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We’ve talked Boston’s O vs. the Lakers’ D and vice versa. We’ve discussed the history of the rivalry. And we’ve even gotten the Celtics’ perspective. But the wait is over; it’s now time to play the games. Game 1 of the NBA Finals is tonight and the Lakers are now in the position that they’ve played for all season – the chance to defend their championship.
But after three playoff series of varying difficulty, nothing can really compare to this stage nor prepare the Lakers for the challenge ahead. The Celtics are the best team that the Lakers will face these playoffs and it’s not really close. They are a team that operates within a defined structure on both sides of the ball and executes at an extremely high level while playing even harder. They are a true team. And in order for the Lakers to win the series – but especially game one – they’ll need to be mentally and physically prepared for what Boston is going to throw at them.
And even though we’ve covered some X’s and O’s, there are a couple more points that haven’t been explored that I’d like to touch on. We’ve already talked about the potential of Kobe guarding Rondo. And in his press conference yesterday, Phil Jackson said that Kobe would “occasionally be on” the C’s dynamic PG. And while the intricacies of that match up have been discussed ad nauseam, there is one aspect that we haven’t discussed nearly enough – the cross match. Phillip linked to a post at NBA Playbook yesterday that talked about a potential pitfall of Kobe defending Rondo being that when Rondo grabs defensive rebounds, Kobe will have to then find him in transition (as Rondo likely won’t be guarding Kobe) and this could create scenarios where the Lakers don’t have their preferred match ups in place; that the Lakers may bungle their defensive assignments and either allow driving lanes or give up open three pointers when transitioning from offense to defense. And this is definitely a concern for the Lakers D.
However, just as big a concern should be when Kobe grabs defensive rebounds and the Celtics then have to find their proper assignments in transition (as Kobe would be defending Rondo and now the C’s PG has to make a decision on whether to stay with Kobe or go find Fisher). Back in 2008 (and as recently as the OKC series when Kobe guarded Westbrook) one way that Kobe was able to get easier looks for himself and create offense for his teammates was by forcing the cross match in transition and then going to work on the smaller defender (the PG) that did not have time to switch off and find his own man. If Kobe is able to get matched up on Rondo a lot (or even just on a handful of possessions) this can be the opening that he needs to get himself (and his teammates) the easy baskets that the Celtics don’t often surrender. Especially if Kobe is able to get to the low post by executing the move that he performed so well against Utah – the back down dribble in transition on the secondary break. Once Kobe has the ball in his hands and he identifies a smaller defender on him he instantly calls for the side to be cleared so that he can go to work on the low block. And whether it’s Rondo or one of the Allen’s, this will be something for us to watch for tonight when Kobe is bringing the ball up the court in a semi-break for the Lakers. Because when Kobe is able to create post up chances off the dribble (without having to fight his defender for post position, burning energy and the shot clock) he’s even more deadly with his array of quick pivots, turn around jumpers, and shot fakes-then-step throughs.
A second piece of the game plan that we’ve yet to explore fully is what role Andrew Bynum will play in this series. We’ve heard that ‘Drew had his knee drained and that while the swelling is down, the pain is still there. And while I’m no doctor, I would think this is to be expected. Bynum has a partially torn meniscus and that pain isn’t just going to vanish because he had some fluid removed from his knee. After all, he’s going to need surgery to repair the damage. That said, I expect ‘Drew to be a bit more than just a big body on defense that clogs the lane on penetration and grabs rebounds. Bynum is still a capable player in the post and is still a player that sets a damned good screen (both in the P&R and in the weak side actions of the Triangle). While I don’t think we’ll see the 19 and 11 player that Bynum was in one of the games vs. the C’s in the regular season, I do think he’ll get plenty of isolations in the post where he gets a chance to go at Perkins and KG one on one without help. And these are chances that I think Bynum can be successful in (he’s still got some of that polish, even if he doesn’t have all his lift). I also think that Bynum will grab a couple of offensive rebounds each game due to the combination of his size and the extra attention that Gasol will get in Boston’s help schemes. Offensive rebounds that lead to put backs and free throw attempts.
But these are trends that will play themselves out over the course of the series. When looking at tonight specifically, I think it all comes down to the first and fourth quarters. Being at home, the Lakers have an opportunity to use the energy of their crowd to come out and set the tone. If they’re able to establish their style of play (an early jumper for Kobe, some good post ups from Bynum and Pau) it will go a long way towards getting their momentum moving in a positive direction. As for the fourth quarter, the Lakers must sharpen up their execution down the stretch and get the buckets they’ll need against a tightening Celtics defense. Remember, the C’s are prone to offensive dry spells and it’s in those stretches where their defense picks up the slack and allows them to stay in the game. If, in the last 6-8 minutes of the fourth, the Lakers can create some distance, they should be able to win this all important game one and set the tone for the entire series. All of this is easier said than done, but if it was as simple as just speaking it, what’d be the point in playing the game?
In the end though, this game will come down to so many little things that we could go on forever exploring the intricacies of this Finals match up. And there will be plenty of time to do so after we have some games under our belts and some film to look at. So for now, just sit back and enjoy the show. The two teams that are playing the best basketball in the league are about to play that all important game 1 in the race for the championship. There isn’t a better time to be a Lakers fan and we should all savor this moment. Because even though this is the third straight season that the Lakers are in the decisive series, these chances are pretty rare. We all remember the down years, don’t we? Tonight, all I want to see is that focus and execution that we know the Lakers are capable of. Now, let’s get that win.
(And in case you needed any more inspiration for the game, check out LD2K’s most recent offering to get you in the mood for the game.)
emh101 says
For Warren!
emh101 says
And Charlie!
emh101 says
And for another championship banner to get that much closer to overtaking the Celtics!
Mimsy says
And for more dunks from Ron-Ron!
That’s a great photo 🙂
Jeremy says
If I’m Phil here’s what I tell Bynum. “Give me 10 intense minutes a half, focus on getting good position, rebounding and make your fouls count. You’re bigger than these guys”
Taylor says
Question of the Day re: the photo…does Ron make it? ; )
Work has kept me from posting as much as normal lately, but I’ve still tried to follow as best I can. That being said, I’ve never really seen this question addressed as a more macro-approach to the series. To me, and convincingly with the same starting 5, are the Celtics better or worse than 2008? I would say probably the same. Rondo has improved, but the loss of Posey I don’t think is covered by the addition of ‘Sheed. The Big Old three are just that, two years older and a little more tread off the tires. In all, I’d say they’re pretty close to competing at the same level.
Are the Lakers better or worse? I would say we are much better. Beacuse ESPN2 played a replay of Game 1 of 2008 last night, I was able to see more clearly the improvements. We had our top-flight snowboarder on the floor for big minutes. That won’t be the case. Pierce seemed to be able to flow much easier in 2008. That definitely won’t be the case. Even a little Drew will be better than 2008. Ron will make a difference. Maybe our bench isn’t ready to go, but remember, having that expereince should pay off for Jordan/Shannon/Sash.
I’d say we have caught and likely just passed the C’s in terms of 2008 to now. Let’s hope I’m right. I am really excited…
P.S. I hope Sash plays well…if he hasn’t been killed by Kobe and banished again to the doghouse by the coaches.
Here’s to (hopefully) crossing another one off the mirror and being one game closer.
Celtics Nation says
And so it finally begins. Never rooted for the Lakers except in Game 6 against the Suns. Nothing is sweeter than winning a ‘ship while beating the Lakers.
Looking forward to some Rondo magic tonight – the Lakers have no one that can stay in front of him, let alone stop him and he’s winning the Finals MVP.
Ryan says
Just 4 1/2 hours to go. I have had a hard time focusing on work today. Nothing more to add, I just don’t want to wait any longer. This is going to be a great series.
robinred says
I could have done without #6, but I am grouchy.
Go Lakers.
robinred says
Now #7.
Daniel says
@7
Just curious. Who do the Celtics have to stay in front of, let alone stop, a certain Kobe Bean Bryant?
Mimsy says
Another good Wojnarowski column, for those still looking for reading material while waiting for the game.
chris h says
thanks emh101, let’s hope the Warrren/Charlie combo brings us just enough good luck to overcome those darn C’s leprechauns lucky breaks. One day Charlie will enjoy this story of how he joined Warren as an FB&G good luck omen during one of the biggest and bestest Championship series in a long long time.
lakers win it in 6, and are 1 game away from trying for all time ‘ships, and in 2011, we tie them, and in 2012, we overtake them…yeah! go Lakers!
Jeremy says
What’s an ideal Kobe stat line for this series?
28pts on 20 shots with 6 assists?
Don says
Arnovitz fantastic breakdown of 2008 series
Think we’ll go to Odom on Perkins again as the ‘roamer’?
Hopefully Bynum will give us enough quality minutes that we don’t have to.
Celtics Nation says
Daniel – no doubt Kobe’s a great player but staying in front of Kobe isn’t going to be a problem. He just ain’t that fast anymore – that ship has sailed. That said, if he goes off like he did against Phoenix, the Lakers would pose more of a challenge that I expect them to.
Daniel says
Celtics Nation – That’s all very interesting, but you still haven’t answered my question. Who’s going to be the primary Celtic to slow down Kobe? You don’t have Posey this time. Ray Allen? Tony Allen? Good luck with that. Your overconfidence is your weakness.
Burgundy says
Oy Vey.
I felt confident the Lakers would win in Round 1, Round 2, and Round 3.
This is the first series where I honestly don’t know.
The Celtics have some decided matchup advantages:
1) A speedy point guard – the type that gives the Lakers fits.
2) Hard-nosed, defensive bigs that mitigate (if not erase) what the Lakers usually rely on as an advantage over every other team they face (by the way, there are only three teams in the league that have the defensive bigs to matchup with the Lakers: Denver, Cleveland, and Boston).
However, the Lakers also have some pretty big advantages:
1) There’s no James Posey to check Kobe Bryant.
2) On the other hand, the Lakers finally DO have a defensive ace to check Paul Pierce (Artest).
I thought Darius made a great point above:
It comes down to 1st and 4th quarters.
The Celtics don’t play from behind well, so if you can build a lead in the first quarter and force them to play from behind, they’re not as effective (this isn’t the case against a quick striking team like Phoenix).
More importantly, without fail, the Celtics have a 4 to 6 minute lull in the fourth quarter of just about every game they play: the offense comes to standstill, and they score maybe 2 – 4 points during that entire period of time.
If the Lakers can build a good lead during that “lull,” they’re sitting pretty.
An enormous difference in this upcoming series (vs. 2008) that I don’t think anybody’s mentioned:
Kobe will be guarding Rondo from the start.
The Celtics took the first two games in 2008 with Fish chasing Rondo and getting killed. Phil switched Kobe to Rondo starting in Game 3, and then the series went 2 – 2.
Something to keep in mind.
DJ-F.L.A.S.H. says
Awesome video, love the Pierce crying at the end.
A random thought just came across my mind while thinking of the game, Boston has a prototypical player for their position at every position:
-Tempo controlling, pass first PG
-Pure shooting SG
-Old school scoring SF
-Inside/Outside scoring, rebounding PF
-Defensive, shot blocking C
How do teams get that lucky?
Then again we did get Pau for Kwame……
Enjoy the game everyone! You know I keep my game tight like Kobe on game night~
Tyler says
I can’t take this wait. I haven’t been posting on here to try to keep myself calm, but I can’t take it anymore. I’m ready for some basketball.
People keep comparing this series to 2008, but yesterday ESPN2 was running a marathon of recent Lakers-Celtics, most notably the 2008 series, and in the little that I could force myself to watch actually made me feel a lot better. FIrst of all, VladRad was terrible and playing huge minutes. The dude couldn’t do a single thing well except shoot 3’s. Also we played Sasha a ton of minutes in ’08, even more than I remembered.
That said, I still had a nightmare last night involving the C’s winning game one, and no I’m not making that up.
DY says
Lakers fans, please join me in this prayer. Dear (Lord), I know you don’t care much about professional basketball, and you let good things happen to “bad” people (i.e., 2008 NBA Finals), but please heed this prayer and let the Lakers prevail in no less than 4-5 games. And while you’re at it, please heal the world, stop wars, etc. AMEN!
alex v. says
On the other hand, I think the Lakers are the best team the Celtics will have faced this year, especially when it comes to clawing back from adversity.
I’m excited by this series. I still find it hard to judge the Celtics. In 2008, there was little to suggest the Celtics would play as well as they did in the finals. This year, they’ve gotten more obviously hot in the play-offs, but their regular season was worse and they’re older. At this point, I’m not sure any result would surprise me.
I really hope the older players (on both teams) continue to step up and we have a great series. And I hope the reffing figures in as little as possible, even though I expect it will be a critical element of several games.
lil' pau says
Longest day in history….
Tai Chi says
There once was a team of the green,
With over-inflated self-esteem,
Made it to the Big Show,
But the Big Three was too slow,
They couldn’t deny Kobe his dream.
Let’s Go Lakers!!!
T. Rogers says
I get the feeling there a lot of people pulling for Boston because they simply don’t want to see Kobe get a 5th ring. Some don’t want him to surpass MJ. Heck, some don’t want him seen as being on par with Magic. Interesting stuff.
None of that matters, though.
Go Lakers! Let’s have another party on Figueroa!
Tra says
As Weird/Crazy as this may sound, I believe some Commentors will agree: 2nite’s Game is a ‘Must Win Situation’ and here are a few Reasons why:
1. ATTITUDE: We have to let this Boston Team know from the Jump that this is not the same Lakers Squad that they Faced/Chumped in ’08. Strike First. Set the Tone & Set it Early.
2. MINDSET: Our Confidence, while Already High, will Elevate to Another Level knowing in the back of our Minds that Phil X led teams have Never lost a Series in which they were Victorious in Game 1.
3. HOME-COURT: We’ve yet to lose on our Floor this Postseason. It would be Mentally Debilitating for us if that 1st loss happened to occur in Game 1 of the NBA Finals against a Celtics team that Punked us 2 years ago.
Bottom Line: A Game 1 Loss would be the Equivalent to Feeding the Monster & It would Demoralize Our Spirits @ the Outset. Especially considering that Game 2 isn’t ’til Sunday, so all we’ll hear & read about over that 2 day stretch is how this Lakers Team hasn’t changed much since ’08 & how Boston is the Superior Franchise.
My Prediction: Not Only Do We Win 2nite, We Conquer Boston In 6.
12 Down. 4 To Go. Lets Get It.
Atomsk121 says
Anyone else get chills watching that video? =D
Two hours to tipoff 🙂
emh101 says
Amen, DY!
And, Tyler, I had a dream a few days ago that the Lakers stormed out to a 20-0 lead in Game 1 and never looked back. I was very sad to wake up.
PurpleNGold says
I just can’t help thinking that this is really such an even matchup that the whistles are going to decide it. If the Celts bigs are allowed to push for boards and throw blocks instead of screens they’re tough to beat.
chearn says
@24) love it!
Palani says
Lets go!
I was also dreaming about the 1st game last night, Lakers led by 14 points with 40 sec left in the 4th qtr! and then i woke up.
Glove says
Go Lakers, bring home another Championship. Beat the Celtics.
Jane says
@26, You are SO right on the money. I have been thinking the exact same thing about tonight’s game. I have not been able to post because I’m too freaked out.
Amen DY.
dtown says
Question: How many wheelchairs will Pierce need. Betting starts at 10 for the series
Mimsy says
Oooo! A limerick! I can do limericks! 🙂
A talented team from L.A.
Arrived at The Finals to stay
Thee years in a row
they’ve joined The Big Show
Let’s beat the Celtics today!
J-Love says
DY, Love it!
I have faith in this team! Kobe will NOT let the lose, and our bigs can overcome the C’s if they bring their A games. Come on forum blue and gold! Let’s get Phil his magical Game 1 win. Let’s punish those green leprechauns in OUR building and jump into the driver’s seat for good!
And now, I have to be the noob who inevitably asks where a live feed from the game might be on the ‘Net… I don’t have TV, just a computer and Internet access in my apartment, but I’ve watched previous games on various mirrors I’ve seen people post here. I know about justin.tv, but it doesn’t ALWAYS work; there was another that had links that usually worked and the quality was pretty good…
Anyway, anyone know?
COME ON LAKE SHOW!!!!!!!
KB24 > Any Celtic they stick on him
Artest will make Pierce’s life hell
LET’S DO THIS!!!!
Atomsk121 says
Palani, I too had a dream. Except the game was over, Lakers win by 40. Then I woke up, fell asleep again(Snooze button FTW) and when I woke up again I was sure I saw the whole game, and that was the outcome. Checking the computer and seeing I had so much time ’till the game ruined the whole day.
EDIT: And just because I feel we are going to lose if I don’t do this:
Amen DY.
JLove: http://www.p2p4u.net
Phillip says
Hey guys, I’ll be on the ESPN Daily Dime Chat along with two of the guys from Celtics Hub starting in a couple minutes (5 p.m. PST).
http://us.mg2.mail.yahoo.com/dc/launch?.gx=1&.rand=1afevusfaia2b
Palani says
philip: your link does not work.
Ben says
Since refs will come up, here’s an interesting piece on some of the refs who will probably working during the series.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/chris_mannix/06/03/refs/index.html?eref=sihp
Mimsy says
Ladies and gentlemen of this esteemed Forum: In the interest of making this a festive and joyous occasion, as well as, well, deathly competitive, I present you with
The 2010 NBA Finals Drinking Game
Disclaimer: I take absolutely no responsibility for any trouble you get yourself into if you chose to play this drinking game for four full quarters. If you’re old enough to drink, you’re old enough to take responsibility for your own actions, drunk or sober, smart or stupid.
Have a drink when any of the following happens:
…an announcer uses the phrase “short-corner three”
…Pau Gasol aggressively drives into the lane for a successful dunk
…Fisher makes a three-pointer without putting one foot on the line when he steps into the shot
…Kobe Bryant makes an absolutely impossible jump shot that defies several basic principles of physics and aerodynamics
…Ron Artest shoots a three and makes it
…Shannon Brown dunks. Drink twice if it is over one of the Big Three.
…Kobe does “the teeth” face
…any Celtic player actually gets called for an illegal screen. Drink twice if it’s Kevin Garnett.
…Sasha makes it through his first two minutes of play time without fouling near half-court
…Lamar Odom makes both free throws in a clutch situation
…Andrew Bynum blocks a shot
…Andrew Bynum makes it through three full minutes of play without getting called for a foul
…the Lakers win.
Jaybird says
Haven’t posted lately, but here are some quotes to sum up what’s going through my mind:
“Nothing fixes a thing so intensely in the memory as the wish to forget it.” – Game 6, 2008
“What you do speaks so loud that I cannot hear what you say.” – Kobe saying he doesn’t care that it’s the Celtics
“Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.” – Anyone who predicts the Celtics will win
“Happiness is having a scratch for every itch.” – We Lakers fans have an itch. It is ingrained in us and hounds us whenever we see green, words that begin with a capital C, anything related to Boston, any year they won a chip, wheelchairs, and phony tough guys. The scratch is coming.
Lakers8884 says
Its important every Lakers big comes out expecting to be fouled and mauled at the basket tonight, do not expect calls just play as if it were a streetball game (just like Ron does).
I think Kobe is out for blood, this is the moment the entire team has been waiting for 2 years. Time for Revenge, LETS GO
harold says
Let’s get the series off to a good, right start.
emh101 says
I think the Celtics win the Championship for the Team with the Worst Facial Hair.
Andreas G. says
Are you guys looking forward to the game? I’ve realized that I don’t. It’s the same thing when Spain plays soccer in the world cup for instance – those games aren’t enjoyable for me. If they lose, I’m devastated. And if they win, I’m not really happy – only relieved.
I pick the Lakers to win this series, but I don’t think I’m going to enjoy it. (Unless Pau goes for 50 tonight ie;))
Mimsy says
@Andreas G
Oh yes. Very very much! As soon as my post 39 comes out of moderation you’ll see how much. 🙂
Andreas G. says
Mimsy: Consider yourself lucky;)
Oh well, I think I’ll get rid of some anxiety when we win tonight!
emh101 says
Here we go!
ray says
I won’t be following the chat because I’m already amped up enough, I don’t think I can follow the ups and downs of Ken (just playing ken).
I’ll see you guys at the half and after the game.
I hate the Celtics. I hate the fake toughness of KG. I hate the Wheelchair.
LETS GO LAKERS.
Feel says
Ok, it’s 3am here in Spain and tomorrow I gotta go to work. Hope it worths it (i.e. LA somehow wins).
Jaybird says
WOoooooOOOOOoo does anyone have a good link? ATDHE.net links aren’t working for me. Much appreciated!
Andreas G. says
Lol Mimsy – I see now why your post got stuck in moderation. You’re going to put us all into rehab!
Mimsy says
Oookay. I DVRed the pre-game show and the game, so I can watch both without commercials, s I’m going to stay away from here since I’ll be watching the past while you watch the present. I’ll see you after the game.
J-Love says
the first link of the four on ATDHE.net seems to be working at the moment… *crosses fingers*
Joel B. says
Here we go
harold says
two quick fouls on fish…
Joel B. says
Not with this sh!t already. But I had a feeling Phil wouldn’t go with Brown.
Mark says
oh no.. the refs are controlling the tempo tonight,
cy says
Digging Bynum’s expresssion tonight…no smiles
harold says
gamecast is pretty screwy, it had KG fouling PG as a shooting foul… where are the FTs…
but so far so good?
emh101 says
Great focus and concentration to start. Let’s keep it up.
Andreas G. says
Forget what I said earlier about not enjoying this game – I’m loving it so far.
DirtySanchez says
Nice job on the defensive boards so far by LA, no second chance points for Boston. D@#$ LA looking focused at the beginning except Kobe losing Rajon a couple of times on D.
Lakers8884 says
Love the way Kobe is controlling the offense and making wise decisions and being patient. If they can just prevent easy layups by getting lost on defense this is already a double digit lead.
kehn says
anyone got a working livestream link?
J-Love says
I second that kehn. I’m stranded without TV :'(
harold says
Goaltending on a missed free throw?
Now that’s a first for me…
DirtySanchez says
http://www.ilemi.com/5572/3/Watch-Boston-Celtics-vs-Los-Angeles-Lakers/
Zephid says
66,67, same. I would pay so much to watch the game online, but there’s no legal way to do so. Such bullshit it’s amazing. Why ABC/ESPN is so stupid I will never understand. Look at how amazing March Madness is when they stream the games online. WHy can’t the NBA do this?
Lakers8884 says
That was a terrible call on that foul by Artest
kehn says
@ 68 – not working for me atm
harold says
Hrm, for those of you watching the game, how is Artest doing on Pierce?
DirtySanchez says
Its working for me currently, I m at work streaming. You have to click the play icon in the middle.
kehn says
http://maxsportz2.blogspot.com/ – this is getting me vid but no audio
Mark says
Harold, he just got his second foul.
Drew says
Lazy pass by farmar…he has to focus and realize this isnt the suns defense
joel r says
hopefully we can play some defense without fouling
lakers are doing a good job on the boards though
ray says
ok, i lied… im here and following.
It’s a boston style of game. Physical. Artest is doing ok on Pierce. 3 buckets for the Celtics were due to Kobe worrying about KG in the post or the wing, letting Rondo roam, that should be an adjustment hopefully.
Offensively… there needs to be more entry passes.
Good points, bynum is playing well, sasha hasn’t been a liability as the first guy off the bench.
But its going to be bumpy!!!
Tyler says
Something I’ve liked thus far: Garnett got the rebound on a Perkins missed free throw but Kobe got called for the lane violation. Ron tells Gasol to move out to the next spot and go for the ball, and Ron moves Garnett 10 feet out of the lane on the next attempt. Gasol rebound. That is toughness we were missing 2 years ago.
Something I have not liked: Stupid touch fouls off the ball on Fisher, Artest, and Kobe. None of those have been fouls all playoffs and now the all are. Ridiculous.
Mark says
Here are for the online-ers… You have to use veetle though.
http://atdhe.net/19975/watch-boston-celtics-vs-los-angeles-lakers
regular stream: http://atdhe.net/19957/watch-boston-celtics-vs-los-angeles-lakers
Joel B. says
Kobe has to do a better job of sticking with Rondo when Rondo doesn’t have the ball. Also, they assigned the most whistle happy refs for the first game of the finals.
If the lakers stop turning the ball over they will be okay.
Chewy says
To Farmar: Less careless passes please. This is the Finals..
Darius says
So far, the Lakers bigs are playing well with good interior D and rebounding. But, the Lakers perimeter defenders (especially Kobe) are gambling a bit too much and it’s leading to breakdowns.
Artest has looked good on Pierce, but he’s now out with foul trouble so that’s a bit concerning.
Back to the positives, I’m quite happy with the Lakers’ O-rebounding so far.
Mark says
That’s the first one, $50 on Pau.
Glove says
Gasol with the $50 charge
Lakers8884 says
Jordan needs to realize Rondo cannot shoot and needs to lay off him, if he continues to put too much pressure on the ball Rondo will drive right by him
harold says
So, I’m guessing nobody prepared for the vaunted FT offense and practiced FT defense.
Looks like a good chunk of both teams’ scoring will be from the FT line.
Andre says
Lots of fouls called, both ways. And too much turnovers from the lakers! Clean it up and we’ll be okay!
J-Love says
Thanks for the links guys…
Zephid says
great plays by Farmar and Brown attacking the defense.
Tyler says
Farmar with his head back in the game!
Drew says
one good thing about playing the C’s is we dont have to worry about the suns bench coming in an raining 3s…our bench should be able to keep it pretty close (knocking on wood)
ray says
Farmar playing for a contract for the GS warriors!!!
keep it up!!!
harold says
It must be our home game since we’re only behind 4 FTs by the end of the first quarter.
That’s only -16 for the whole game, much better than that against the Suns.
Mark says
The NBA Finals: Where 45-minute one-quarter happens. 🙂
Glove says
Kobe, Artest, Fisher with 2 fouls each and a 5 point Lakers lead after one quarter. I’ll take that. Keep up the good work Lakers.
joel r says
great recognition by farmar and shannon. both had finley guarding them and they took advantage of it
and farmar just rondo’d rondo on that last play.
lakers just need to play defense without fouling and limit their turnovers
Blizzard says
The bar here went ballistic when Pierce called for his first wheelchair just now. The Celtics fans were much amused… We’ll see if they’re still laughing in 2 hours!
harold says
guess we’re not gonna see much of Odom tonight…
Urgh…
james says
luke very scared to shoot
Chewy says
Boston does not respect Walton at all… and I don’t think I blame them.
Jane says
There have not been enough fouls called.
It may be hard to sense the sarcasm, but try.
Blizzard says
Pierce draws the moving charge.. So rare to see any kind of call go against that guy, ever. Uncanny
Andreas G. says
I find it funny that Lakers fans and Celtics fans can watch the game in the same bar – if this was a comparable soccer rivalry in Europe or South America, that bar would be smashed to pieces by now.
You’re a civilized people;)
harold says
I think 2008 would’ve been different with a healthy Bynum.
He looks (on gamecast) pretty good tonight, what does he actually look like in the game?
joe wright says
105.Andreas
You’re soooo right..lol
kehn says
Why are we forcing passes inside into triple-covered bigs and more importantly, why aren’t the Laker girls repping team colors in the Finals?
Chewy says
Guess nows better than ever to go fire up the ol’ defibrillator
daniel says
kobe should drive every chance he gets and pierce oh my goodness seriously this guy probably never fouled out of a game its pathetic
Darius says
#106. Harold,
Bynum looks good so far. Active on D, good movement on offense by finding the creases after the C’s help on Gasol and Kobe. If he can play this well the rest of the night, I’ll be very, very happy with his performance.
kehn says
It might just be my natural paranoia, but I’m kinda perturbed that we’re getting quality time from Bynum and our backup guards and are only up 4.
Lakers8884 says
Need to get some real separation before the half, close the quarter out strong.
Kehn it’s because of the free throws Boston has been shooting, and the careless Laker turnovers, thats the only reason this lead isn’t double digits or at least close to it
Andreas G. says
Darius: Agreed. I’m more than happy with Drew’s contribution so far.
These time-outs are driving me crazy though. Doesn’t ABC think about us poor Europeans who are up at 4 am in the morning?:D
harold says
Limiting them to 40% shooting while shooting 48%. Not bad. Not bad at all. And really Darius, I would be very happy if Bynum keeps it up too. Just watching gamecast tells me that he’s making quite a difference.
Now if I could only tell if Kobe was fouled on his last two attempts via gamecast… but all in all, we’re really taking good care of the boards, which would be the key to us winning.
And with quarters THIS long, I think we’ll do fine playing starters 40 minutes a piece. Not that we’ll have a choice with Lamar in foul trouble.
DB says
Absolutely love the way the Lakers are taking it to the rim, not settling for jumpers.
Adam says
Gasol is aggressive and active–a good sign. Forget the score for a minute; I love our d on boston. Feel real good about this series seeing boston have to fight so hard to score
Chewy says
#114 Agreed. These TO’s are like mini-halftimes
magic days says
Lakers have only taken 2 3pts tonight. i like it. working to get it inside.
Just as I posted that, artest takes and makes a 3 and a layup.
Josh says
11 pt lead! Lakers looking good.
zirk says
Great activity on D! Keep it up and pour it on!
harold says
I think this is the perfect game to bait Perkins into his 7th T.
If we can keep this up, we can get the C’s to get frustrated.
… wow, is that our ‘we’ve got fouls to give at the end of the quarter’ lineup?
ray says
LETS GO LAKERS.
Positives: 3 blocks by gasol
Fisher contributes
Artest made a 3
Fisher and artest fast break that actually got a bucket and didn’t make me laugh.
Fisher over Garnett.
OH man. I love the lakers. and i hate the celtics. Sorry Darius, I usually have more to contribute, but I’m emotional today – i may start being like Ken any minute!!
chearn says
Pau, you must two hand dunk!!!
ray says
chearn,
i dont think Pau can jump as high with two hands in that position, his best idea was to dunk with one hand because he was moving…
im just surprised the refs called a foul…
Andreas G. says
Speaking of ken, it would be fun to make a “the best of ken 09/10” with quotes in which he explains in detail why the Lakers would be lucky even to reach the play-offs – let alone make it out of the first round – while simultaneously breaking down why the Cavs are by far the best team in the league.
Sorry ken, you know I love you;)
Tyler says
Closing halves/quarters has been a problem all year. Tonight we finished the first half the right way.
Darius says
At the half, the Lakers off. efficiency is 113.6 on 57.8% true shooting. The C’s are at 93.2 on 49.3% true shooting.
The Lakers offense has been crisp and precise, except for the turnovers (8 so far). They’ve also rebounded well, leading the battle of the boards 23-15. It’s only half time, but this is the type of effort that the Lakers needed and they were able to fulfill it in the first 24 minutes. Let’s keep it going, fellas.
harold says
The positives I take is that we’ve limited Allen and Garnett. I think if we throttle two of their starting four, we’ve got a good shot.
They, however, throttled Odom and saddled him with 3 fouls, which may be a bit bigger than us limiting Allen and KG in the first half.
Also, we didn’t need a Kobe-nova to stay in the game, and our bench has done quite the job thus far.
If these things are steps in the right direction, instead of a statistical outlier, I am confident about this series.
Mimsy says
The feed is caught up, so I dared come here to read and type.
Impressions so far:
Love Andrew Bynum’s activity and attitude. He’s wrestling Perkins, going after rebounds, moving well and obviously feeling aggressive.
Artest made a three! 🙂 He’s also doing a good job so far on Pierce. Still no wheelchair situations.
Kobe fell and landed on his sore knee and was moving gingerly the last part of the second quarter… hopefully only a bit of pain and nothing more.
Pau Gasol is a very different Pau Gasol this year. The Celtics don’t scare him anymore, and not for lack of trying. I think he’s seeing this as an opportunity to redeem himself.
Garnett is still a punk. The fact he hasn’t tried anything on anyone in a Laker jersey kind of pokes a hole in that whole “tough guy” act.
Josh says
The telecast is really experiencing a lot of technical difficulties. I’m surprised at how bad it is.
Tra says
Solid 1st half …. Especially defensively …. Must continue to lock in on ‘Jesus Shuttlesworth’. Being that we’re Cross Matching, he’s their only Starter with a significant Advantage …. Dominating the glass …. Our Bigs are Playing Big …. Kobe pacing himself, therefore, I’m looking for a Big 2nd half from him …. Our Defensive Intensity is Phenomenal. Gotta Keep It up
Drew says
Look for the celtics to come out of halftime and try to set ray up for a couple of threes to get them back in this game
magic days says
That Kobe piece was pretty cool. Kobe taking and incorporating everything from films of greats into his own game.
Kobe working, always working to be the best.
chearn says
@Darius, the turnovers are of a concern, considering that the Lakers are committing turnovers in the half court set. Eight turnovers would be acceptable if the Lakers were on fast breaks and miscuing player and ball movement. These turnovers will work at home but not on the road.
But, overall I’m satisfied with the Lakers efficiency thus far.
magic days says
wow…where is the foul on fish?
that was a bad call.
kehn says
two bad calls on us to start the 3rd
chearn says
The officials are keeping the Celtics in the game with free throws. That’s the third time that the announcers have even said that the Lakers had not committed a foul.
harold says
don’t tell me we’re needing a kobe burst now…
james says
fish getting obliatated by hard (moving) screens
coolrunnings says
Its weird watching a game without 3 pointers.
Josh says
KOOOOBE
Andreas G. says
Haha this is actually great from Bill Simmons:
sportsguy33: Weirdest fact of the game courtesy of Buch: Big Baby now wearing earplugs because he was getting heckled.
kehn says
LOVE LOVE the aggressiveness. I just hope we don’t go into regular-season mode and get…. not aggressive now that we have a double digit lead
Glove says
Keep up the great defense. YES Kobe dunk!!!!
ray says
Lets go Lakers!! Put more pressure.
TB-8788 says
Twin Towers causing problems for Celtics. Anyone else concerned with Kobe’s knee? He went gingerly to the rim on the breakaway dunk.
harold says
@coolrunnings:
I think the game is really going to be a ‘classic,’ played like one before the advent of the 3 pt line 😉
wonder if we’re gonna have an all-out bench war at this rate? if we do, i hope it’s because it’s a blowout instead of foulouts.
chearn says
Even though Ron Artest has been on the floor limited minutes, I think that the pressure that he has put on Paul Pierce has been effective!
DirtySanchez says
LA is being so patient on offense, but still playing with an aggresive mindset. Taking the ball to the rim hard and not just throwing their arms in the air looking for the refs to bail them out.
ray says
and there’s the fake tough guy
magic days says
Gasol!
chearn says
Is anyone as sick as I am of hearing Doc Rivers in the huddle?
chearn says
Gasol, is representing tonight!!! I see you big guy!
chearn says
Slow rotation by Lamar on that dunk!
Mark says
That’s 3 straight rimmed-out shots for Fisher.
ray says
FISHER TO KOBE!!!
fisher’s shots are all in n out heart breaks man…
magic days says
Fish and Kobe going to work!
Josh says
Lakers all business!
Andreas G. says
Showtime!
kehn says
Lakers should watch games 4 and 6 of the 2008 finals every off-day until we win this. We are playing with the purpose and savvy we lacked back then and it’s reaped the benefits.
Buttas says
D-Fish is having a monster game. Got to love him stepping up! has had some bad bounces, but really he is killing it.
And Kobe is well, Kobe…
joe wright says
Win time baby¡
james says
still amazed we’ve only taken 3 threes thus far
TB-8788 says
We know the Celtics will make a run. Curious to see if Phil will take a time out or two to quell it, or risk the 2008 landslides (see game 4).
magic days says
Sheed gets his 2 techs before Perk gets his 1 for the suspension? either way, laker advantage.
$50 charge!
coolrunnings says
I would gladly play for the Lakers for free and make my money through charges.
Jeremy says
ok I’d like to see the Lakers keep the intensity and send a message
Buttas says
that’s really put that game 6 to bed. Let’s keep up the intensity. Blow them out…..
chearn says
You wouldn’t think that a bonus of $50.00 would work for the pros. But I knew a traveling team that was paid for offensive rebounds and taking charges.
Glove says
Great third quarter. Keep up the great defense.
Andreas G. says
Lakers outrebounding the Celtics 34-17, if you combine that with only shooting 5 three’s you got a recipe for success.
Jane says
If someone would have told me that Lamar would have 1 pt and one team would be up by 20, I wouldn’t have thought it was the Lakers. Wow. Got MUCH more from Bynum/Artest than I expected…
Lakers8884 says
Lamar what a terrible shot
emh101 says
Stupid Lakers.
Jeremy says
Lakers are getting good looks just getting some unlucky rolls. stick with the plan
Mark says
and the letdown begins. :)) I love the complacency! keep it up!
ray says
Darius,
I’m seeing too much pick and rolls for our offense this 4th quarter… thoughts?
Buttas says
so Lamar doesn’t get back on D from the show on the P&R and gives up a layup. Then follows that up with a jacked up 3.
Come on guys, just run the offense. Phil please put Fish back in the game.
lakeshowfan says
Lamar back to his old invisible self
james says
phil that timeout should have been 2 minutes ago
Joel B. says
Well Lamar is the only laker not ready for the Finals.
DB says
This should be a game that Bynum finishes instead of Lamar. The Lakers have been noticeably better with him in the game. And Artest’s impact is obvious–as soon as he leaves the game Pierce goes off.
BH says
If we’re going to get what I’ve seen from Bynum so far regularly, Lamar can sit a heck of a lot more.
joel r says
phil needs to put artest back in and give kobe a breather.
and if odom doesnt show up, please put bynum back in
TB-8788 says
The +/- with Bynum and Gasol has to be astronomical. Odom didn’t get the memo that the Finals start today. Please Phil, get the Towers together.
magic days says
YES!!! Beautiful laker fast break and d!
Mark says
Apparently, Ron brings back the Lakers to life!
zirk says
Ron Ron, baby!
emh101 says
Great play by Shannon and Artest. Love the energy.
Zephid says
For all the shit he’s gotten during the regular season, Farmar has been huge all post season long.
Josh says
Artest!!!!
I could not be happier with the way the Lakers have totally disrupted the Celtics’ game tonight. Artest is wreaking HAVOC defensively.
DB says
Man am I ever loving Ron Artest, Pau Gasol and Bynum tonight. Physical domination!
Zephid says
Holy bejesus, Ron Artest +28 for the game.
Andreas G. says
Zephid: Great point – it seems like he’s played well almost every time he’s been in, despite the limited minutes.
Buttas says
Great pass Jordan!
joe wright says
With that version of Ron and Pau no chance for Celtics¡
Lakers8884 says
I can only pray the game will be evenly called like tonight (free throw wise) when the series shifts to Boston
Josh says
hahahahaha
That shot of Kobe just giving Chris Rock the cold shoulder—-funnier than any Chris Rock joke.
Jeremy says
Zephid,
He’s shown a remarkable ability to get to the rim when need him to.
All of the Laker PG’s have truly shown up this post season causing all of us to rethink some conclusions.
Andreas G. says
Haha omg Kobe is the man. The look on his face when Chris Rock was cracking jokes was priceless. Reminds me of the episode with Matt Barnes when he didn’t flinch.
Buttas says
wow. KG is done. no lift left in the legs…
Jane says
Lamar Odom sighting!
emh101 says
Wow, KG had NO lift on that.
ray says
Garnett can eat it
Lakers8884 says
THAT miss by Garnett shows why this Boston team isn’t as good as they were in 2008. He just doesnt have the explosiveness he did back then.
Jeremy says
If that is indicative of where KG is at for this series it bods very well for the Lakers
joe wright says
LOL at you “bad boy”.
Andreas G. says
7 offensive boards for Pau tonight – in the words of the great Stu: Noiiice!
Mark says
Kobe doesn’t flinch!!! on Chris Rock jokes!!
Lewis says
The Lakers are the superior team. All they have to do to take The Celtics will Is by continuing to dominate the paint and the series will be over quickly
lakeshowfan says
Artest is proving his worth…more valuable than ariza. imo Go ron ron!
Lewis says
The Celtics bring the best out of the Lakers
Jeremy says
Everyone is feeling good but it’s an 11 point game with 4 min left
Buttas says
let’s not let up. Come on guys….
kehn says
Artest disrupts KG and gets the loose ball. NICE hustle!
Buttas says
3 more stops and it’s over. No more fouls!
lakeshowfan says
Phil Jackson is 47 and 0 when his teams takes game one in playoffs…luv it!
Lakers8884 says
This game was big but game 2 is the biggest of the series for the Lakers, remember Cleveland won game 1 and then lost game 2 and the series was changed after that.
Buttas says
agreed. Let’s savor this, but be ready for Game 2…
joe wright says
23/14/3/3
Great job Pau¡
Glove says
Game 1 to the Lakers 1 down 3 to go.
Jeremy says
What stuck out for me was the tone Bynum set in the 1st half. He established the post game and dominated the boards
ray says
Lakers8884,
we have a better team than Cleveland. We are intense. Know how to win. And have more than just one weapon in the holster.
3.
Lets go.
Buttas says
Ron Ron was huge tonight! Loved his toughness tonight, hell everyone stepped up big time.
Just great to see. Game 2 will be totally different as I am sure that Ray Allen won’t even get more then 3 fouls no matter what. So we will have to adjust.
joe wright says
I’have loved the game all around.
With Kobe and Pau at 50 points/20 rebs/10 assist combined plus the contribution of Ron agressineves the sky is the limit.
Good night all from Europe.6 A.M,no time to sleep but HAPPY¡
Zephid says
The Lakers came out of the gate and simply wanted this game more than the Celtics.
TB-8788 says
Winning game 1 at home was imperative; mission accomplished. Now, a split in LA and holding serve at home will require Boston to win 4 straight. Not gonna happen.
Mimsy says
TACOS!!!!!
lesha says
honestly now, who looked softer: pau or kg? gotta love the way our guys came to play. very proud of jordan and shannon who followed the gameplan and went into the zone early, refusing to throw up easy shots. kobe was awesome as usual, but pau´s passing and energy was just AMAZING!!! the passes that he gave out… incredible…
Feel says
Artest,Bynum,Pau the C’s found that has changed since 2008.
harold says
Yeah, I think we’re better than the 2008 version.
ray says
los lakers shirt for pau gasol in the post game!!!
Jeremy says
the truth is it’s unfair to single out any one of or group of players. Everyone who played stepped up and did something to help the lakers win tonight. A great team game! I’m really proud of the guys tonight
Josh says
There can’t be any let down in game 2. Lakers have to cram each game down the Celts’ throats.
And so much for Celt Nations’ assertion that staying in front of Kobe is no big deal, lol. Tony Allen sure couldn’t do it.
Great Wall says
That was a pretty complete game by the Lakers. Solid contributions from Bynum, Artest and the other supporting cast (Not so much Lamar) to go along with the usual by Kobe and Pau. You have the better team this year, and matchups work much better for you than they did in 2008. Congratulations!
emh101 says
Great Wall! Welcome back.
Lakers8884 says
Ray, I know that I am just saying underestimating the importance of game 2 would be a real error
Dex says
Still feeling unreal, that I’m watching this series. Beautiful game
ray says
Lakers8884,
my counter is that I don’t think anyone in that locker room would ever downplay ANY game in the finals. In either locker room actually.
It’s going to be interesting what adjustments the Celtics will make for game 2. I think the biggest issue for them was not having Allen on the floor for a majority of the game due to foul trouble making it much easier to play help defense (while sagging off of Tony Allen). That’s a big difference. in 2008, you still couldn’t sag because Posey was a big shot maker.
They can try double teaming kobe, but I’m not sure what that will do except open up shooters and big men. They can increase their aggression but I really don’t know how that can happen with their two best penetrator being guarded really well (Kobe on Rondo; Artest on Pierce).
The Celtics will be aggressive on the boards in the second game. No way they let Gasol have just as many as KG, Perkins, Big Baby and Sheed had COMBINED.
Gasol needs to keep that aggression. Out of the 4 future hall of famers on the court (Kobe, Garnett, Pierce, and R. Allen) Gasol was the only one with the Double Double 23, 14, and 3 blocks.
harold says
Way off topic, but what’s the over-under on the number of rings needed before Kobe ‘relaxes’ and loses some of his focus?
12?
It sure ain’t 4.
Charles says
Solid win over what looked like the regular season edition of the Celtics. Now we just have to come out and keep working hard in Game 2. We can’t rely on their best shooter being unavailable for long chunks of the game again.
Gasol badly outplaying KG was a good sign.
Taylor says
Solid performance, would have appreciated a little more killer instinct in Q4, but I’m not complaining. I’ll leave all the good analysis to the rest of ya…this is a good night.
Cross another one off the mirror boys and girls…make it 3! Taste it!!
Our best should be with both the Lakers and Coach Wooden.
Chownoir says
Finally finished watching the game and had to come to the site. Man, what a rush!
Pau looks so much different compared to 08. It’s not the so called soft stuff, but he just understands the intensity of the game and how to react to it. Experience is the best teacher.
Phil at the podium saying how Pau knows how to play through it now. If he gets banged, he just keeps going, stops looking for the foul calls whether or not it’s coming.
Ray Allen in foul trouble most of the game really hurt Boston and changed the complexion I think. Solid win.
Dan says
one thought… in the 4th quarter, they put Pierce on Kobe, and it completely bogged the Laker offense down (Kobe could not do anything against Pierce)
is this any cause for concern? or was it the typical Laker malaise when they have such a big lead?
another note: in that last minute you could tell Kobe reaallllly wanted those 30 pts
Burgundy says
Wow.
So impressed.
This team played HARD.
This team played smart.
So impressed.
Brilliant tactic having Kobe drive at Ray Allen (rather than taking jumpers) and get him in foul trouble.
Only 10 three point shots by LA.
Perfect.
That’s how you use your advantage.
So impressed by everyone (except Sasha, who played like an idiot).
Dick Barnett says
Now that’s the kind of basketball I’ve been hoping to see from this team for the past two months!
Defensive intensity – check
Focused – check
Everybody contributing – check
If this keeps up, I’m afraid we won’t be seeing the Lakers and Celtics come back here for game 6; Lakers will have it wrapped up in Boston in game 5 (or maybe game 4?).
Kicking Celtic Butt – PRICELESS!!
Tra says
As I stated earlier, it was Imperative that we came out in Game 1 and Punched Boston in their Face. Basically, to let them know that Things Done Changed since ’08. Dominated the Boards, Got More Points in the Paint & truth be told, Beat Them @ Their own Game. We were much more Physical than they were.
Our Defense was Exceptional. Contested Shots, Took a Few Charges & didn’t allow them to get into their Transition Offense. B4 the series began, I mentioned that it would be difficult for The C’s to score on us in a half court set and (@ least for 1 game) it turned out to be true.
As far as Game 2 is concerned, I expect Boston to be much more Aggressive on the defensive boards (limit our 2nd chance pts.) & to try and find a way to take the ball out of Kobe’s hands.
Standing Ovations: Pau, Kobe & Our Team Defense/Overall Aggressiveness
13 Down. 3 To Go. Lets Get It
Laker 4 Life …. Go Hard Or Go Home
Maxnyc says
Three more to go!
harold says
Looking at the box score again, our 3pt defense is working rather well, we’ve held them to 10% (1-10).
We, again, shot less FTs than our visiting team, now a trend that isn’t even new or worth noting. Even with Rondo making only 25% of his, we shot poorer too. Hack-a-Rondo seems worthy of consideration, especially late in the game.
Unbelievable how Pau got as many offensive boards as the entire Celtics team combined. He wanted it tonight.
Ron was 60% from downtown. I double checked. And +26 for the game.
Sasha and Farmar were our only players in -. -5, -7 respectively. Shannon was dead even, Lamar and Luke modest with +2 and +1. Starters won the game for us.
T. Rogers says
Great win by the Lakers. I got tired of reading guys like Adande swear the Celts would steal game one. So much for that. But the series is only getting started. Boston knows if they go down 0-2 they will be in serious trouble. Look for them to be EXTREMELY aggressive in game two. The Lakers can’t let up.
Is it me, or did the KG look really old out there tonight? He missed two gimmes right at the rim. It was like he had no lift at all. Interesting.
Three more to go!!! Let’s go Lakers!!!!
Don says
Great game. Fought. Played defense. Gave them nothing. Executed the offense.
The C’s D needs to improve. And it will. And we need to expect that. CLE found that out after blowout wins in gm 1 & 3. Champions don’t quit.
For next game: don’t be overaggressive, a lot of bailout fouls when Boston didn’t have anything. I think we can shut them down even more.
exhelodrvr says
If only the Lakers had a decent point guard!!
Nick D says
I thought Oliver Miller retired? He was in the game playing in Celtics #11! Has to be the fattest player ever in NBA history. There’s no way he could guard Gasol or Odom. He can barely jump!!
kareem says
Yeah, that was boss. Boss, I said it. That’s east coast for Boston got stomped.
R says
251- KG did look old.
I thought the C’s overall looked rather small and frail. Poor things!
ray says
harold,
Sometimes I just look at +/- and laugh. Shannon and Farmar and Sasha played extremely well this game. Shannon and Farmar played exceptional offense and were able to keep up the attack to the basket. Farmar had a great hustle play at the end of the first. Also, Sasha played some valuable emergency minutes when Fisher got his second foul with 9 minutes left in the first quarter.
I think this was a team win, not just a starter win.
Cdog says
Good game 1. Now we gotta know and approach game 2 like game 1 didn’t happen. Just as important to get that W. We controlled the game tonight, gotta control it on Suday, in every way.
Cdog says
Also, that 1-10 three point stat is skewed, probably 5 of em were good looks for the C’s. But the C’s are front runners this year, if they aren’t ahead all of a sudden their shots will stop falling. Lakers gotta be better on the D next game, too many fouls.
chibi says
our effort was great, but it won’t be enough on some nights. we have to play more intelligently and make fewer mistakes.
celtics missed some open 3s, blew a couple of layups, made a couple of silly turnovers. we can count on them cleaning up their act and playing more productively.
there was a stretch where the rest of the team seemed to want kobe to take over; that’s when he was being defended by pierce, and defended well. the guys on the floor need to be smart, sack up, and attack with confidence, so as not to put kobe and the team in that position.
otherwise a wonderful effort by everybody.
and pau was awesome. i just read on a celtic board that he has proven himself and is no longer deserving of the name “Ga-Soft.” Awesome.
jnuss says
hahaha kg is so old
Dick Barnett says
Did you guys see this?
Second chance points:
Celtics – 0
Lakers – 16
That is called hustle! That is called wanting it more than the other guy!
The Celtics can make all the adjustments in the world, and it won’t matter as long as the Lakers bring that kind of intensity.
The Lakers are the better team, the only question I had was were they the more focused, intense, team.
If tonight was any indication, they are, and Boston is cooked.
Palani says
>>>I was also dreaming about the 1st game last night, Lakers led by 14 points with 40 sec left in the 4th qtr! and then i woke up.
I am good!
Q says
artest better fit than ariza? i think so
Q says
That artest take down of pierce was so good. Are we going to see the wheelchair soon?
T. Rogers says
265) – Artest was big tonight. Pierce got his 24 points. But he had to work very hard for them. The C’s may try giving Pierce more time on Kobe. If so, that will only burn him out even more. He’d have to fight against Ron on the offensive side of the ball and fight against Kobe on defensive side.
Still the Lakers need game two. This game one win won’t feel like much of the Lakers and C’s are split going back to Boston.
However, judging from Kobe’s focus I don’t think he will allow the team to have a game two letdown.
JeremyLA24 says
Unfortunately, I had a dream last night that we lost game 1…
Fortunately, that couldn’t be further from the truth!
That game was great. I feel like a new man after that win. Hopefully I keep this feeling all the way through the finals. Here’s to Celebration today and grave digging on Sunday.
Someone get the wheelchair for Pierce and some protien powder for Rondo. They are TOO weak! Pau Gastrong!!!!!
Bynumite says
Great win tonight boys and girls.
However, this series is far from over. There were a lot of shots that the Celtics took that I thought were good looks for them that simply didn’t go down. Paulie, Rondo, and KG all had looks that just didn’t fall.
The first quarter was completely disjointed for both sides. Missing Ray Allen was a huge issue for the C’s since they did not have that extra shooter on the floor.
I fully expect the the Celtics to come out much more physical and aggressive in Game 2. Hopefully there will not be 54 fouls called. 18 alone in the first quarter. The NBA must be loving the amount of ads they were able to sell for these games.
Andrew had a great game tonight playing his most minutes since Game 2 of the Utah series. I don’t know how the knee felt during the game, but I do know that he simply looked he wanted it tonight.The fact that he was unable to play in the 2008 Finals and was ineffective in the 2009 Finals eats at him. He has been talking about how much he has wanted to play in this series and contribute. Bynum certainly showed that tonight.
If Ron Artest can continue to shoot the ball well, in addition to the great play of Kobe, Pau, and Fish, it will require a Herculean effort to beat this Laker team. However, that effort is something that this Celtics team can achieve. The Lakers have to continue to be the aggressor.
While the Lakers won tonight, Lamar has to play a lot better. This is his time to shine and he threw up a dud tonight if you go by boxscore stats. He played some great defense tonight, but offensively he has to be more aggressive in driving to the hole.
Before this series started, I was certain that the series would go at least six games. Tonight’s game has not changed that perception for me, nor should it for anyone else. The second that you count out the Celtics, it will simply bite you in the ass. They got this far for a reason. They deserve to be respected.
By the way, how hilarious was the Kobe/Chris Rock shot. I don’t think I had seen Kobe’s focus so beautifully illustrated before that.
Darius says
Game recap is up.
http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2010/06/03/one-down-three-to-go/
Tommy Hayes says
6/3/10
All I see is fireworks….. Kobe “Big Bean” Bryant, with the heart of Goliath, yea the big epic Giant…. L.A. 2010 chip/ all I see is fireworks/
Coach ‘Zen’ riding in…. on the Harley even stef curry couldn’t get the bid on his Davidson/ When Phil puts the Zen on ya… you better be ready boy/ feel the fire… gotta go higher!
Bron Bron at home, thinkin’ bout what coulda, what shoulda, come to New York you’ll see whats goodah, new city, new home, new throne, the big apple got your back big homie….
Artest like “Mad Max” in the post… Queens Bridge kid turned purple and gold makes his impact in the West Coast/ DE-Fense on point, 24 sec. lock down/ takin’ the charge – you know he’s holdin his ground/
Fish wit the 30 footer/ picture perfect form, tru clutch-shooter/ the Spurs left at home and TP’s wife in the stands, she’s about to air on E’s new season: Hollywood Cougars/
The ring is the thing: many ascertain but only a chosen few to the game/ few teams can stake claim/
Big Gasol aka ‘long-stride’ Paul, you can find him in transition… give it to the big _once he’s in position/ Once the Purple and Gold catch fire the Celts can”t take the heat… get em’ out the kitchen!!
Young man Bynum playin like a well-seasoned vet, the baby Hook, yeaaa son comes correct!/Shannon Brown, the kid from Magic’s Almamater, he jumps through the gym you can get served on a platter/ Vladdy Romonovich, his uncle taught him about championships – Rudy Tomdonvich, now welcome to USA go win you a championship!
LA’s team of Assassins/ too much passion/ Jack Nicholson in Doc’s face… uhh just clappin’/
and Mamba Mamba uhhh the snake got the launcherrr, one thing in mind, yes, attack – conquer/ he can penetrate and dish it/ or step behind the arch and fire the ratchet/ he’s a high percentage player, a draft-day Laker –
whens the balls in his hands somethin good gone come/ defense left slumpt/ 24’s on his back meaning son “aint’ no chump”/
Fireworks
-TH
facebook.com/tbahama
hayes.33@hotmail.com
6/3/10
All I see is fireworks….. Kobe “Big Bean” Bryant, with the heart of Goliath, yea the big epic Giant…. L.A. 2010 chip/ all I see is fireworks/
Coach ‘Zen’ riding in…. on the Harley even stef curry couldn’t get the bid on his Davidson/ When Phil puts the Zen on ya… you better be ready boy/ feel the fire… gotta go higher!
Bron Bron at home, thinkin’ bout what coulda, what shoulda, come to New York you’ll see whats goodah, new city, new home, new throne, the big apple got your back big homie….
Artest like “Mad Max” in the post… Queens Bridge kid turned purple and gold makes his impact in the West Coast/ DE-Fense on point, 24 sec. lock down/ takin’ the charge – you know he’s holdin his ground/
Fish wit the 30 footer/ picture perfect form, tru clutch-shooter/ the Spurs left at home and TP’s wife in the stands, she’s about to air on E’s new season: Hollywood Cougars/
The ring is the thing: many ascertain but only a chosen few to the game/ few teams can stake claim/
Big Gasol aka ‘long-stride’ Paul, you can find him in transition… give it to the big _once he’s in position/ Once the Purple and Gold catch fire the Celts can”t take the heat… get em’ out the kitchen!!
Young man Bynum playin like a well-seasoned vet, the baby Hook, yeaaa son comes correct!/Shannon Brown, the kid from Magic’s Almamater, he jumps through the gym you can get served on a platter/ Vladdy Romonovich, his uncle taught him about championships – Rudy Tomdonvich, now welcome to USA go win you a championship!
LA’s team of Assassins/ too much passion/ Jack Nicholson in Doc’s face… uhh just clappin’/
and Mamba Mamba uhhh the snake got the launcherrr, one thing in mind, yes, attack – conquer/ he can penetrate and dish it/ or step behind the arch and fire the ratchet/ he’s a high percentage player, a draft-day Laker –
whens the balls in his hands somethin good gone come/ defense left slumpt/ 24’s on his back meaning son “aint’ no chump”/
Fireworks
-TH
facebook.com/tbahama
hayes.33@hotmail.com