Does anyone doubt that the Lakers can take one game in Boston? I don’t. The Celtics needed to win one in LA and Game 3 was their best chance, and it didn’t happen. If you told me that:
1. Lakers were held to under 90pts
2. Kobe was 11-18 from the FT line
3. Ray Allen finally did something and scored 25 pts and was 5-7 from 3pt land
4. Gasol and Odom were a combined 5-18 from the field
I would have thought that the Celtics won. Kobe won’t be that poor at the line in any future game. It’s still a coin toss whether Allen shows up, from game to game. Gasol and Odom will hit their groove.
What made it worse was that with about 30 seconds to go and down by 6, the Celtics basically gave up and conceded the game. Why did they just let the Lakers run out the clock? Did the Lakers give up in Game 2 when down by 24? No. If Doc Rivers doesn’t lay into the Celtics for their lackadasical last 30 seconds (he should have laid into them for playing lazy D and blowing a 24 point lead in Game 2), then Phil Jackson has already out coached him. At least Phil’s teams play until the end.
Looks like this one’s going 7, with the Black Mamba saving his best for last.
sportsnut
Not out of the woods yet I’d like to see this series go 7 games and the Lakers in my view will have to win the next two at home, and take one of two (obviously) from the Celtics in Boston. Lose one game at home and they’ll have win games 6 and 7 in Boston, a tall order.
Trouble… not quite I’m not sure we learned much from Game 3 other than Kobe can protect home court and the Lakers are capable of playing team defense. This game was a must win and a should win. Frankly, LA should have won by 15. Tomorrow is when the nitty gritty starts. The Celts will bring a better game and so should the Lakers. I wasn’t infatuated with the Game two “comeback,” so Game four will be the best of the series so far.
yeah the Lakers played poorly and pulled one out hopefully the Celtics can steal 1 in LA. -bB