The Lakers struggled some in Game 1 in Boston. The Celtics are not as strong as I assumed before I saw them play last Thursday. They are definitely beatable, especially by the Lakers. The good news from what I've seen so far is, the Celtics didn't win Game 1, the Lakers just lost it.
Kobe Bryant got a late start in Game 1, and after he did start to shoot, his shot was somewhat off. He finished 9 for 26 by the end of the night, those are not traditional Kobe Bryant shooting numbers. I expect him to have a better impact in Game 2. He's an extraordinary player, and there's no one on the Celtic squad who can seriously pose a problem for him defensively.
The Lakers had a hard time knocking down free throws, open jumpers, and open three-pointers in Game 1 as well. They missed seven free throws as a team, which is not like the Lakers I've seen as of late. They were 3 for 14 in three-pointers, and I recall some of those being uncontested. Sasha Vujacic and Vladimir Radmanovic, our two best three-point shooters, only had one a piece. Three-pointers have been a big part of the Lakers scoring the past couple of months. They need to get back to their gameplan, and stop letting the Celtics control the tempo.
My main concern for the Lakers is their driving ability. They rarely drove the ball to the basket in Game 1. At times they seemed almost fearful of Garnett. Even Kobe Bryant, one of the most feared players in the NBA, slowed a fast break down when he saw Garnett standing underneath the basket. I respect Garnett's defensive abilities, but the Lakers have to drive the ball as they usually do. When they take the ball to the hole, it opens up the rest of their game. If they get trapped or double-teamed on the way to the basket, they always have a shooter on the wing, or big Pau Gasol in the middle for an easy dunk or lay-up. I can honestly say that their main problem in Game 1 was their inability to drive to the basket. They need to get their inside game going if they want to take this series.
The only thing I have to say is that the Lakers need to play like the Lakers, the way we've seen them play since the All-Star Break...fast and hard. I have no doubts that they can win this Championship Series, I just want them to do it without holding back. They have to take it to the Celtics, and show them why the Lakers are the better team.
Keywords: basketball, Celtics, championship, finals, Lakers, Los Angeles, NBA
Comments
Where to begin? I completely agree with you when it comes to the Lakers ability to beat the Celtics, I just feel that they are being overpowered by their location (not an excuse--- but it is legit). They need to play with the same momentum throughout the entire game, not just the last few minutes, like they usually do. Overall, they all missed many shots, which would've made a huge difference in their overall scores. The second game did prove that they kind of want it, they better step it up & take it for the 3rd game. They are making Garnett look like a damn star, Kobe needs to take his title back!
---Gaby :)