Lakers 87, Celtics 81: Instant Analysis
Why the Lakers won: They traded Vlade Divac for Kobe Bryant 12 years ago. You knew from the moment #24 stepped on the floor that he was going to do whatever it took to win this game. Even with Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol choking and no one else on the Lakers showing up aside from Sasha Vujacic, Kobe carried L.A. throughout the night. Over the last minute and a half he straight destroyed Ray Allen.
Why the Celtics lost: The refs. No, just kidding… well, actually… Naw, we’ll go with the fact that they simply couldn’t make shots. Boston played well enough in the opening moments of the first quarter that they should have been up double-digits, but never could get a shot to go down and fell into a hole. Paul Pierce also played his worst game of the postseason and Kevin Garnett was ineffective except for one stretch in the third quarter.
Key numbers: Ray Allen (25 pts, 5-for-7 3PA); Kevin Garnett (13 pts, 12 rebs, 3 blks); Kobe Bryant (36 pts, 7 rebs); Sasha Vujacic (20 pts); Field goal shooting (BOS 35%, LAL 43%)
June 10th, 2008 at 11:57 pm
slicrick says:
first
June 11th, 2008 at 12:00 am
frankie says:
personal fouls 23 – 28 lakers. last night? 21 – 28 celtics. before anyone says anything crazy.
June 11th, 2008 at 12:01 am
fallinup says:
KG disappeared once again. Paul Pierce was another person today…I felt at times that he was throwing the damn game with the bad decisions and horrible shots. And message to Doc…just because Vujacic made that 3 when you doubled Kobe waaaaaaaayyyy on the top of the key…why WHY? WHY?! on earth do you leave Kobe up against Ray Allen and only Ray Allen for the last minute of the game??? The refs were letting them get physical today, let’s see if they stay consistent.
June 11th, 2008 at 12:06 am
LSM says:
lakers were a lot more aggressive, they shouldve taken a lot more free throws
if theyd made a few more it wouldntve been as close as it was
kobe is jsut far too goode
vlad appears to be the worst player in the nba on a regular basis, why does he start again?
June 11th, 2008 at 12:06 am
Soopa says:
I feel like Boston is gonna take game 5. Had Pierce played even a half decent game I think Boston would have stolen this one.
Rondo was out aswell leave Eddie “I cant dribble” House to handle to point. 2-3 times down they didnt even get their offence started before the shot clock was at 10!
Garnett started 1-10.
The fact that Pau and Odom didnt show up doesnt cant, cos thats just how they play vs Boston! (And yeah, im rooting for Beantown).
But in a do or die game, which this basicly was for the Lakers, its good to have KB24. A close game a home? No way Kobe lets that slip away.
June 11th, 2008 at 12:09 am
Soopa says:
Oh I got to admit Vujacic aka White Mamda aka The Machine (gotta love the self proclaimed nick names) showed some balls tonight. Hitting huge shots from the get go and getting in peoples faces.
June 11th, 2008 at 12:09 am
Lakers24 says:
LLLLLAAAAAAKKKKKKEEERRRSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 11th, 2008 at 12:10 am
Farrakh says:
Does anyone else think the celtics didn’t foul at the end because the celtics were 9.5 point underdogs and if they were down only 7 at the time and if they fouled and the lakers hit both free throws they’d be down 9?
June 11th, 2008 at 12:11 am
djKianoosh says:
just need to point out that Lamar Odom is good for one offensive foul per half. That mofo always does the same thing! spin move, charge. does he have any other moves besides the spin in the lane?
phil jackson just called sasha a rockhead. lol.
i’m with jeff van gundy, kobe needed to be trapped all 4th quarter long. no matter the cost.
June 11th, 2008 at 12:30 am
Duke says:
Kg seriously needs to stop bull****ting around and stop taking some damn jumpers in which he can’t even hit rim. POST UP SOMEONE!!
June 11th, 2008 at 12:41 am
Steve says:
Im a big laker fan so……….. Pau needs to grow some nutz soon and make some “Grown Ass Man” moves in the post. Dude stands in the paint with the pill and doesnt try to take it to the tin. I am getting a lil frustrated with our front court in the finals. I hope these guys can pick it up the next two games or were gonna be done in 6. Go LA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 11th, 2008 at 12:55 am
Coach T-sun says:
These finals just show that this laker team is just deep period theres no all-stars except for kobe, its kobe vs the big 3 just like the TV advertised it. Gasol and odom are skilled role players who get paid like an all-star and why else would you get max money if you don’t perform like one? move gasol and odom to 3rd and 4th options next year and let bynum take over the 2nd option.
June 11th, 2008 at 5:53 am
kaly says:
Congratulation!!! many fans talked about this match in the forum on tall dating site:” tall mingle.c om “,seems it is a break news there.
June 11th, 2008 at 6:57 am
Koma says:
@Soopa: Coby Karl is ‘White mamba’, Sasha is ‘Machine’ : )
June 11th, 2008 at 9:27 am
flo_rida evans says:
Not even 5 minutes into the Flavor Flav roast,Kat Williams took a shot at Carrot Top,and Carrot Top started shaking his head,to which Kat Williams remarked,’That’s right,I’m gonna be kickin yo ass all night’,which is what happened to Walter Ray Allen.