The following takes place between May 28th and June 12th.If we said that this series would be a tale of 24, we’d likely think, oh Kobe took over the series. Twenty-four seconds to make a legacy his commercial says? How about a something more significant; A 24 point climb to define the champion!
The Lakers could not come back from a 24 point deficit in Game 2, while the Celtics were able to overcome a 24 point deficit in Game 4. That's a two-game swing right there. Put the shoe on the other foot and the Lakers would be up 3-1 and ready to close out the series on their home court in Game 5.
Oversimplifying it you say? Of course. What this comes down to is who choked and who did not. Not to mention, aside from the 24 point lead for the respective home team, these games were not parallel
2008 NBA Finals Game 2
At the New Boston Garden in Game 2, the Celtics were up 95-71 with 7:54 left, after KG hit a 20 foot jumper. That's when something clicked. In the Celtics minds, they decided to just weather any storm and play not to lose. The Lakers meanwhile had accepted a likely two game hole (and fourth straight loss this year against the Celtics) and started to play just to see if they could really keep up with the Celtics.
Only two minutes and 36 seconds later, the Lakers had trimmed 10 points off the lead after the Celtics inexplicably left Sasha Vujacic open for a three on a Pau Gasol kick-out. The Lakers would end up getting three more open threes to go as apparently the Celtics forgot the adage 'Don't let them get back in the game by threes.' Vujacic would make the last Lakers three to put the Lakers within just six with 1:27 to go.
Throw in some Kobe runners and free throws and the Lakers were only down 104-102 with 38 seconds to go. In only seven minutes and 16 seconds the Lakers had shaved 22 points off of a lead in a Finals game!
The Lakers were one defensive stop away from controlling their own destiny. They, or rather Kobe Bryant would have the ball on the final possession with a chance to tie and go into overtime or as they say go for the three and the win on the road. Kobe was probably salivating.
Flashback to Game 5 of the 2008 Eastern Conference Finals
The Celtics had been in a seemingly similar situation in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals had they not? Wrong. In that game the Celtics had a 17 point lead on a couple occasions in the eighth and ninth minutes of the 3rd quarter and it seemed like they had the game in hand before Detroit made a run.
But what was different was the Celtics had time to regroup and realize that they had to play to win. Every member of the Big Three made significant contributions that led to the win. And when the Celtics needed a basket to keep the lead in check, it came from Ray Allen who was having his best game of the playoffs with a game high 29 points.
Allen made the basket, a sweet swish on a 20 footer off a a screen with 1:01 left for the Celtics to go up 102-99 with 1:01 left. But the Celtics did not have to worry about stopping a Kobe level player who pull up on a dime and nail a fade-away three (granted Kobe misses a lot of shots like that). Billups had that ability if he weren't hobbled by a hamstring injury.
So a Billups (miss in the lane) and Rondo miss later, the Pistons had the ball, down three with 16 seconds left. Doc Rivers wisely let the Piston melt seconds off the clock before fouling with eight seconds left. He made it a matter of the Celtics being able to make their free throws. The Pistons never had a chance to win, but rather the Celtics had a chance to choke.
Back to Game 2 of the 2008 Finals
The Celtics had a chance to choke if someone did not score and the Lakers would have a chance to win as fouling the Lakers up by two would not preserve the lead. Despite the fact that the Celtics had won 66 games, a Game 7 against the Hawks, the Game 7 that featured a Pierce vs. Lebron and a tough Game 6 close-out game against the Pistons, the Celtics looked looked stunned and confused.
With the shot clock running down and no rhyme or reason to the Celtics offense, Pierce drove down the left side of the lane and looked like he was going to have make a tough shot. But rather than make the tough shot, Derrick Fisher played his 'We're the Lakers and the NBA does not want us going down 0-2 in the Finals card' and fouled Pierce. To the refs credit, they did not let circumstances dictate the call. Perhaps because of the recent Jon Barry no-call that helped the very same Fisher and the Lakers pull out a huge victory over the Spurs and essentially take that series!
Kobe would never get his chance to get the game winning shot as Pierce (and later KG) iced the free throws and the Celtics ended up winning 108-102.
2008 NBA Finals Game 4
Like the Lakers in Game 2, the Celtics had succumbed to a 24-point deficit. But this was different in that the Celtics got behind by 24 in the 2nd quarter and not the 4th quarter. It's definitely an easier mountain to climb.
Though the Lakers initially did not make it easy. The Lakers withstood Celtic runs to keep their foot on the Celtics head. The Lakers still maintained a 20-point lead, 70-50 following two Vladimir Radmanovich free throws with 6:o4 left in the 3rd quarter.
Did the Lakers play not to lose at that point? There is probably an element of that. But more realistically the Celtics played to win. Doc Rivers told them at halftime that their defense was ok and that the shots on offense were there and to just keep playing their game. So the Celtics kept their composure, content to whittle away at the Lakers lead in the same way the Lakers were willing to let the chips fall where they may in Game 2.
Ironically, injuries to two starters Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins may have allowed for the comeback as much as anything. The Celtics went small with James Posey and KG both shifting up positions to power forward and center. Eddie House came in at the PG, but as he is more of an SG, scoring threats, Pierce and Allen would take over the ball handling. With all five shooters having range and four having three-point range the Celtics were able to spread the court.
By the end of the 3rd quarter, the Celtics had shrunk the Lakers lead to two, 73-71. Phil Jackson admitted that he did not know what hit them in his sideline interview. But ever optimistic he said that the Lakers would regain the momentum.
But it never happened. It was Paul Pierce's night to make a legacy for himself, instead of wallowing in the shadow of Kobe Bryant. In the middle of the run he had knifed between three Lakers and made an and-one after going to the floor as the result of getting swiped across the head by a flailing Gasol right arm shot. It was Pierce who was on his game enough to pass it off right as guys hit their spots. He had assists to House for a three, KG for three foot chip shot, and PJ Brown for a one hand dun over Kobe with a second left in the 3rd quarter.
The PJ Brown dunk that would signify the beginning of the end for the Lakers. Game 1 hero, Leon Powe took to heart PJ Brown's contributions and decided he could make an impact on the game as well. Powe made a beautiful back-down, twisting, seven-foot bank shot for the first field goal for either team, with 10:12 left in the quarter. That shot tied it at 73 and the Staples crowd was eerily silent.
Kobe Bryant would score ten point in the fourth quarter. He would also get assists on three of the Lakers other four field goals. But as the Celtics proved in their other wins, the Celtics are not going to lose when the Kobe saturates his ball possession time. The Lakers had built a 24-point lead without Kobe scoring a field goal. And whether one argues that Kobe had to try to win it because nobody on the Lakers wants the ball in the 4th quarter or Kobe was being selfish, either way the Celtics were not going to let the Lakers win that way; not after that comeback.
The Celtics would use a solid team effort on offense and defense to close out the Lakers in the fourth quarter. The Big Three took turns scoring, but just as importantly they excercised faith in guys like Posey and House to make big shots.
As much as we hear about KG and Pierce wanting their rings, Ray Allen won't let us forget that he is not washed up and that witout him there is no Big Three. With the Celtics up 84-83, Ray Allen made a shot reminiscent of Dr. J's famous swooping the ball from behind the basket onto the other side.
Ray-Ray went for a baseline drive and it was all he could do to swoop the ball under the outstretched arms of Pau Gasol. Then while on a serious descent, he was still able to get the ball to the other side of the backboard and just past Lamar Odom's block attempt for an amazing reverse lay-up.
But it was the Ray Allen and the Celtics last field goal of the night that epitomized the the evening for both teams. With the shot clock down to four, Ray Allen from half court drove right past Sasha Vujacic. Pau Gasol came late on the help and Allen's left hand lay-up put the Lakers away for good.
Like that play, the Celtics were the aggressors and the Lakers were shell shocked. Story of the second half and the series. Again Kobe, who was 6-19, would not get the chance to be a hero and take the last shot! The fluidity and tenacity of the better team would not be denied.
Other 2008 NBA Finals Postings
2008 NBA Finals Predictions
2008 NBA Finals Posting #1: Reflecting on the first two games between the Celtics and Lakers2008
NBA Finals #2: Game 3 Analysis2008
NBA Finals #3: A Tale of '24'
No comments:
Post a Comment