One is Nice, Two is Legendary

The NBA Finals begin Thursday night with a familiar matchup: Lakers vs. Celtics. Just two seasons ago these two teams battled each other, with the Celtics winning the championship. It was the first title for Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Rajon Rondo.

If the Celtics never got back to the NBA Finals with this group of veterans, Boston fans would still have been grateful. The 'Big Three', as they were called in 2008 before Rondo became the team's MVP, all solidified their place in Springfield, MA as future Hall of Famers. That's nice.

However, this same group of guys now have the chance to do something really special. This group has a chance to win a second title and become legendary. I know, this IS the Boston Celtics franchise, where winning two titles as a group actually can be sneezed at. Yet there is something about winning that second title that validates you as a group and certainly merits top billing on the career resume'.

Having lived in Atlanta for the past 15 years, I can't tell you how often I've heard Braves fan say they wish Manager Bobby Cox had won a second title to 'book end' a storied career. The Braves won 14 pennants in 15 years, but only have one World Series title to show for it. For all the success their 'Big Three' had (Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz), they all walked away from the game with only one championship on their resume. There is something that just feels incomplete about that.

The Green Bay Packers had Brett Favre under center for 16 seasons. He won three MVP trophies, went to nine Pro Bowls, but left/retired/was forced out with only one Super Bowl title. Favre led the Packers to back-to-back Super Bowl appearances, but lost the 1997 Super Bowl to John Elway and the Denver Broncos (yes, they won two). Had Favre won that 2nd title you wonder if he would still be putting us through all the drama of retiring/unretiring. Clearly his sole purpose in life right now is chasing that 2nd title.

So as the NBA Finals tip off Thursday night, the chase for title number two begins for this group of Boston Celtics. They draw the same opponent they defeated en route to their first title. This is there chance to prove that one was no fluke. This is their chance to turn nice into legendary...