Never Kid a Kidder

Dear David Stern,

Congratulations, you got your wish. But I must say that I'm skeptical of the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers both making it to the finals just one year after being also-rans. Do you really expect me to buy into the idea that embattled Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak and the ineffective Celtic chief Danny Ainge suddenly became Einsteins literally overnight? Was the lopsided deal that brought Kevin Garnett to Boston league-sponsored? After all, Garnett sounded pretty serious only a month earlier when he said that he'd never play in Boston. I wonder what changed his mind? And was the grand larceny perpetrated by Kupchak to get Pau Gasol really on the level? Were the refs doing more (or less) than their jobs in the playoffs? The rest of us have no way of knowing, but now that all systems are go for L.A. and Boston to resume their legendary playoff rivalry, the memories of Russell, Cousy, West, Baylor, Bird, McHale, Jabbar, Magic and Worthy, not to mention the sidebar of Phil Jackson attempting to pass Red Auerbach on the championship wins list at Red's old team's expense is the hype dreams are made of. The NBA finals are now sexy enough that even New York fans might tune in.

The whole thing looks like a setup to me and I am shocked and disappointed that as commissioner of the NBA, you would stoop to this level.

Sincerely,
Gary Bettman