“I'd to go on the family plane & kick off the wives” – Doc Rivers reveals Lakers' slick move before 2008 NBA Finals
The 2008 NBA Finals was iconic as it revived the old rivalry between the LA Lakers and the Boston Celtics, battling it out on the league's biggest stage. However, a conspiracy theory about Los Angeles potentially sabotaging the Celtics' plane in the finals was brought up in Kevin Garnett's new documentary.
Following their Game 5 win against the Lakers, the Celtics were ready to fly back home in preparation for Game 6. On the night of their flight, Kobe Bryant and his team already took off to Boston. However, the Big Three's team was left in Los Angeles, as the planes they were on had difficulty taking flight.
At the time, Doc Rivers conspired that their rivals had potentially sabotaged their transportation.
"The pilot comes on and says, 'We have something wrong with the plane and we can't take off.'" Rivers said.
"So, the Lakers' two planes took off great. We're in LA, and now our two planes aren't working. And I was going at it."
"I had to go on the family plane and kick off the wives and some all the other owners and we were going to commandeer that plane and they were going to find another plane."
They were able to make it back home late at night. There was no further proof that Bryant and his team sabotaged the Celtics after Game 5, and they even closed out the series on their home court. Basketball fans even got a chance to witness Garnett scream his now well-known statement.
Los Angeles got its revenge two seasons later as it won a second title in a row. The Celtics still kept the roster around, but due to age and the arrival of a new superteam, they weren't able to win anything significant again. Their last trip to the NBA Finals was in 2022, where they lost against the Golden State Warriors.
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Kendrick Perkins believes James Harden could fit in with the Lakers
Los Angeles could be in search of its new point guard next season. Despite still having D'Angelo Russell on the squad, the team could be in the market as he is about to become a free agent. According to Kendrick Perkins, a former center for the Boston Celtics, he views James Harden as a strong candidate to be the new point guard for Los Angeles.
"James Harden actually could be really great for the Los Angeles Lakers." Perk said.
"He led the league in assists, he was the ultimate point guard, he can take pressure off LeBron James, and look how dominant Joel Embiid and James Harden were in the pick and roll, can you imagine the easy looks that James Harden could get for Anthony Davis?"
Harden could opt out of his contract and demand a bigger deal from other teams in the offseason.
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