Game of the day: LA Lakers at Boston Celtics
By Marc Lawrence
The NBA Finals continues Tuesday night at the Garden in Boston where the Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers meet in Game 3 of the series. Let’s take a look at tonight’s matchup.
Game 2 blues
Twenty-one points, six assists and four steals from star Kobe Bryant wasn’t enough to lift the Lakers in Sunday’s 103-94 defeat to the Celtics at the Staples Center.
Bryant committed five of the Lakers’ 15 turnovers and picked up his fifth foul early in the fourth quarter.
Through it all, Bryant played one of his worst stretches in playoff memory during the final five minutes of the contest, missing a 3-pointer, lost the ball to Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo before missing another long-distance shot in the closing seconds.
Meanwhile, the Celtics ran off 11 unanswered points, with Rondo scoring six.
"We gave them too many easy baskets and blew too many defensive assignments," Bryant said. "I don't expect to be picking up five fouls the next game.”
Also joining Bryant in foul trouble was center Andrew Bynum and and sixth man Lamar Odom who each ended up with five fouls.
As bad as Odom appeared in Game 1 with five points and five fouls, he was worse in Game 2, committing three personal fouls in his first three minutes on the floor before settling for just three points and five rebounds.
"I wasn't happy with those foul calls. Those were unusual calls," Los Angeles head coach Phil Jackson said after the game.
Despite it all, the Lakers went to the line 41 times to only 26 free throws for Boston.
Get your Raj on
As we’ve grown accustomed to throughout the playoffs this season, Rondo was everywhere, grabbing rebounds, scoring and setting up backcourt mate Ray Allen, who hit seven straight 3-pointers and scored 27 points in the first half.
Rondo sealed the deal when he keyed a game-ending 16-4 run en route to 19 points, a game-high 12 rebounds and 10 assists in helping the Celtics tie the series.
Even though he’s not their biggest star, Rondo has become Boston’s most important player.
"I think it starts with my energy level, picking up the ball full court," Rondo said. "And then when I get the ball on the offensive end, just trying to push the ball and push the tempo and getting guys easy looks on the floor."
He played 42 minutes Sunday and appeared in good shape dspite battling a sore lower back.
"Anything I can do to help the team win is big," Rondo said after the game. "I take pride in my game and how I play the game."
Record breakers
Jackson’s 47-0 record in NBA playoff series after winning the first game of a series is well documented.
What’s not is the fact that the Lakers are 27-12 all time in playoff series when splitting the first two games of a seven-game series.
In the NBA Finals, the Lakers are 10-8 when splitting the first two games, though just 6-8 since moving to Los Angeles.
And speaking of record-setting performances, the Lakers' 14 blocked shots in Game 2 Sunday night set an NBA Finals record. Andrew Bynum swatted seven of them while Pau Gasol added six.
And we all know Ray Allen set an NBA Finals record with eight made 3-pointers Sunday night.
Pivotal point
Without question, the key to Game 3 is Bryant’s ability to bounce back off a sub-par performance.
"You are talking about playing the best player in the league… it's tough physically and mentally," Celtics forward Paul Pierce said. "You sit at home before the series, and I'm watching so much [tape of him], how to play him defensively, that you forget about your offense. It’s a huge defensive responsibility."
No, that’s not what Pierce said after limiting Bryant to 21 points in Game 2 of the series. It’s what Pierce said about defending LeBron James in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
But it's the same thing now that he’s got the assignment of slowing down Kobe. The same 30-point scoring average. The same big, strong body that can score from everywhere on the court. And the same stress, physically and mentally.
Incidentally, in games this season in which Bryant was held to 21 or fewer points, he bounced back to average 27.5 ppg in his next contest during the regular season and 28.2 ppg in the playoffs.
The Lakers are 4-1 in the playoffs this season in these same games.
From the archives
• Los Angeles has won the last two times they've been to Boston, gaining regular-season victories each of the last two years thanks to a pair of one-point decisions, but they went 0-3 in Beantown in the 2008 NBA Finals.
• After going a dismal 24-17 straight up (SU) and 12-28-1 against the spread (ATS) at home during the regular season this campaign, the Celtics are 7-2 SU and ATS at the Garden in this year’s playoffs.
• Road teams in Game 3 of the championship series, off a home loss in Game 2, are 4-2 SU and 5-1 ATS since 1992.
Game 3 Preview
By Kevin Rogers
The NBA Finals shifts coasts on Tuesday as the Lakers and Celtics each look for the upper-hand in this best-of-seven series. Following Los Angeles' double-digit victory in the series opener, Boston bounced back with a strong close to claim Game 2.
The Celtics dealt the Lakers their first home loss of the 2010 playoffs with a 103-94 victory at Staples Center on Sunday night. Boston needed a big night from someone not named Rajon Rondo, who still finished with his second triple-double of the postseason (19 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists). Ray Allen stepped up in a huge way by nailing a Finals-record eight treys on his way to 32 points. It's tough for any team to lose when it shoots 11 of 16 from three-point range, as the Celtics managed to distance themselves from the Lakers in the final minutes.
The Lakers were limited at times with Kobe Bryant on the bench due to foul trouble, but L.A. still hung around until Boston's 16-4 run in the last five minutes to close out the victory. Bryant put up 21 points, while Pau Gasol led the Lakers with 25 points and eight rebounds. After all the criticism Gasol took in the 2008 Finals, the ex-Grizzlies forward has been a dynamic force in the middle, as he and Andrew Bynum combined to block 13 shots in Game 2.
Boston failed to cover the series opener as six-point underdogs, but did cash tickets as six-point 'dogs in Game 2, improving to 7-4 ATS in the postseason when receiving points. The Celtics broke the 100-point mark for just the fifth time in 19 playoff games, but move to 5-0 SU/ATS when scoring in triple-digits. Doc Rivers' team is now 6-3-1 to the 'over' on the road in the postseason and 6-4 SU/ATS.
The Lakers were held to less than 100 points in Sunday's loss for the first time since Game 6 of the opening round at Oklahoma City (95-94 win), a span of 13 games. The 'over' is now 7-3-1 for the Lakers in the postseason in games with the total listed at 202 or below. Los Angeles is still profiting at home in the playoffs despite the Game 2 setback, sitting at 6-4 ATS at Staples Center.
Looking ahead to Game 3 in Boston with the series tied at 1-1, teams splitting the first two games in the Finals has been a rare occurrence. Since 1998, only four NBA Finals series changed venues after the first two games all even at one apiece. There haven't been any significant trends on who has the advantage with the home teams going 2-2. The last time a series was tied at 1-1 in this round was the Pistons/Lakers Finals back in 2004. Detroit won the opener at Staples Center, followed by Los Angeles claiming Game 2 in overtime. The series shifted to the Palace of Auburn Hills, as the Pistons went on to win the next three games and the NBA Championship.
The Celtics have been money in the playoffs when playing at TD Garden, compiling a 7-2 SU/ATS mark, while closing out each series at home. Granted, that's taking the cart before the horse, but Boston has stepped up its defense at home, holding opponents to less than 100 points in eight of nine games. The 'under' has turned into a solid play, with six of Boston's nine home postseason games finishing 'under' the total.
The Lakers haven't been impressive on the road in the playoffs, going 4-4 SU/ATS. Interestingly enough, Phil Jackson's club has closed out each series on the road, so the Lakers are 2-4 SU/ATS in Games 3 and 4 this postseason. After being held to under 100 points in all three games at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Los Angeles has rebounded by tallying at least 106 points in each of its last five road games.
In L.A.'s last three Finals appearances against Orlando, Boston, and Detroit, the Lakers have struggled mightily on the road. The reigning champs are just 2-7 SU and 3-6 ATS the previous nine Finals contests on the highway, with the two wins coming over the Magic last year. Going to Beantown has been a challenge in the postseason, as the Lakers went 0-3 SU/ATS in the 2008 NBA Finals, including the 39-point blowout loss in the decisive Game 6.
The Celtics are listed as 2 ½-point home favorites at most spots, with the total set at 192 ½. The game will be televised nationally on ABC, tipping off at 9:05 PM EST.
Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood:
If you are a fan of free-throw shooting, this is the series for you. The Lakers and Celtics combined for 67 foul shots in each of the first two games of this series, but the disparity was apparent in Game 2. Boston outshot Los Angeles, 36-31 in the series opener, while the Lakers attempted 15 more free throws on Sunday (41-26). Basically, the team that shoots more foul shots is destined to lose, even though it's been only two games.
On the free agency front, Raptors' forward Chris Bosh was at Staples Center for Sunday's Game 2. Bosh is one of the big names that will likely get a maximum contract this summer, but the possibility is there that Toronto will sign Bosh for the max and then deal him to Los Angeles. Imagine the rich getting richer, while Bosh will finally be in a place where he won't have to carry the team.
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NBA RoundUp For 6/8
By Dan Bebe
Lakers @ Celtics - Boston by 2.5 with a total of 193. These numbers are holding pretty steady for the first 24 hours of betting. I'm sure we'll see some movement leading up to the game, and we'll react accordingly. A few notes on game two - the Celtics outworked the Lakers. In particular, Rajon Rondo. His effort on getting out and running early in the game, and his work on the offensive glass late in the game was, in my opinion, the difference between a win and a loss. He helped Boston build a lead with the assistance of hot-shooting Ray Allen, so when the Lakers made their run, it was a run that put LA up by 3 points instead of up by 10-12. Then, with the game tied in the waning minutes, Boston hit the big shots, and the Lakers didn't; it's as simple as that. My thoughts moving forward are that the Lakers probably won't have to play half the game with Kobe Bryant in foul trouble, and that Boston made the adjustment to try to get some easy buckets early, and I think the Lakers will likely make a point of getting back and stopping the transition efforts. I think LA improved defensively as the game wore on, but that's why that big Boston early lead was so important, since the Lakers were expending a ton of energy getting back into the game. I suppose another point of contention that folks have been arguing into the ground is the officiating. Boston fans are going to say they're getting screwed; Lakers fans are going to say that the two ghost-fouls on Kobe Bryant cost them game two. They're both right, and they're both wrong. Yes, the game was called extremely close, and because Boston likes to push and shove, they ended up getting a ton of silly whistles. And yes, there were a few instances where, and maybe it was a result of getting calls in game one, Kobe was the victim of some good acting or some fuzzy officiating. Either way, the games were slow, ugly, and featured a ridiculous number of fouls and free throws. Moving forward, how does this change the series? Well, I personally thought we'd see a relaxation of the whistle between games 1 and 2, but that didn't happen. Why should we assume it will happen now? David Stern wants a clean series, but the refs have taken things a bit too far. I think things will be a TINY bit more fluid in game 3, but I don't believe people should expect a complete overhaul of the officiating. They're not going to just change the way they're calling things overnight -- what they might do is allow a little more "nuzzling" on the perimeter, maybe a little more shoving for post position, and maybe they'll call 3 moving screens instead of 4-5. I also think that getting beat at home is going to lead to an interesting game from LA. Normally, they sort of take a night off when they get on the road, but this series hit them in the mouth quicker than usual. Boston hasn't been much better at home than on the road, but that's largely because of how good they've been on the road. I happen to think we see another game decided very, very late, which means we're looking at a potential coin-flip, but with Kobe "in-rhythm", that is, not sitting with foul trouble, I think you have to give him the slight edge to hit those big shots. One final note regarding Andrew Bynum: I am very curious to see how his knee holds up after a long flight and the quick turn-around between Sunday and Tuesday. His impact has been pretty significant as the biggest man on the floor, and if he's not well, that's going to hurt LA. Should be another fun one, regardless!
NBA News and Notes
Celtics were +15 in 18:07 that Rasheed Wallace played in Game 2, in the game C's won by 9; Ray Allen set NBA record, making 8-11 behind arc, as Boston handed Lakers their first home loss of playoffs. LA is 1-2 in Game 3's this spring; they're 4-3 vs spread as road underdog in playoffs. Lakers need more than they got from Artest (1-10), Fisher (2-8) and the bench (5-13) gave them in Game 2. LA was +1 in 39:00 that Bynum was on court in Game 2; none of the four subs they used are inside players. Would expect Odom to get more than three shots in 14:38 here- when he contributes, Lakers become a much better team.