SCOTT JACOBS

Paul Pierce was speechless for a minute as he tried to catch his breath.

The sports world was left speechless with him, as the Celtics completed a remarkable comeback, none seen by any man woman or child in Finals history, climbing the mountain to win a game no one could have ever forseen.

The Lakers came out with a vengeance, and raced out to a huge 24 point lead. And I looked at my dad and basically said, this looks like Heat-Mavs all over again. But, then, it happened. Boston happened. Cutting the lead down, and slowly working their way back into a game that looked lost after the first 12 minutes, the Celtics not only ripped Los Angeles’ heart out of their chest, they took a bat and a shovel and beat Los Angeles’ title hopes into the ground.

Forget how unbelievably demoralizing a loss like this is any situation. But to blow it in the NBA Finals, with a chance to tie the series and take away any momentum the Celtics had, just leaves one stunned.

I’m going to go out on a limb, and say that this is the back breaking type of loss that could not only kill a team’s psyche, but alter the course of history. Some teams never come back from a loss like this. Sure, they may sustain success in the regular season, and come back and look like they’ll be right back again the next year, but these type of collapses are the stuff that just cripples a team, long after the final buzzer has sounded.

Boston, after finishing dead last in the East last season, and second worst in basketball is one win away, 48 minutes to be exact, from pulling off one of the most mind blowing turnarounds in recent sports memory.

“A lot of wine, a lot of beer, some shots, maybe like 20,” said Kobe Bryant, when asked what he would do. It’s going to take a lot of praying too Kobe. Because even with injuries to Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, and Kendrick Perkins, the Lakers still have proven to be the inferior team.

It’s hard to believe, considering the full steam ahead wave that the Lakers rode into these Finals.

Boston was the one that struggled to get here, but right now that is looking like the greatest thing that could have happened. Those games against the Hawks, against the Cavs tested Boston’s mental makeup, and they overcame what could have been severe disappointment.

97-91. Remember the score. It represents the greatest comeback you may ever see in NBA Finals history.

“We just wet the bed. One of the ones you couldn’t put a towel over,” said Bryant, as he tried to laugh off a devastating defeat.

There’s not only a big wet spot in the middle of the Staples Center floor, but there’s a stink that is simply unavoidable. The Lakers were one mediocre third quarter from a sure-fire chance to sweep this three game set in LA and put all the pressure on Boston, going back to Beantown.

Now, theres no guarantee this series will even get back to Boston.

It’s a mere certainty though, that the Celtics are the better team.

In a Finals filled with intrigue, that is the biggest story of all.

I never thought I’d be saying this after LA took a 24 point lead early in the first half.

It’s over.

You can count your lucky shamrocks on that.

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