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Enter the dragon. Just think, the Boston Celtics and their fans had already hated the Lakers and vice versa for almost 50 years before Phil Jackson became part of the rivalry. Until now, the most objectionable person associated with the Lakers people here could think of was Jack Nicholson, an actor who just roots for them.

I've got good and bad news, Celtics fans. H-e-e-r-e's Phil! Anyone else would have let the Celtics have their little moment in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, even if Paul Pierce's return wasn't really as dramatic as Willis Reed's. Nevertheless, Pierce knocked down a couple three-pointers in a row, fans chanted Reed's name and the next thing you knew, it was a folk movement.

Of course, Jackson was a teammate of Reed's with the New York Knicks and knows exactly what happened. Reed tore a muscle in his right thigh in Game 5 of the 1970 Finals against the Lakers, which his teammates then won in an improbable rally from 16 points behind. Reed missed Game 6, had his thigh shot full of painkillers before Game 7, dragged his numb leg out in a crazed Madison Square Garden, made two early jump shots and started the Knicks on their 113-99 rout. So if Pierce's moment was a little mythic, it didn't actually measure up to that of Reed, who played two full seasons after that and retired at 31.

"Paul got carried off and was back on his feet in a minute," said an amused Jackson. I don't know if the angels visited him at halftime or in that timeout period that he had or not but he didn't even limp when he came back out on the floor. I don't know what was going on there. Was Oral Roberts back there in their locker room?"

Source: Los Angeles Times