The Lakers are broken. I noticed it early in the 1st quarter. Something is wrong. Maybe PJ's biting comments on Odom have sapped them some. Maybe Kobe has been jerky behind closed doors. I don't know what it is but it's been there since the opening tipoff, even when they were hustling hard. The Celts should win this game, no doubt. It is their's for the taking.
As I've said before the series: Celtics are a great defensive team, and have good enough offense. The Lakers are a very good offensive team, but have no real defensive presence. Moreover (and more importantly), the Celtics are a tough, tenacious bunch. They play physical, and they like to roughen up their opponents. I didn't think the Lakers could match the C's intensity or tenacity. I compared this matchup to the Mavs/Heat from a couple of years back in terms of the mental/physical make-up of each team, and each team's approach to the game. Once the Heat decided to shove the Mavs around and play old school Eastern Conference basketball, the Mavs had nothing to counter with. They were mentally destroyed, psychologically scarred. I see that happening to the Lakers' young players here. Nothing that has happened so far has changed my mind. The Lakers are in a desperation game here, and yet the Celts are the aggressors (they're playing like crap offensively, but are still the same intense, tenacious bunch). The Lakers are physically and mentally 'overmatched' in this series. The Lakers are a soft team similar to those Mavs, except that those Mavs had more individual talent, and veteran talent at that. They still welded under pressure. I may be wrong, we will see, but I think that's a largely accurate psychoanalytical perspective on this series. EDIT: LMAO! Just as I said that, Eddie House shoves Gasol around and Gasol stares at him and then proceeds to run the other way. Before that, PJ Brown gives Farmar the good ol' stare-down.
I hope so because the game hasn't been that good so far. Ladies and Gentlemen, Do the Celtics have the guts to drive a stake in the hearts of the Lakers and win this game? Do the Lakers have the heart to rise up and defend their honor (and home court)? Stay tuned.
If he tries to ball hog and take over individually, like he did the last game, and revert to the 'old Kobe' (I think there has been and will always be only one Kobe, hence the quotation marks) then the Celtics will cruise to a win. But yes, should be an interesting quarter, hopefully the Lakers win so we can extend this series. Looks like a goodie...
if kobe doesn't take over, i'm not sure the lakers can win. odom and gasol are doing nothing and the rest can't get a shot. and kobe is just horrible from the line. he finally gets all his ft's and is just flaming out. 10 of 16 from the line.
Kobe is getting frustrated, I am starting to see little 'antics' from him here. Hopefully he can keep his composure and help calm down his teammates. It won't help him or anyone else if he panics. EDIT: Well, at least his teammates are flopping and getting calls here. So the refs are squarely in the Lakers' corner tonight.
one big reason (aside from liking the lakers and not liking boston sports right now) i don't want the celtics to win will be seeing kg and pierce's reactions like they did everything for this when they are 4-15 and 1-10 in a game they're going to win. you rarely see a team that can win so often w/o it's "big 3" stepping up.
They're not playing well on one side of the ball, but the Celtics' defense is the stuff of legends. Also, wouldn't the above mean that the Celtics are a superior team?
didn't odom basically just get called for the same offensive foul on the other end? and the horrible ft advantage is about to be 26-19.
As much as I want to see the Celtics lose this championship, the Lakers are making it very hard to support them. How many blown layups have Odom, Walton, and Gasol had in this series?? When Sasha Vujacic is your 2nd best offensive player, you're team is beyond screwed.
