2008 -- S 3145 ======= LC03225 ======= STATE OF RHODE ISLAND IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2008 ____________ S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N CONGRATULATING THE BOSTON CELTICS ON WINNING THEIR SEVENTEENTH NBA CHAMPIONSHIP Introduced By: Senators Jabour, Felag, Sheehan, Raptakis, and Tassoni Date Introduced: June 19, 2008 Referred To: Senate read and passed 1 WHEREAS, When Celtics General Manager Danny Ainge acquired Kevin Garnett and 2 Ray Allen in the summer of 2007, most Celtics fans knew that those two additions, along with 3 superstar forward Paul Pierce, would instantly make the Celtics a much improved team and 4 instant playoff contender. However, few could have imagined that the Boston Celtics would 5 compile the best record in the NBA in the 2007-2008 season, 66-16, and add to their glorious 6 tradition by defeating hated arch-rival the Los Angeles Lakers and MVP Kobe Bryant to win their 7 league leading seventeenth NBA Championship; and 8 WHEREAS, Kevin Garnett, a superstar playing in relative anonymity for most of his 9 career in Minnesota, was a joy and revelation to observe as he led the Celtics back to glory. We 10 all knew about his intimidating shot-blocking ability, his fierce rebounding skills, his ability to 11 run the court and score quick baskets, his defensive prowess and his superb low post game and 12 sweet outside shot, but his off-court demeanor was even more impressive. Garnett is a caring, 13 kind and compassionate man always available to serve the community and charitable 14 organizations in the region. His team leadership was a vital component in the Celtics quest for a 15 championship and he richly deserved being chosen the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year and 16 being named to the First Team All-NBA Team; and 17 WHEREAS, Paul Pierce proved this season that he was more than a scorer. Aside from 18 leading the Celtics in scoring, Pierce played relentless defense, was a strong rebounder, and was 19 the go-to guy when a basket was needed. His heroics in the NBA Finals have become another 1 part of Celtics and NBA lore. He out-played Kobe Bryant and in clutch situations frustrated 2 Bryant with his relentless defense. Pierce richly deserved the honor he received when he was 3 named the NBA Finals MVP; and 4 WHEREAS, The Celtics incredible 2007-2008 campaign was about more than just two 5 star players. Veteran star Ray Allen provided great outside shooting and hit numerous game 6 winning shots. His veteran experience and leadership were invaluable to the success of the 7 Celtic s this season. Rajon Rondo at point guard provided stellar defense, quality ball handling, 8 and timely passing. Kendrick Perkins provided tough interior defense at the center position along 9 with superb shot blocking skills and tough rebounding; and 10 WHEREAS, The Boston Celtics bench was arguably the best in the NBA. Eddie House 11 provided quality minutes at the guard spot both as a distributor and as a shot maker. James Posey, 12 Leon Powe and P.J. Brown were certainly the best group of big men coming off the bench in the 13 NBA this past season. Their tough defense, strong inside play, and fierce rebounding simply wore 14 teams down in the regular season and the playoffs; and 15 WHEREAS, The Boston Celtics defeated the Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers and 16 LeBron James, Detroit Pistons and the heavily favored Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals. In 17 the NBA Finals, the Lakers were favored by the “so-called” experts who predicted that the Lakers 18 great perimeter shooting, athleticism and the play of NBA MVP Kobe Bryant would be too much 19 for the Celtics to handle. What they failed to understand was that the Celtics were a blue collar, 20 gritty team that would simply out-hustle and out-work the talented but soft LA Lakers by 21 dominating the interior and playing suffocating defense. The Celtics won the first two games at 22 home before dropping game three in LA. In game four, a game that will forever be a part of NBA 23 lore, the Celtics fell behind by twenty-four points, a deficit no team has ever recovered from in 24 the NBA Finals. Show ing heart, determination and a “never quitting” attitude, the Celtics stunned 25 the Lakers crowd and the sports world when they came back from this deficit and won 97-91. 26 After losing game five in LA, the Celtics returned home and destroyed the Lakers in game six to 27 win by thirty-nine points and; 28 WHEREAS, The Celtics were guided all season by the steady leadership of head coach 29 Glenn “Doc” Rivers. An emotional leader and excellent motivator, Rivers instilled in the Celtics 30 the fact that to win, they would have to be tougher, stronger, and simply want it more than their 31 opponents, as the Celtics weren’t blessed with the array of talent some other teams had. Under 32 Rivers' direction, the Celtics became the best defensive team, developed the best bench, and were 33 the hardest rebounding team in the league. Their unselfish play all season was testimony to the 34 confidence they had that Rivers was leading them in the right direction. In the NBA Finals many 2 1 feared that the Lakers coach Phil Jackson, winner of nine NBA titles as a coach, would use his 2 experience and savvy to out-coach Doc Rivers. However, it was Jackson who was seemingly 3 flustered throughout the NBA Finals as Rivers consistently made the right substitutions and 4 called the right plays in the crucial moments of the NBA Finals; now, therefore be it 5 RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations 6 hereby heartily congratulates the Boston Celtics on winning their record leading seventeenth 7 NBA Championship by defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2008 NBA Finals. We thank 8 them for the thrills they provided all Celtic fans in New England and throughout the nation, and 9 we wish them more NBA Championships in future years; and be it further 10 RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to 11 transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Boston Celtics head coach Glenn “Doc” Rivers. ======= LC03225 ======= 3 .