Lakers 110, Celtics 109

What a damn game.  Both of this teams came out to play or should I rephrase that and say, both of these basketball teams came out to WIN!  But it would be the Los Angeles Lakers to Edge the Boston Celtics in overtime.  With Lamar Odom making a pair of free throws with seconds to go in overtime.

“Coming down the streets, staying at the same hotel, I was up last night thinking about the game — wondering how my teammates would respond. It all came back,” Bryant said. “Enough is enough. We were able to match their physical play.”

As usually Kobe Bryant showed off, ending his night with a double-double.  Kobe scored 26 points, had 2 blocks, 1 steal, 5 assist & 10 boards.  Not a bad showing for the All-Star Bryant.  His team mates also had a great game.

“I wish we would have come here last year with this kind of attitude,” said Pau Gasol.  He also had a double-double with 24 points and 14 boards.  But it was Odom who took the win for them with those to KEY free throws at the end of the overtime.  He finished with a strong 20 points, 2 steals, 3 assist & 6 boards himself.

Boston trails the Lakers by percentage points for the best overall record in the NBA, and would lose a tiebreaker for home court advantage in the finals — if they both make it back.

As the score shows the Celtics didn’t have a bad game at all.  The Los Angeles Lakers just had a good game + 1point!  Pierce scored 21, and Allen had 22, but they both missed off-balance shots in the final seconds. Allen was knocked to the court at the buzzer while Boston fans clamored for a foul call, but none came.  Rajon Rondo scored 16 with 12 assists.

There were two double-technicals — one of them after Bryant and Rondo were pushing and finger-pointing in the third — and enough shoving to pass for a playoff game, but both teams were tired when it ended. Garnett, who missed the previous two games with the flu, scored 16 before fouling out with 4:22 left in the fourth quarter.

Bryant, who scored 61 and 36 in his previous two games, hit three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, the last with 1:30 left in regulation and Pierce in his face to make it 101-100 — the Lakers’ first lead of the half. But after Pierce made one of two free throws with 30 seconds left, Bryant tried to shoot over Pierce again and banged it off the rim.

After a timeout with 7.7 seconds left, Pierce dribbled the clock down before Bryant poked the ball away. Eddie House got it and put up a sideways, one-handed 3-point attempt at the buzzer that wasn’t close.

Bryant missed his last five shots of the game.

All in all this was a great game.  Very physical, from watching it you would think you were really watching a playoff game or even the NBA Finals.  Great games guys.