Celtics got lucky tonight.

[Cman]

wdleehi, I tend to agree with you.  On the other hand, in sports, sometimes luck happens and is a good thing (depending on the side you root for) -- for me, Tyree's circus catch was bad luck for my Pats, good luck for you and your Giants.  Point being, I will take good luck.

I completely agree.  (and said so)

Yes you did, my bad.  I responded to your initial post when I was still giddy about the W.  

A couple other points:

1. On KG's back court save, the under appreciated piece of this was that it was PJ Brown (or Cassell) that actually caught the ball when there were at least three Lakers that could have tried for it.  If KG makes the save, but the ball ends up in Laker hands, then it would have been less of a big deal than it was.  Nevertheless, I like the hustle and focus that the Cs showed most of the night on defense (focus: Ray not jumping on Kobe's pump fakes).  

2. Rondo probably played better than the Lakers (Phil) expected.  I wonder if there are adjustments made for the next game or if they again dare Rondo to shoot.

[Spoon]

Celtics played half a game in the finals and won. 


That's some amazing luck.  (and I will take it)


But from this point on, the Celtics need to play their level of defense all game long. 


1st game jitters in the 1st half caused the defense to break down.  Fine.


just don't let it happen again. 



2nd half showed what this Celtics team can (and did in the regular season) do to this Lakers team. 

We HAVE to rebound better. We got killed on the boards. If we don't improve this quickly, we are finished. I am greatly concerned about Boston's size.

Our usual crisp passing only occurred in spurts. The Celtics defense clearly bothered us and is a great concern.

A lot of our players had that deer in the headlights look. For the first time in the playoffs, Kobe's supporting cast didn't look so hot. This has me concerned. Were we badly overrated by the media?

We were LUCKY the Celtics never really got into a rhythm. At times it looked like they were giving up the game. We can't hope that will happen again. This might have been our one chance to steal a game in Boston and we blew it. We just might not have the horses to do this. 

See, I am just trying to be the Laker fan version of you. Always looking on the bright side, eh?

[cdif911]

I had tickets to last night's game but couldn't go due to the fact I am in Las Vegas on business. 

and you didn't offer them to me? I dunno if we can be bff's anymore... =)

[satch]

Luck? Usually when involved in a extended playoff series teams make they own luck. I think Doc is playing with fire concerning Sam Cassell. Sam is a loose cannon. He very easily could have cost the C's the game last night. He continually thinks his way is the best way. Is Doc willing to accept in defeat what he accepts in victory? Playing time and trust should be earned.

[SShoreFan 2.0]

I had tickets to last night's game but couldn't go due to the fact I am in Las Vegas on business.

and you didn't offer them to me? I dunno if we can be bff's anymore... =)

great, now I feel like a heel.      

(friend of mine took them, kept texting me photos from the game -- I was psyched for him, but was feeling some pain)

[Who]

I didn't think the defense was bad in the first half. It wasn't excellent but it was pretty good. Teams rarely play perfect games, or complete games, I have no complaints.

Garnett was the one who I thought picked up his defense the most in the second half.

Defense looked a lot better in the second half in large part because Gasol stopped looking to score. Lakers as a team got into their "stand and watch Kobe" offensive routine in the second half which hurt their ball movement. Not enough of their players were looking to attack when they caught the ball, made them easier to defend.

[QuinielaBox]

Yeah - I agree we lucked out on the Paul Pierce situation.

But we were the better and more agressive team on rebounding and defense and getting the loose balls. That was the real reason for the win.

The Lakers are capable of playing better but so are the Celtics. This will be an interesting final series.

[Vermont Green]

Not that this topic hasn't already been beat up pretty well already but I feel that the Celtics did not play their best game last night, particularly in the 1st half (this is pretty obvious).  "Luckily" (take that to mean what ever you want it to mean) though, the Lakers did not play their best game either, I don't think.  They definitely had looks that they might make next game.

The game showed me enough of both team so that I am more confident not less.  I think the Celtics can and will play better defense now that we have seen them and that our defense will get better and better as the series grinds on.  The Lakers offense may be better in some of the games, maybe even worse in some.

[BballTim]

I didn't think the defense was bad in the first half. It wasn't excellent but it was pretty good. Teams rarely play perfect games, or complete games, I have no complaints.

  The first quarter was fine. I'd say that we only played bad defense for a 6 or so minute stretch of the 2nd quarter.