By: Dustin Chapman

81 87

Random thoughts:

• In Games 1 and 2, Boston was the undisputed aggressor. In Game 3, the Lakers finally grew a pair and took the initiative that they so desperately needed to do. They got to the line for 34 free throw attempts (Kobe Bryant shooting 18 of them), and rightfully so. In Game 2, the Celtics were the attackers while Los Angeles settled. Tonight, it was the complete opposite.

• Adding to LA’s added toughness, the rebounding differential was nowhere near as large this time around. Throughout the first two games of the series, Boston was a combined +14 on the glass. Tonight, they were just +1 (45-44), as LA crashed more often than usual.

• The Celtics were completely out of place offensively, and that really was not as much attributed to the Laker defense as much as it was to their overall mindset. Simply put, the Celtics played soft in Game 3. They settled, they did not attack the basket as much as they could/should have, and the numbers prove it. The green shot just 34.9% from the floor, and did not do the things that got them here nor won them games in Boston last week. Ray Allen (25 points, 8-13 FG, 5-7 from beyond the arc) was virtually the only Celtic to get it going.

• Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce were the leaders of the “settle, don’t attack” notion, as the All-Star duo combined for an atrocious 8-35 (22.9%) clip.

• The Celtics were, for the most part, themselves on the defensive end. They held Los Angeles to just 43.5% from the field, which is usually a sign of victory for the green. Tonight, however, it was the offensive struggles that held them back.

• Kobe Bryant, as expected, broke out of his shell. The 2007-2008 NBA MVP went for 36 points and 7 rebounds on 12-20 shooting, and made 18 trips to the free throw line on account of his aggression off the dribble. Granted, he hit just 11 of those 18 free throw attempts, but buried a pair of pull-up jumpers late in the game to clinch the Laker victory. In addition, he lived up to his First Team All-Defense title in the fourth quarter with his efforts covering Paul Pierce.

• Bryant may have been the best player on the floor tonight, but the Laker bench is what put Phil Jackson’s club over the top. Sasha Vujacic was undoubtedly the game-changer, as the sharpshooting guard contributed 20 points off the bench and buried multiple momentum-changing/clinching shots throughout the game. Jordan Farmar brought a great deal of toughness and poise behind Derek Fisher, and may have been the catalyst to Los Angeles’ superb ball movement early on. Guys like Luke Walton and Trevor Ariza didn’t impress anybody statistically, but the energy that they brought through small stretches was crucial (especially defensively).

• On the other hand, the Celtic bench was relatively erratic. James Posey (9 points, 7 rebounds) brought a terrific level of energy and was an instrumental piece to Boston’s strong defensive efforts. Outside of that, the second unit struggled at times. Rotations were missed (I’m talking to you, P.J. Brown) and shots rimmed out like nobody’s business (Boston bench: 5-22 from the field).

• Rajon Rondo picked up a mild ankle sprain early in the third quarter, but did return to the floor after a long while on the pine. It’ll be interesting to see how he feels in the morning, post-adrenaline.

In a nutshell, neither side played quite as well as they would’ve liked. The Celtics may be disappointed with the outcome of the game, but many opportunities were available for them to take a 3-0 series lead. Fortunately for LA, they did not capitalize on them while the Lakers hit a string of game-clinching jumpers.

These two hungry teams will have one day to reflect before hitting the hardwood for Game 4 on Thursday night. Will the Celtics regain control, or will the Lakers split the series before Sunday’s Game 5 back at Staples? Stay tuned.

Box Score

Player of the Game

Kobe Bryant
36 PTS, 7 REBS, 1 AST, 2 STLS, 12-20 FG, 1-2 3FG, 11-18 FT

Finals Standings: Boston leads series 2-1.
Game 4: Thursday (6/12/08) at 9:00 pm ET.

By: Dustin Chapman

88 98

The Lakers put together a strong first half, despite a rough shooting display from Kobe Bryant. Their execution of the pick n’ roll was second to none, which broke down many of Boston’s defensive possessions. In addition, Los Angeles’ role players such as Derek Fisher, Lamar Odom, and Ronny Turiaf provided a huge lift to spell Bryant’s struggles. Kevin Garnett led the Celtics with 16 first half points, but Phil Jackson’s club maintained a five-point lead at intermission.

However, this game was not won in the first half. It was won in the second half, where the Celtics were absolutely exceptional on both ends of the floor. Right out of the gate in the third quarter, Boston obtained the momentum and killed the lead that the Lakers had built.

Let’s discuss the aforementioned emotion, which begins with the one and only Paul Pierce. At the 6:49 mark of the third quarter, the Celtics captain got tangled up with teammate Kendrick Perkins, and twisted his knee. Pierce fell to the ground in pain, was unable to get up, and was wheeled to the locker room. The initial reaction of many, including Pierce himself, was that #34 could potentially be done. Flashbacks of Tony Allen’s ACL injury of February 2007 were in effect.

After moments of anxiety and a motivational speech from Doc Rivers, Paul Pierce provided a Willis Reed-esque moment by skipping back out of the tunnel just minutes later. The crowd rallied for an epic uproar that began “the moment.” Pierce capitalized on that moment by nailing back-to-back three’s that officially put a stamp on the unforgettable roller coaster of emotions.

Pierce scored 15 of his 22 points in the third quarter, leading the Celtics to a 31-22 advantage throughout the frame.

The story of the fourth quarter was, in a word: defense. Boston held the Lakers to just 15 points and forced multiple turnovers in the final 12 minutes, helping the green come away with a 10-point Game 1 victory to begin the Finals with a bang.

Additional key notes:

• Kobe Bryant shot just 9-26 from the floor (34.6%). Some of it was simply the fact that Bryant failed to knock down some of the shots he is accustomed to making, but make no mistake about it - Boston’s defense was staggering. The Celtics threw multiple different defenders at the 2007-2008 NBA MVP (Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, James Posey), and contested the bulk of his attempts. Boston’s help defense also deserves a lot of credit for closing him off and keeping him out of the paint (Bryant shot just six free throws). It’s tough to imagine Bryant coming out with a similar shooting performance in Game 2, but as long as the C’s continue to defend him like they did tonight, he won’t get his points easily.

• Kevin Garnett struggled offensively in the second half, where he went through a stretch of missing nine straight attempts, but “The Big Ticket” made as big of an impact as anybody else in a white uniform. His 24-point, 13-rebound line doesn’t even tell the whole story. KG was [as usual] tremendous defensively, made multiple deflections, was a monster on the glass, provided freakish hustle plays (ala his backcourt save), and threw down a thunderous putback slam over the top of Pau Gasol (see the photo up top) to virtually seal the deal for the Celtics.

• Rajon Rondo’s performance may be overshadowed by that of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, but the second year guard put together an extremely productive outing. Looking at his stat line, the thing that jumps out at you is the 10 free throw attempts. Rondo made it a point to attack from the get-go, and as a result, he led all players in attempts from the charity stripe. Additionally, he managed to knock down three baseline jumpers to diversify is offensive attack. Defensively, Rondo was pesky. Granted, he lost sight of Derek Fisher (15 points) on a couple of occasions, but number nine joined Kevin Garnett in deflecting multiple passes down the stretch. Rondo finished with 15 points, seven assists, and five rebounds in his initial NBA Finals appearance.

• Led by P.J. Brown, the Celtic bench undeniably outplayed LA’s. The 38-year-old veteran left his heart out on the floor by making hustle plays, fighting for loose balls, boxing out, and grabbing boards (six total) in the midst of his +10 output. Sam Cassell was erratic as usual, but the two-time NBA champion certainly provided a lift through certain stretches with his mid-range shooting and the charge he took while defending Kobe Bryant. James Posey may have had one of his poorer outings of the postseason, but the three-point shot he buried down the stretch was crucial. Leon Powe… do I even have to tell you? We all know what “The Show” brings to the table each and every time he steps out on the floor - heart, hustle, and grit - and that’s exactly what he did in Game 1. Los Angeles’ supporting cast came up huge in the first half, but down the stretch, they were all but clutch.

• Rebounding: Celtics 46, Lakers 33.

• Paul Pierce was diagnosed with a sprained right knee, but told ESPN’s Rachel Nichols that he would likely ready to go for Game 2. Kendrick Perkins also sprained an ankle, and his Game 2 status is uncertain. These next two days of rest will be crucial.

Roughly 79% of the time, the winner of Game 1 of the NBA Finals goes on to raise a banner. While this series is far from over, that is a comforting figure. Stay tuned.

Box Score

Co-Players of the Game

Paul Pierce: 22 PTS, 4 REBS, 2 ASTS, 7-10 FG, 3-4 3FG

Kevin Garnett: 24 PTS, 13 REBS, 3 ASTS, 9-22 FG

Finals Standings: Boston leads series 1-0.

Game 2: Sunday (6/8/08) at 9:00 pm ET.