NBA Finals Game 2 Lakers at Celtics 6/8 9:00 ABC

[Bahku]

That was kind of an ugly win... but I'll certainly take it!

No more small ball in this series, please.

It was a beautiful win for three and a half quarters.  I agree with no small ball though.  Also why is Leon, clearly the player of the game along with Pierce, on the bench for that Laker run?  We needed some energy and penetration during that time and that's what he brought all game long.

Totally agree with you here, Ma11l (TP) ... just absolutely gorgeous basketball for 3 1/2 quarters, playing defense like an instruction tape, like it should be played ... textbook. As soon as they stopped playing D, Kobe was there to pounce. It's frustrating as all heck, because I've seen Kobe do this soooooo many times ... he lives for comebacks, and you're never safe unless up by 30 or 40, (which they should have been), or you've gotten him in foul trouble.

Really dodged a huge bullet tonight, though the bottom line is: a win is a win ... period. I also agree about Leon ... why the heck did he take out the hottest guy on the floor?!? And why in the name of everything green hasn't he been using him more consistently throughout the playoffs? I've been asking this question since the post-season started, and I don't understand it any more now than I did then. He's so dominant on both ends of the floor, and always gives 110% when he's playing ... why wouldn't a coach want to use a guy like him? I just don't get it.

Honestly, it makes about as much sense as that incredibly stupid foul that Paul got called for at the end of the game, and it's these totally baffling, seemingly obvious calls, or lack of calls, that keeps me scratching my head about the whole Doc thing. Anyway ... it's great to be up 2-0, and it's nice that the guys are beginning to realize that they're a much better team if they play their best game .... and monster defense. Complacency is the enemy now, and they'll have to guard against it better than they did tonight to keep winning ... this was a close call, that should have been a blow-out.

[RebusRankin]

So will we take a lesson from this and play for 48 minutes on Tuesday? I hope so.
Then again if we only play for 12 and win, I'll be happy.

[Bahku]

Hey Wdleehi ... congratulations! I'm watching the Comcast Sportsnet post-game show, and they just used your question as one of the email responses ... hope you caught it ... it was pretty cool!

[expobear]

POWE.

(Seriously, this guy couldn't have helped earlier in the playoffs?)

Powe can play. As soon as Rivers realizes that, the Celtics will be that much better. 

[Bill Walton]

YES,YES and YES!

[Frontierboy]

Hey man, a win's a win................

2 more to go til banner 17!!!!!

[CelticBalla32]

Phew!

You guys can check my recap at this link.

[Aussie Celtic]

Simply a great win.

I believe two things happen when a team has a large lead.

1.  The team leading mentally relaxes and starts to "watch the clock" and use it as an ally rather than continuing to play the way they have played to build the large lead.

2.  The team who is behind adopts the attitude that they have nothing to lose and start playing loose and shots start to fall, especially three pointers.

The interesting twist in this game was that when the Lakers got close and had a chance to win they actually tensed up again and could not finish the game. 

As many have said, this result may actually be a great result from the Celtics perspective, just a poignant reminder to the team of what can happen if they don't bring their "A" game.

Right now, all I care about is 2-0.

Long way to go, but enjoying the ride (immensely).

Go the Green !!!!

Cheers

Aussie

[kozlodoev]

Small ball never works. The other team always seems to go on scoring streak. So yes, I'd rather have Powe guarding Radmanovic because Radmanovic would have to guard Powe on the other end.

Have I told you this little story where every time I finish my morning coffee, the sun rises? The case in point is that losing this particular lead has very little to do with who played and  very much with how the whole team played.

So what if Radmanovic will have to guard Powe? I'd rather have Posey than exploit a Powe 'mismatch'. Powe scored because no help ever came when he got the ball, and because we pushed the tempo. He did a bit of damage when the Lakers decided to put Luke Walton on him.

I like Powe as much as the other guy, but at this point you shouldn't put him in a position to have to do more than he should. He's an excellent garbageman and he will score when the other team pays no attention to him. But to have a game plan where you put him on the box consistently? That's not going to work.

And the whole point is extremely moot, because we were still up 16 with 3 1/2 to go, quite a bit of time after Powe left the game. Then for some reason we decided it's a good idea to run the clock, throw the ball away, and give the Lakers wide open threes. Well, newsflash -- it's not going to work this way, either.

[Edgar]

I kind of agree with Kozo
in the last part specially
We are atrtocious trying to kill the clock
thank god for PP and KG who manage to score two during that stretch

But whatever

hey ho hey ho hey ho hey ho hey ho Lakers Lose, celtics win and I will enjoy from now till Tuesday

Edgar