It is imperative that the Lakers do not take anything for granted during the rest of the series. We may have won with a ground-and-pound effort in Game 1, but you can be sure that Boston will enter Sunday’s contest like a lion who had his lunch stolen from the grip of his jaw.
I suspect that the Celtics will institute their “smack down” attitude that Phil Jackson so eloquently pointed out prior to the series. The games to come will get chippy and the Lakers have to guard their composure in such situations as opposed to exposing themselves to mind games.
As much as this Finals is about physical toughness, winning most phases of game as we did last night, will revolve heavily around playing with poise.
While the Lakers did manage to score 102 points against the Celtics, a seldom achieved result by any opponent, as Kobe said in his post-game presser, “That’s not something we hang our hat on”. The focus must continue to be parlayed towards the defensive end of the floor and making all the hustle plays.
It was through good old fashioned hardy team defense that we held Rajon Rondo to 13 points on 6 of 14 from the field and a quiet eight assists. The two layups that he scored were not off dribble penetration, but rather, open cuts to the basket off overly aggressive help defense by Kobe, which was quickly corrected.
Our bigs did a phenomenal job in curtailing the C’s budding star by using their length to build a wall every time he got into the lane, an obstacle that was absent against Miami, Cleveland and Orlando.
We also can’t expect Ray Allen to come out in Game 2 and only take eight shots for 12 points. Adjustments win championships at this stage in the postseason and Doc Rivers will certainly devise alternate means of getting Allen the touches he needs to be effective.
Don’t mistake one bad game as being indicative of how Boston is going to play from here on out. All of the Celtics’ veterans, especially those that remain from the 2008 championship team, will play pissed off and determined basketball come Sunday.
We must be prepared to punch back with just as much force.