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Anyone Still Doubt Howland?

So as difficult as it is to say this, it is obvious and unavoidable.  The lakers were absolutely destroyed by a better Celtic team.  It was 3 all-stars vs. 1 all-star and the score represented every bit the disparity one would expect in a mach up of this kind.  I am passionately in love with my Lakers and I tell people everyday that Kobe is the most important person in my life, but this series gave me hope.  I didn't gain hope for the Lakers.  I already hold plenty of that.  Instead I gained a tremendous amount of hope for UCLA basketball.

 

If there was any doubt that Howland basketball could win championships the Celtics should have erased that.  Playing a dominant offensive team with long athletic players, the Celtics locked down and committed to shutting off the flood of points the Lakers had been pouring onto their opponents in the playoffs.  They proved that one great player can be slowed down and defeated when playing together efficiently and with focus.  Flash doesn't have to beat grit.  The Celtics beat the Lakers playing the kind of ball our great Coach Howland preaches everyday, slow down, tough nosed, efficient, focused, defensive oriented basketball.  I hate the Celtics, but watching the Lakers beautiful offense turn to slop at the hands of the Celts D was so much like tournament games we've watched over the past 3 years I couldn't help but feel hope.  It was a familiar sight... just in the wrong colors.

 

If any doubters remain, they are now but fools.  Ben ball IS a championship style of play.  The titles will come.

 

"Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard"

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of BruinsNation's (BN) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of BN's editors.

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Hard for me to admit too

Last night was BRUTAL for us Laker fams, but with that said, it is great to see a defensive minded team win it all. Our D hasn’t quite been enough to bring home banner #12, but it will. I believe that wholeheartedly. UCLA under Ben Howland WILL win a championship in the relatively near future. Maybe sooner than you think…

GO BRUINS!!!

by uclafan11 on Jun 19, 2008 12:07 AM PDT   0 recs

No doubting Howland BUT

No doubting a coach who has 9 NBA championship rings. Phil will get the Lakers to D up next season.

This is still a young team.

by bluestreet on Jun 19, 2008 6:50 AM PDT   0 recs

no doubt!

Phil is genius and as soon as we get rid of lamar we’ll be fine. For what we’ll be asking him to do next season with bynum back (finish around the rim, rebound and defend), Ariza is the better fit. Lamar is dumb and lazy and his consistent failures to rotate quickly are devastating to the lakers D. Phil needs to play his bruins! Ariza is Odom 2.0… the smart, hard working version

Dustball!

by dustball on Jun 19, 2008 11:35 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Hate to say it

And maybe it has been posted here elsewhere, but is it just me, or is Odom the pro version of Jerome Moiso?

by Free the 16 on Jun 19, 2008 4:01 PM PDT   0 recs

Our defense is great!

I truly admire the style of basketball Coach Howland has brought to UCLA. I love watching us make great offensive teams look lost (with the exception of Memphis in ‘08 and Florida in ‘07 and ‘06). However, I have to point out the obvious here: the Celtics were a MUCH more balanced team than the Bruins have been the last few years. They were obviously the best defensive team in the league, but they also averaged 100 points per game of offense throughout the season.

For UCLA to win a title, we must improve offensively. We cannot expect to be able to have prolonged scoring droughts against the best teams in the country and still be able to win. All of that being said, I trust Coach Howland and his staff. This recruiting class has the components that could very well increase our offensive productivity while giving up nothing on the defensive end. I trust that we will make the necessary adjustments and we will be hanging championship banner #12 in Westwood very soon!

GO BRUINS!

by rgalloucla on Jun 19, 2008 10:07 PM PDT   0 recs

players, players players

Get Howland 3 of the top 20 offensive players in the country and you’ll see a similar result. Great coaching sets the table for success, but players have to feast.

Dustball!

by dustball on Jun 20, 2008 1:13 AM PDT   0 recs

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