NBA Finals Game Two

Almost caught live TV by the time this one was over. The Celtics even the series with a 103-94 win, going on a 16-4 run to end the game, after the Lakers seemed to be in position to take a commanding lead. I've got a lot to cover quickly in this game, as I have a pizza and at least 60 minutes of hockey in front of me, so let's get to it.

- I love the 24 second clock. It does wonders for the competitiveness of the end of the game. Perhaps teams don't even have a better chance to win, but the level of competition in the play at the most important part of the game is phenomenal. I wish college hoops would shorten the shot clock, maybe to 30.

- Last game I gave pretty much 3 reasons that the Lakers were able to control things, so let's see how the Celts countered each one to change the outcome:

1. Pau Gasol. The Celtics really didn't do anything to change Pau Gasol's impact on the game. He continued to be a dynamic scoring threat. He was able to help the Lakers generate offense even when Kobe was sitting in foul trouble. Kevin Garnett can't guard him. Rasheed Wallace cant quite guard hims, and Celtic big men just gave fould after foul. Gasol was great and was a big part of the reason his team was in position to win this game late.

2. Ray Allen. I don't know what the Celtics did to counter this, exactly. I believe the used Rajon Rondo on Kobe more often, but this was just a veteran knowing he needed to be on the floor in order for his team to win. Then, once he was on the floor, he did what needed to be done. Perhaps my old roommate drunkenly said it best: "Ray Allen is a fucking assassin!" Allen started 7 for 7 from 3 point range, breaking a record he shared with Scottie Pippen and Kenny Smith for 3 pointers in an NBA Finals game by draining 8. Allen not only generated scoring, he stretched the Lakers defense, leaving Rajon Rondo room to penetrate and do what Rajon Rondo does best.

3. Guards off the Bench. The Lakers bench guards completely outplayed their Boston counterparts in game 1. How did Doc Rivers cure this? He didn't use guards off the bench. Rajon Rondo didn't come off the floor until the beginning of the fourth quarter. He simply kept Rondo in the game to avoid having to use Michael Finley, and Ray Allen's ability to stay on the floor limited Tony Allen's impact. Rondo played great defense and was a single point shy of a triple-double with a couple minutes left in the 3rd quarter. Then, when Doc did need bench help, he went right to Nate Robinson, which is what he should do the rest of the series. Nate has played very well when used in the Conference Finals and this series. Nate has stayed out of dribbling trouble and also shows the Lakers a different kind of game than Rondo with his speed and his ability to shoot from outside. Nate Dawg was hitting Ray Allen a little early in his cut, so Allen was having trouble shooting of the pass with Nate on the floor, but otherwise Robinson provided a great spark for his team, until Rondo returned to...

- ...take over the fourth quarter. Rondo has put up gaudy numbers in several playoff games, but that hasn't kept fans from waiting for him to actually take over a game late when its close. This was finally Rondo's breakthrough in that regard. Rondo, offensively and defensively owned the 4th quarter. He hadn't been a big scorer early, but scored 9 in the final period. Granted, he was able to find himself open, because Kobe Bryant was forced into extra-conservative defense, playing the whole 4th quarter with 5 fouls, but Rondo still showed the killer instinct. That being said, Rondo still needs to work on his free-throw shooting. This isn't something I expect to improve this series, but it needs to be an off season focus. Also, as great as Rondo was moving the ball around after slashing to the basket, I'd like to see some earlier decisions from him, to take advantage of the Celtics spectacular...

- ...interior passing. Boston continue to show incredible touch inside. Garnett is still a great passer, as is Rasheed Wallace. The other Celtics were finishing inside, and the Lakers couldn't be quick enough. I'd love to see Boston get more chances to navigate the paint through the air. The Lakers blocked a ton of shots, and outside of Lamar Odom, picked up many fewer fouls in the paint than did the Celtics early on in the game. If the Celtics can establish what really is their inside strength, and maybe get Gasol and Bynum in foul trouble as well, they could preserve early control of the game.

- Ron Artest will certainly be overlooked in this game, as the Lakers lost, and he fouled out late (at least one very questionable foul), but he is completely shutting down the Celtics best player from the 2008 final. Paul Pierce hit his first field goal in the fourth quarter. And at the time, I believe only had 2 fouls. Artest is remarkable in his ability to get his hands in between dribbles and his arms in passing lanes without picking up cheap fouls. (Of course, after I thought this during the game, he immediately picked up 3 soft fouls and was disqualified). Though he is unable to contribute offensively in the series, the number he is doing on Paul Pierce cannot be overlooked.

- Glen "Big Baby" Davis was a joy to watch in this game. The immense infant left every last piece of himself on the floor tonight, sometimes literally. He made a couple of poor, somewhat selfish decision, but immediately redeemed himself with a major defensive play or by throwing himself to the floor in search of a loose ball. He played his heart out tonight and earned every minute he played.

- The refs are still calling this game way too tight considering the circumstances. This is the NBA Finals. Actually, this is not only the NBA Finals, but a Lakers V. Celtics NBA Finals. If you can't play physical in a Boston/LA Final, when the hell can you ever? They did a nice job avoiding an early double-technical that would have screwed Kendrick Perkins, but the tic-tack foul calls are making an impact on the level of basketball we are being allowed to see.

- This is why I hate the 2-3-2 series. Not that I think that they will, but Boston is now in position, by taking a mere 1 of 2 games on the Lakers court, to finish out this series without even seeing Los Angeles again. This handcuffs a home court team in a way that should not be permitted. Would the potential for a couple extra charter flights really trouble these players. They are getting enough days off anyway.

- Andrew Bynum is making me look bad. In a series where Lamar Odom has had trouble staying on the floor, Bynum has been a force. He had 20+ to go with (at least)7 boards and 7 blocks in the game and was able to dominate inside at times. I thought he looked crippled early in game one, but Bynum himself said that he has the most trouble early in games. Phil Jackson is giving him a chance to loosen up, and Bynum is showing what he can do.

- This was a great basketball game to watch. The Celtics won a game I think they really needed to win, even though they haven't seen home court yet. So this time, I guess we look at what the Lakers need to do to reverse their fortunes.

1. Kobe Bryant needs to stay out of foul trouble. I don't anticipate this being a major problem again. Kobe was the victim of a couple questionable foul calls and also a lack of discipline in the lane. The likelihood of a repeat of that performance is low. Kobe needs to be on the floor. Enough said.

2. Keep a body on Ray Allen. Allen was on fire, but he was going straight up clean to hit his jumpers (7 in the first half). In the second half, the Lakers were staying with him better, making it difficult for Nate Robinson to time Allen's cuts, and causing Allen to take (and miss) a couple more difficult 3s. The Lakers need to be on top of Allen from the beginning. It's possible they forgot about him, when he wasn't on the floor all of game one. Well, they better remember him now.

3. Continue to play through Gasol. Part of this is the fault of the game plan and part is the fault of the other Lakers. The team needs to look inside to Gasol late in games and when Kobe Bryant is on the floor. I understand that under 5 in the fourth with a lead is Kobe time. He is the Mariano Rivera. You want the ball in his hands to shut down an opponent and hold that lead. But until then, the Lakers can't forget about Gasol. You can tell that they aren't using him, as the Celtics big men were filling the PF line in the stat sheet in the first half, but the 2nd half didn't show the same foul stats, nor did it result in a Gasol point explosion. The Lakers have to PAUnd the ball inside to produce either one or both of these effects.

Game 3 in Boston should be one hell of a show. We know that the Celtics actually have fans come playoff time, so they will be out in numbers, and the Lakers will be out looking for blood after softening up in the clutch in Game 2.

-APT