BOSTON ? Manny Pacquiao knew all along the Boston Celtics would beat the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals this season. Somehow, the WBC superfeatherweight champion feels an affinity with the Celtics even though when in the US, he spends most of his time in L. A.
There is a lot in common between the Men in Green and Pacquiao who faces WBC lightweight titlist David Diaz at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on June 28.
They compete fiercely, with heart and a lot of pride. They are resilient, aggressive and tough under pressure. Odds don?t faze them. They thrive in adverse conditions.
?I was jumping up and down the whole Game 6,? said Pacquiao who watched the action on a wide-screen, high definition TV in his fourth floor unit at the Palazzo in the La Brea district near Hollywood. ?The Celtics didn?t stop playing hard until the last second. That?s what I like about them. They fight until the end, no matter what the score is. Everybody contributed. It was a mismatch if you look at the averages.?
Before Game 5 in Los Angeles, Pacquiao said it was just a matter of time before the Lakers would fall. The Celtics had just staged a near miraculous comeback from 24 points down to shock the Lakers, 97-91, at the Staples Center.
Although Paul Pierce was named Finals MVP, Pacquiao said his favorite player is still Kevin Garnett.
?I?ve always liked Garnett even when he was with Minnesota,? said Pacquiao in a phone call from Los Angeles yesterday. ?He can do it all. He?s an all-around player. He plays inside and outside. He?s the NBA?s best defensive player.?
Pacquiao predicted with the Celtics on top, 3-1, in the series, they would close it out either in Game 5 on the road or Game 6 at home.
?They?ll try to finish it in Game 5 because you don?t want to give the Lakers a chance to come back,? said Pacquiao. ?Kobe (Bryant) is always dangerous. But they could also just relax in Game 5 and go back to Boston to win it in front of their fans in Game 6. Whatever happens, the Celtics will win the championship. They deserve it.?
As it turned out, the Celtics lost in Game 5 but rebounded to wrap it up in Game 6 at the TD Banknorth Garden last Tuesday.
Pacquiao said man for man, the Celtics had the edge over the Lakers in the matchups. ?I like Kobe,? said Pacquiao. ?We come out in commercials for Nike. But basketball is a team game. Even coach Freddie (Roach), who lives in Los Angeles, cheers for the Celtics because he?s from Boston.?
Pacquiao, a passionate basketball fan and player, could?ve bought tickets for Games 3, 4 and 5 at the Staples Center but that would?ve entailed staying out late at night. Pacquiao has a self-imposed curfew of 9 p.m.
After a hard day?s workout in the gym, Pacquiao chills out in his apartment singing karaoke, pounding on his laptop, watching videos and staying loose.
Pacquiao has a long-term lease at the Palazzo. His unit has a loft where there are two bedrooms and two bathrooms. The lower level has a den, converted to another bedroom, a living room, a dining area, a kitchen and an open patio overlooking Los Angeles.
Pacquiao stays alone in his bedroom which is adjacent to a bathroom with a walk-in closet. In the other loft bedroom are trainer Buboy Fernandez, his brother Aplas, Nonoy Neri and writer Winchell Campos. Staying in the lower level den are boxers Bernabe Concepcion and Aaron Melgarejo, former boxer Jovy Halog and veteran trainer Ben Delgado.
In all, nine persons sleep in the unit. Also ?living? in the apartment is a Jack Russell terrier named ?Pacman? who runs with Pacquiao every morning. The dog is a gift from Pacquiao?s friend Archie Banas.
In charge of the kitchen are Aplas Fernandez and Neri who cook and prepare Pacquiao?s tinolang manok, grilled pampano and malunggay.
Among Pacquiao?s regular visitors are strength and conditioning coach Alejandro Ariza, Noel Lautengco, Edward Lura, Alex Oreto, Banas and lawyer Franklin (Jeng) Gacal who flew in from General Santos City to arrange the legalities of the fight contract.
