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.

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