised as a sex because the lakers want to close game obviously you know here in LA. You know last year to -- one of the real change now what has helped beat Orlando which -- for real you just go back that night in Salt Lake City. And hatred Kevin Garnett and imagine. If the lakers had beaten Celtics last year in the finals how much bigger this whole thing. We're at -- you know as we has become now to its market but but Pope we know that he knows about his place in history Paul Pierce Kevin Garnett. Right now they don't though. Not just you know. That this is gonna be their best -- with seven. In the finals mean they go about their play Celtic history is that multiple championships it out great players are remembered as much as it's on there. It's it was a lot easier to win. Multiple chips chips in the sixties obviously -- is now with the way the India work but this is you have a lot of players or more. Very cognizant of their place in history what this game needs which is why. These games are often one and the one player that we haven't mentioned I guarantee -- it -- we have that out loud in the last fifteen minutes that's probably going to be that your. It's going to be the one guy you wouldn't think of that ends up playing and expect -- minutes because somebody gets out trouble it's always been name like that that. You know as doc always says the dots on awareness. Is the greatest -- that you could have. On on the biggest stage himself to to have those those share of those guys as well so. It is. Typical I'm no Austin to Duluth Beckett last night and not be competitive. To swing the momentum and now nobody actually think the Celtics went by. Boy these are. That night in the games you remember pearl very long time to deal closure rise in the about two months ago -- were down by 29. At home to Washington. In the second quarter and what the odds were that night that you one game the world -- which.

Give me your best educated guess that's all it is at this point unless you've been told something we haven't heard about. Is tomorrow night Doc Rivers last game as coach.

I really think it's open a year -- American company. You know with a 5050 thing if you don't you want might my gut feeling. I haven't really changed my definitely the last six months which is I don't think he comes back but I'd say that -- plan map of the -- I'll say this about this topic because. It's. It's a pretty. It's a pretty fascinating one and such an extraordinarily difficult decision for a guy who. It's all of the all the peace or place for him to step aside everyone knows by now about at a to the kids seniors college wannabes high school. He's missed a lot over the last few years he has. In an extraordinary. -- called extraordinary act of discipline. And self control. And be able to manage time. He's gone back and forth. Seen so many of the moment that these watches could play while coached Celtics and living in Boston traveling in as an extraordinary acted as well but rather ordinary -- other. And now. As. Great father's he has tried to be much rambling and as he has. I think one thing we now know -- hard -- and it's really gauge Doc Rivers above all -- it was a good player he was an All-Star player Doc Rivers is make -- And a win tomorrow night we can be thinking about this guy in the long run the whole thing. As an NBA basketball coach and I think that is something I don't really consider Edwards and he's gonna walk away and not realizing that and you score. He's home there to.

We will lobby listening -- everybody will be watching I think we can't wait as I said it's not always hoped war. But if you're a sports fan it's as good as it gets in ceremonies two teams.

And really difficult to predict which beauty of it is again -- a lot of people surprised that on the seventh but don't couldn't match in the path to get there in the games against the but the art everyone want predictions of what he equity I can Mike brink of up to him. For game one walk across the floor. So we'd like. And I don't think I think they would I think this is the -- government -- And you know TV ratings had built up its going to be it. You know just one of those -- should have to be the most watched basketball game probably -- years. Tomorrow night and beat a lot of people remember that 84 games seven that seem like percent of the world. You know where there again we have three games seven in the NBA 22 years -- orbit about 232 format to -- it -- but it tell you -- And you know where occasions that.

John we appreciate -- time have fun out there I don't say hawkish on. That is Sean -- the voice of the Celtics live from Los Angeles to be calling game seven tomorrow night with Cedric Maxwell. Right here on Sports Radio WEEI.