We can add another page to the Lakers-Celtics rivalry book, as the Los Angeles Lakers (25-16) defeated the Boston Celtics (21-19) in yet another hard fought battle, 97-94.
Behind strong performances by Kobe Bryant (26 points, seven assists, three rebounds), Andrew Bynum (20 points, 14 rebounds, two assists), and Metta World Peace (14 points, two assists, two steals), the Lakers were able to come up with a solid victory yesterday afternoon.
The first quarter started off great for the Lakers, who received solid production from Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol (13 points, 13 rebounds, five assists), and were up comfortably, 24-14, at the end of the period. Bryant had six points and three assists while Gasol had seven points, seven rebounds, and two assists in the first quarter.
However, the second quarter would take away any hope of an easy victory for the Lakers. With the second unit on the floor, Andrew Bynum absolutely dominated to start the quarter. Bynum showed off his superior post moves and even his ability to control the offense by dishing out an assist to Andrew Goudelock–who dropped in a three-pointer–after the Celtics’ defense collapsed on the Lakers’ center. He threw down a thunderous alley-oop after a pass from Steve Blake, tallying seven points and five rebounds for the quarter.
However, the Celtics would not go away, cutting the lead to just two behind Rajon Rondo (24 points, 10 assists), Paul Pierce (13 points, nine assists), and Brandon Bass (15 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and two steals) at the end of the quarter to trail, 44-42.
The third quarter was an absolute battle full of fireworks, tough play, and resiliency. However, the quarter belonged to Metta World Peace. After getting tangled up with Paul Pierce at one point, Kevin Garnett (14 points, 11 rebounds, five assists) shoved Metta World Peace. Metta would get two free throws, and receive a double-technical foul along with Garnett. This seemed to spark World Peace, as he hit a corner three-pointer off a pass from Bryant on one play, and stole the ball and took it coast-to-coast for a powerful one-handed dunk on another. Metta played very solid defense as well, as he scored 10 points in the third quarter alone. However, the Celtics kept battling and even took a three-point lead at one point before Bryant drained a three-pointer to tie the game and was fouled on his very next three-point attempt (he sunk two of the three free throws). At the end of the quarter, the Lakers maintained their two-point lead, 72-70.
The fourth quarter was no different, as the two teams kept going back and forth, alternating leads. At one point, the Lakers were down 81-78, before Bryant hit another three-pointer to tie the game. Boston scored again, and Kobe dropped in yet another three to put the Lakers up 84-83.
The battle would continue, as the Lakers were trailing by five down the stretch before Kobe drove into the lane, stopped, and hit a fade-away jumper, cutting the lead to three. On the next offensive possession, Bryant toyed with the defense before lobbing a pass to Andrew Bynum. Bynum, who was being pushed in his back and pushed under the basket by Kevin Garnett, somehow managed to extend his long arm and control the ball, manipulating it into the basket and cutting the lead to one point with just over a minute to play. After a key rebound by Gasol, Bryant once again worked his way into a beautiful shot just left of the elbow, giving the Lakers a one-point lead. Brandon Bass missed a shot, and the Lakers called for timeout.
Then, something strange happened. Apparently, Kobe Bryant decided that it would be best for him to act as a decoy, and set up Andrew Bynum for the final play. A seemingly proud Bryant later said that everyone was expecting him to take the shot, and that the Celtics’ defense simply couldn’t handle Bynum in the post. So, with Bryant casually walking well above the three point ball, Metta World Peace dumped the ball to Bynum, who backed down Garnett, and scored easily on a jump-hook shot to put the Lakers up, 97-94, with just 15.5 seconds left in the game. On the next play, the Celtics managed three three-point attempts, but none of them connected as time ran out.
Lakers win, 97-94.
The Numbers
Bryant finished the game with 26 points (on 3-6 three-point shooting), seven assists, and three rebounds while Bynum had 20 points, 14 rebounds, and two assists. Metta World Peace scored 14 points on 3-5 shooting from three-point land, and Pau Gasol played solid throughout, tallying 13 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists. Derek Fisher contributed across the board as well with nine points, two rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Off the bench, Matt Barnes contributed six points and four rebounds, and Andrew Goudelock dropped in five quick points (2-3 from the field in six minutes). Troy Murphy and Steve Blake each had two points, but Blake was very aggressive when he was on the floor, and dished out six assists.
As for the Celtics, Rajon Rondo led his team with 24 points and 10 assists, while Ray Allen had 17 points, six assists and four rebounds. Kevin Garnett finished with a strong game as well, adding 14 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, and three steals. Brandon Bass had 15 points, eight rebounds, and three assists while Paul Pierce had 13 points, nine assists, and three steals.
Now, let’s break down the victory.
Next Page: The Breakdown
Here, we will analyze the Lakers’ 97-94 victory over the Celtics:
Defense – The Lakers have shown they can seriously lock down opponents when they want to. In this game, the Lakers went on an 8-0 run at the very end of the game, turning a five point deficit into a three point lead. The fact that they were able to call on their defense down the stretch is a huge plus for them. Although the Celtics are no longer the team they once were, they still possess many offensive weapons led by a very capable point guard in Rajon Rondo. The Lakers had strong defensive performances from Metta World Peace and Pau Gasol, and just about everyone had a crucial play down the stretch. They should take many positives away from yesterday’s game, and attempt to build on them.
Andrew Bynum – Andrew Bynum possibly played his best game of the season yesterday. When he was out there with the second unit in the second quarter, he controlled the offense and dominated the game in all aspects. After sustaining a bruised knee before halftime, no one knew how he would perform in the second half. He didn’t play particularly aggressive, but he played with patience and confidence when called upon nonetheless.
The fact that he excelled in the final seconds of the game when given the responsibility to seal the victory speaks volumes about his progress. And the fact that Kobe Bryant decided it would be best to give the ball to Drew with the game on the line shows the trust he has garnered among his teammates, especially Bryant. The only other person Bryant likely trusted in crunch time situations to make a big play besides himself was Derek Fisher, but now he also trusts Bynum. At one point he trusted Pau Gasol, but it appears as if he decided to test Bynum and see if he has truly arrived as the Lakers’ second option. Bynum passed the test.
Metta World Peace – What is it with Metta World Peace and marquee games? When hyped up for a big game and facing a formidable opponent at his position, it seems as if World Peace turns back the clock and is able to lock down defenders, get steals at will, and even throw down vicious dunks. When asked about his solid offensive production, World Peace simply replied “I like playing against the good teams.” His defense wasn’t bad either, as he helped hold Paul Pierce to 13 points on 4-14 shooting.
When Metta is shooting well from the three-point line (3-5 yesterday), and being active overall, the Lakers are a nearly impossible team to beat. The “X-Factor” in years past had always been Lamar Odom, but it is very possible that this year’s “X-Factor” is World Peace.
Bench – The Lakers’ bench only scored 15 points, but the Celtics’ bench scored just 11. Both teams decided to play playoff-style basketball, relying on their respective starters to play heavy minutes. Perhaps the Lakers’ bench doesn’t do well when given big minutes, but they appear to maximize their efforts in limited minutes. Steve Blake contributed six assists while playing very aggressively in 22 minutes, and Matt Barnes was 3-3 from the field en route to six points and four rebounds in 17 minutes. Andrew Goudelock dropped in a quick five points as well in just six minutes.
In the playoffs, rotations typically shorten and minutes decrease for the reserve players, therefore it is important to maximize their production when they are out there. The Lakers’ bench appears to contribute just enough in these playoff-style games thus far. Only time will tell, but this second unit may not be as bad as most people think.
The Fire – When faced against teams that really get under the Lakers’ skin, the Purple and Gold seem to respond to the challenge. The starters typically play heavy minutes, and have played well so far. Derek Fisher contributes timely baskets, and Metta World Peace turns into a defensive stopper and an offensive threat, inside and out. Kobe Bryant plays efficiently, Andrew Bynum dominates offensively and defensively, and Pau Gasol does all the little things from grabbing offensive rebounds, getting putbacks, and/or setting hard screens to free up Bryant or other plays. They basically fall into their respective roles and play together. However, they can’t seem to do this consistently, or more specifically, on the road.
It is understandable that a team which has made three Finals appearances in the past four years will overlook certain teams or not always play with the type of energy they are capable of; not to mention that most of the key players are over 30 years of age. However, there is some sort of mental block when it comes to playing on the road for the Lakers. They have to somehow summon the fire they play with against these high-profile teams and take it on the road with them. We can’t expect them to play with this flair all the time, but they at least have to maintain their focus and make the correct decisions. Much of this will rely on the bench, as they will play more minutes against lesser teams and on back-to-back games. The games they have lost to sub-par teams have come after giving up big leads, many given up by the bench. Although the bench plays well enough in these big games, they have to find some consistency and tenacity on the road when given bigger minutes.
The Lakers have shown us all that they still have a fire burning inside them and a desire to be the best, now they just have to show us they are capable of playing this way on a consistent basis, especially on the road.