Game 7 in the twitterverse

Some tweets from game 7 that I would have retweeted/commented on had I not been so busy with, you know, game 7 of the Finals (times CDT):

8:14 @KDonhoops: Refs clearly want this series to go back to Boston.

8:14 @KevinDing: KG threw Pau down as Rondo scored. Pau tried to hit back at other end, then said something to refs as frustration mounted.

8:15 @MoBrooksESPN: Kobe, that was the most selfish possession in the history of hoops. Are you serious?

8:20 @haralabob: Bad sign when Bynum stays in longer than Wallace, good work on the conditioning Rasheed

8:21 @KevinDing: Just unbelievable contact going unwhistled here.

8:29 @ESPNLandOLakers: Excellent lead block from Garnett, not a very good basketball play, though. BK

8:31 @forumbluegold: The Lakers are losing their fundamentals on O and D. Over dribbling on offense and gambling for steals in transition defense.

8:33 @johnhollinger: Disaster of a first quarter for Lakers. Only a handful of their plays created high-% looks and they squandered most of the offensive boards.

8:34 @mcten: Celtics lead 23-14 after one. The Lakers are just 6-for-27 ... Make that 6-for-28, Michael Cooper just missed a promotional 3 between qtrs

8:34 @KevinDing: So far, Lakers an utter failure in trying to be poised and stay in character, as Phil hoped coming in

8:34 @ESPNStatsInfo: Laker MISSED more FG in the 1st qtr (21) than the Celtics took (10-17)

8:36 @johnschuhmann: 2nd least efficient Q of the series for LA. Worst was 4th on Tuesday & that was after the game had been decided.

8:40 @KDonhoops: Doc's made a huge mistake leaving Tony Allen out there with Kobe on the bench

8:41 @johnhollinger: LA was 6-of-27 from field and 1-of-4 from line in first, managing the nearly impossible feat of a True Shooting Pct. below 25.

8:41 @KevinDing: Farmar doesn't box out Rondo or even go for rebound. Then he leaks out and mad Sasha doesn't pass to him. Then jacks up quick 3.

8:47 @mcten: One bad habit that Ron could have picked up from Kobe: Leaving his feet before making a pass

8:47 @KDonhoops: I swear the offensive rebound rate for shots taken with less than a second on the shot clock has to be 99.9.

8:50 @johnhollinger: Nervous game -- both teams missing a ton of open shots right now, but these defensive mistakes are gonna get punished sooner or later.

8:50 @ESPNLandOLakers: Mercifully, we'll be spared any talk of one team "wanting it more." There's a lot of "want" going on out there. BK

8:50 @haralabob: Ray Allen is suffering on the offensive end by having to guard Kobe for 20-25+mins a night

8:51 @kpelton: Teams now shooting a combined 6-31 outside the paint (BOS 4-16, LAL 2-15). Combined 2-15 on 3s. #nerves

8:53 @johnschuhmann: The Lakers have taken 39 shots in 18 minutes. A pace for 104 shots in 48. Geez.

[Party like it’s 1962!]

8:55 @ESPNLandOLakers: Kobe playing like he might have had one cup of coffee too many before the game. AK

8:56 @junior_miller: The crowd should not chant "MVP" when Kobe is 2 for 9 from the field and 1 for 3 from the line

8:56 @ESPNLandOLakers: Pau makes the right pass, but sometimes you just have to go up through the double and try to get contact. BK

8:57 @mcten: Kobe is throwing screens around like they're going out of style. Big Baby his latest victim

8:57 @mcten: Ron Artest is the Lakers best player so far today. He was huge in the clincher against PHX too

8:58 @forumbluegold: If Kobe gambles for one more steal in the back court I'm going to go crazy. Rondo's his man. Find him and guard him please.

9:00 @AndrewCieslak: @KDonhoops Nice decision by ABC to black out 70% of the screen during Allen's free throws.

[The worst think networks can do is shrink the screen during any kind of game play, for graphics, interviews, or anything. No excuse, just poor, ignorant presentation.]

9:01 @WojYahooNBA: Only Artest could find a home in this brickfest.

9:02 @johnschuhmann: Lakers have actually shot worse in a half this season. 10-for-45 (.222) in 2nd half @ Denver on 11/13.

[That one was ugly: second half of a back to back roadie, at altitude. NBA’s worst scheduling situation.]

9:04 @LarryCoon: Kobe finally took a shot where he wasn't being molested by two Celtics.

9:05 @mcten: Ron Artest just asked Glen Davis if he knew he was Ron Artest

9:05 @ESPNLandOLakers: Wallace to D. Crawford: "Excuse me, referee, I speak Artest. I can break this up..." BK

9:07 @kpelton: OK, now I buy that Ray Allen has complained most in this series.

9:08 @johnhollinger: Brian Scalabrine, Josh Powell checking in because of the little-known rule that points at the end of the second quarter don't count.

9:09 @mcten: Brian Scalabrine and Josh Powell check in ... All 16 other NBA Finals Game 7s just scoffed and said they were better

9:09 @latmedina: Maybe Kobe really is right when he says he doesn't care about his legacy.....his shots aren't helping his case

9:10 @ESPNLandOLakers: PJ's halftime adjustments will mostly revolve around Xanax in the Gatorade. AK

9:10 @kpelton: I'm not sure the Lakers can win this game without Kobe Bryant rediscovering The Secret during halftime.

9:11 @haralabob: The celtics executed the first half of 2 for 1 possessions to end the quarter, but turned it over on the 2nd half each time.

9:12 @johnschuhmann: 1st Half -- Celtics: 40 points on 43 possessions. Lakers: 34 points on 43 possessions. Can't say I'm surprised.

9:12 @latmedina: Here's D Fisher's half-time speech: "Follow Ron Artest's lead."

9:14 @ESPNLandOLakers: Not even Jordan Hill-esque. AK RT @hoopshype: Not quite a Jordanesque performance by Kobe in the first half.

9:16 @KevinDing: Kobe has been saying over and over that it's all defense and offense doesn't matter b/c they can always score. Apparently not.

9:16 @ESPNStatsInfo: Lakers 34 1st half points is their fewest in any half this postseason. It matches their regular-season low for 1st half points as well

9:21 @LakersReporter: LA D was solid in the 2nd Q, but 3 fouls on the perimeter w/Boston in bonus, not 1 a shooting foul, gave C's 6 late pts.

9:21 @SI_ChrisBallard: Earlier in series, a BOS player told me he thought "some of those guys[Lakers] will crack when it comes down to it." We're about to find out

[So we did, and he had it backwards]

9:26 @KDthunderup: If Kobe lose, i said IF, will they talk bad about him like they did lebron???

9:27 @dexterfishmore: Why the rush to assess Kobe's "legacy"? Does ABC think he's dying?

9:28 @ESPNLandOLakers: Via stats and info: Lakers: 10-26 FG in the paint in first half BK

9:33 @russbengston: That shot not counting is what KG gets for blocking all those shots after the whistle. #douchebag

9:35 @junior_miller: Kobe has 22 minutes to pull his head out of his ass.

9:36 @KDonhoops: Lack of ball movement is killing Los Angeles' chances at defending their title.

9:36 @SI_LeeJenkins: No other way to say it: they’re choking

9:37 @SI_ChrisBallard: Never thought I'd say this, but Kobe Bryant needs to start playing more like Ron Artest right now.

9:40 @STEIN_LINE_HQ: If you thought Kobe took pounding after Game 7 in PHX in 2006, just wait til tomorrow ... unless this series has one more U-turn stored up

9:40 @johnhollinger: By the way, that last Kobe missed 3 came b/c Pau didn't even look to attack Sheed in a 1-on-1 post-up.

9:40 @franblinebury: Welcome to Starksville, Mr. Bryant (3-for-16).

9:41 @forumbluegold: BTW, that's maybe the 4th or 5th jumper where Kobe had an obvious hitch in his shot. No rhythm right now for Bean.

9:41 @ESPNStatsInfo: Of the 14 Finals Game 7s played in the shot-clock era the 74 1st half pts scored in this game are the fewest ever combined 1st half points.

9:42 @KDonhoops: Only way Kobe can make this right is to go D-Wade and do that for the rest of the game.

9:42 @johnhollinger: Remember when I said Kobe should be series MVP even if Lakers lose? Uh, what I meant to say was, unless he's the reason they lose.

9:42 @bomani_jones: I think paul pierce just tore his rotator cuff. Or he just needs to adjust his jersey. I can’t tell.

9:43 @mcten: Last time the Lakers played this poorly? Either Game 4 vs. OKC or that road loss in Charlotte

9:43: @DuranLA: RT Son on MJ / @SASBMJ: NO ONE & I mean NO ONE should EVER compare kobe Bryant to my dad an say that he is anywhere near close

9:44 @johnhollinger: Has an assistant coach ever won Finals MVP before?

9:45 @junior_miller: T-minus 19 minutes for Kobe to remove skull from anus. He's pulling one of the greatest choke jobs in Finals history so far.

9:46 @LakersReporter: Boston's been almost exclusively using isolation plays here, getting another hoop from KG that was answered by Fish's J.

9:50 @johnhollinger: Those last two forced shots by Rondo, by the way, came after the Lakers bottled up curl plays designed for Ray Allen.

9:54 @KevinDing: Sheed fouled Pau there b/c he was mad (and jolted) by Pau's elbow to gut upon posting up.

9:54 @johnhollinger: That was bizarre... all the players assumed there would be a timeout but there wasn't. Nine guys were off court and Joey waved them back on.

9:56 @mcten: Artest is stronger than an ogre

9:58 @forumbluegold: That's what Gasol needs to do on every play - sprint into the post. And that's what LO needs to do on every play. Attack the O-glass.

9:59 @mcten: KG just got away with a forearm to the back of the head

9:59 @sethpo: Good thing shot-making isn't important part of basketball or this game would be ugly

10:00 @mcten: It's only appropriate that Scalabrine's championship highlight will be a 24-second violation

10:01 @ESPNLandOLakers: Who knew Kendrick Perkins had been hurting Boston's D so much this season? AK

10:01 @KevinDing: We're headed to Q4 with Celtics ahead, 57-53. Bryant, Artest, Pierce, Allen and Rondo have all already logged 33+ minutes.

[Predicted what was coming, huh?]

10:01 @mhaubs: Rasheed Wallace remembering tonight that he should have been the best low-post scorer of his generation.

10:02 @ESPNLandOLakers: Big Shot Jackpot guy misses by 58 feet. 20,000 fans worry it's an omen. BK

10:02 @jon_e_nichols: Zero complaints about this game. I'm more impressed by players playing their hearts out despite their struggles than I am by hot shooting.

10:03: @johnhollinger: This reminds me so much of Gm 7 Spurs-Pistons. San Anto rallied in fourth in that one. Queens duo keeping LA close enough to do same here.

10:03 @LakersReporter: Be interesting to see how the coaches manage minutes here. Players have to be tired after 3 slug-fest quarters.

10:05 @KevinDing: That's why Doc was reluctant to play Big Baby this series. Lakers can just go over him, as Pau just did.

10:05 @russbengston: Kobe is definitely getting other people involved tonight. Unfortunately, most of them are Celtics.

10:10 @johnhollinger: I'll put it this way: If Shannon Brown fouled Rondo, then Kevin Garnett sure as heck fouled Artest.

10:11 @skindoeshoops: This Game 7 is about as classic as the last decade of the Rolling Stones' output

10:12 @ESPNLandOLakers: Lakers guards have to recognize when Pau is trailing Garnett up the floor, and tighten up on Rondo so he can't make the lob. BK

10:12 @skindoeshoops: Well, if the NBA is fixed then Kobe is in on it RT @RicBucher If no one has said it, I will: Kobe is having a nightmare.

10:14 @junior_miller: This series has been such high quality ball--until tonight. It's like a mid-90's Knicks-type game. T-minus 9 min for Kobe to wake up

10:14 @KDonhoops: Kobe is 1-2 on getting those Kevin Durant calls tonight.

10:18 @forumbluegold: Man. That hump LA needs to get over is like Mt. Everest right now.

10:18 @STEIN_LINE_HQ: Is it safe yet to call this one of those Artest > Ariza nights?

10:19 @forumbluegold: I understand now. The refs were saving all their calls for the 4th quarter.

10:21 @RicBucher: We’re used to Kobe putting teams away. He’s keeping the Celtics in this one.

10:21 @kpelton: Glen Davis +6, Rasheed Wallace +1. Wallace's fifth foul isn't the worst thing in the world.

10:21 @basketballtalk: maybe putting the Lakers at the free throw line is the best thing Boston can do

10:23 @mcten: The Fisher Fling returns to its kingdom

10:24 @mcten: Like in Game 3, the plays being made down the stretch for L.A. are by people not named Kobe Bryant

10:25 @EricPincus: Derek Fisher just passed Michael Jordan on all-time NBA FInals made three-pointers 43 for DFish, 42 for MJ

10:26 @bruce_arthur: KG, 7-12. Fisher, 4-6. Baby, 2-4. Everyone else: 35-114.

10:26 @DanWolken: The 2008 Memphis Tigers think the Lakers can’t shoot free throws.

10:29 @johnhollinger: I'm a little puzzled Boston is running so much stuff for Ray Allen and so little for Paul Pierce.

10:30 @mhaubs: In a game of incredible defense, Ray Allen is one of the few to have several good looks. Killin' the C's right now.

10:32 @junior_miller: Alert: Kobe's head is now back on his shoulders! He's got 20 and 13--and the lead. He's saving his reputation like he did his marriage

10:32 @LarryCoon: You just know some hater is going to say Kobe intentionally sucked for three quarters so he could be the hero in the fourth.

10:34 @LakersReporter: Cannot stress enough how critical the crowd has been here for L.A.’s defense, willing stop after stop.

10:34 @RicBucher: On the flip side: Kobe w/15 rebounds. Putting his imprint on game even w/ shot not falling.

10:34 @MFollowill: @skindoeshoops the power of Hennessy

10:34 @mcten: Feels like 19,000 people just undid their belts and unzipped their pants after Thanksgiving dinner ... the pressure's been released

10:36 @ESPNLandOLakers: This game could be the most persuasive argument ever for shortening the regular season. BK

10:37 @joe_sheehan: “Big Shot Rob,” meet “Big Swish Fish.”

10:38 @KevinDing: No idea what Pierce is doing with that blocking foul.

10:41 @KDonhoops: Soft?

10:42 @KevinDing: Driven into the weight room by the 2008 NBA Finals loss, Pau muscles the double-clutch layup in. Lakers 76, Celtics 70 ... 1:30 left.

10:42 @KDthumderup: Toughhhhh pau, touughhhhh

[That’s Kevin Durant]

10:43 @skindoeshoops: If the Lakers had been playing like this earlier in the game would this even be close right now?

10:45 @mcten: Remember, Sheed was on that 2000 Blazers team that wilted in the 4th quarter in this building

10:45 @Kenny_Maybe: Consolation game begins 30 minutes after conclusion of Celtics vs Lakers.

10:45 @SI_LeeJenkins: As ugly as it's been, the banner won't look any different

10:47 @ESPNLandOLakers: This game was played in Bizarro-World. AK

10:48 @KDonhoops: I ask again, soft?

10:48 @KDthumderup: Pau gasol for finals MVP…without him u lose!!

10:48 @tomhaberstroh: Kobe just made two TERRIBLE decisions with the game on the line.

10:48 @MFollowill: Rasheed and Ron Artest raining cold blooded 3's w/ a title on the line...somebody hold me I'm scared

10:51 @ESPNStatsInfo: Celtics blew 15 double-digit leads during the regular and postseason. That's the 2nd most in the NBA only to Memphis (17)

10:52 @mcten: Like one of those 30 for 30 ads: "What if I told you the Lakers season would come down to 2 Sasha Vujacic free throws?"

10:53 @haralabob: Very few coaches use a great FT shooter off the bench in these late game scenarios - but its always a treat when they do

10:59 @MFollowill: Sasha Vujacic icing a finals at the line...somebody hold me, I'm really scared now

10:59 @SI_ChrisBallard: Ron Artest just thanked his psychiatrist on national TV. Then hugged Doris Burke. Man, I love Ron Artest

11:01 @hoopshype: So last points of season came from Artest, Wallace, Rondo on a 3 (!) and Vujacic. NBA: Where amazing happens

11:03 @KDonhoops: Why Kobe Bryant's wife gets to stand in front of someone who works as hard as Frank Hamblen, I'll never understand.

11:04 @russbengston: The podium should be Stern and Lakers players/coaches/execs ONLY. Shameful.

[Could not agree more with the previous two tweets]

11:04 @johnschuhmann: Lakers didn't have balloons, but they had a e-mail prepared to announce the parade. Was sent out just minutes after the buzzer.

11:11 @tomhaberstroh: So… Ron Artest’s psychiatrist: MVP?

11:11 @AndreHoops: Everything Kobe gets, he deserves--and he doesn't have to say anything publicly.. but he should buy his teammates cars 4 their work tonite.

11:11 @mhaubs: I picked ORL over LAL before season, ultimately b/c I thought Artest would kill em at some pt. The shrink killed me.

11:13 @MikeBacsik: From a Mavs perspective, DJ Mbenga is only a ring behind Bill Wennington. Watch out Bill!

11:14 @DuranLA: Rasheed Wallace outside of the refs locker room. Security telling him they're not coming out. Shed says "just wanna talk"

[The insanist of the insane]

11:17 @DuranLA: Sheed finally walks away to bus - IN FULL UNIFORM with sunglasses on

11:18 @chadmillman: Lakers money line, celtics to cover and the under: just like the wise guys drew it up.

11:22 @johnshuchmann: So they got ... 5 games for that $19M? RT @johnhollinger: Bombshell from Doc: "I don't know if Rasheed will ever play again."

11:25 @johnshuchmann: 4th quarter of Game 7 was the Lakers' 2nd most efficient Q of the series (30 points on 21 poss.)

11:32 @johnshuchmann: And the +/- leader for the series? Ron Artest: +40.

11:44 @johnshuchmann: Crazy tho. Artest's +/- by game: +26, 0, -12, +1, 0, +26, -1

11:48 @mhaubs: Phil said before series that KG-Gasol was key matchup. Pau outrebounded him 18-3 tonight.

11:58 @mcten: Daniel Artest screaming outside Lakers locker room: "What can they say about Ron right now!!!!!"

12:21 @johnshuchmann: Great job by BBarry on NBA TV calling Kobe out 4 forcing in 1st half. Asked him if PJ talked 2 him. Kobe: No. "I know when I'm f'ing up."

12:22 @johnhollinger: If you bet on Jeff Foster getting a prolonged shout-out from Ron Artest after winning Game 7 tonight, you are now a millionaire.

12:28 @johnhollinger: Fittingly, Artest walks off with the podium Wheaties Box, having replaced Brian Scalabrine as the greatest post-Finals interview ever.

1:22 @daldridgetnt: And holler if you had Ron and the Machine putting the game away in the last minute. I’ll wait over here.

1:24 @lazenby: On June 17th the Lakers franchise won its 17th professional basketball championship.

1:27 @dexterfishmore: For the series, the Lakers scored 1.06 points per possession to the Celtics’ 1.01.

1:35 @dexterfishmore: The list of NBA players with fewer rings than Adam Morrison is really, really long.

1:40 @THE_REAL_SHAQ: Congratulations Kobe, u deserve it. U played great. Enjoy it man enjoy it. I know what ur sayin "Shaq how my ass taste"

2:05 @mcten: Kobe's dad, Joe, came out of the tunnel headed towards the locker room and said to Jim Hill, "Now we start working on the other hand"

2:16 @derekfisher: Drive for 5 complete!!!

[Thanks for a great season, twitfam!]