Lakers (36-11) at Celtics (29-15) 1/31

[jdpapa3]

Hurt more than a regular season loss should. I was sure that Ray shot was going down.

And the Lakers are the best team in the NBA, were clearly "up" for the game and it came down to the last possession.

We are still contenders.

[ejk3489]

I usually have stayed positive after all of these losses...but this one really hurt. I wanted this one so badly.

[snively]

Nobody to blame but ourselves----AGAIN we STOP being Aggressive---and try to KILL the clock....we DESERVE to LOSE....Game was in our GRASP----when we got up 11, we acted like it was over---4 straight WEAK possessions----VERY disappointed in our LACK of Killer instinct---this game was ours.

The Lakers were a lot better about driving in the last few minutes, but that last Kobe shot was as tough a shot as you can take, the Ray 3 was a much better look.  

Sometimes it just doesn't work out.

[RAcker]

Nobody to blame but ourselves----AGAIN we STOP being Aggressive---and try to KILL the clock....we DESERVE to LOSE....Game was in our GRASP----when we got up 11, we acted like it was over---4 straight WEAK possessions----VERY disappointed in our LACK of Killer instinct---this game was ours.

You said it right.  Where is the killer instinct?

We showed ourselves to be every bit as good as the Lakers and then we played conservative.  Why did Rondo stop attacking?

[MaxwellSmart86]

Rondo STOPPED going to the basket---Lakers got to set their defense---This is how our offense has collapsed all year long.

[jdpapa3]

And how many times does the Pierce iso or Pierce pick and roll have to fail before we go away from it. What is that quote: "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results = insanity"?

[ejk3489]

where was tony allen in the second half?

IDK. Where was Rondo most of the game? I guess Doc loves this stand around take a wild shot as the buzzer goes off offense.

Did you watch this game at all? Rondo was dominant.

[radiohead]

that offensive foul on pierce was ridiculous. if at all, artest tripped on paul's foot (watch the replay), and the "ward off" by paul was very mild to say the least. bad call on a nicely fought game.

[wdleehi]

I really did not like that last play.


7 seconds.


down by one


Lakers with no fouls to give.



Pick and roll with KG and attack the basket.


Do not set up a 3 pointer for a shooter that is off.

[snively]

Hurt more than a regular season loss should. I was sure that Ray shot was going down.

And the Lakers are the best team in the NBA, were clearly "up" for the game and it came down to the last possession.

We are still contenders.

Most painful moment for me was Artest's drive on KG.  Just one of those nights (been a lot of them recently, unfortunately.

[celticinorlando]

january has been a disaster..i wish we had a squad that would make clutch FT's...perk missed 2 big ones in the second half..rondo should have gone to the hoop on the last play....

[Meadowlark_Scal]

Ray played good d on kobe..but without TA, who played great d on kobe, you lose your "to the hoop slasher" and he was finishing darn good.....should have put TA in again...doccc

[drkalloch]

This team is done. Let the snowball continue down the hill.

Really?  The Celts lost on a last-possession shot against a team that many consider the best in the NBA, and we're done?

Roy, "done" is a relative term. We don't really win games anymore, so it makes it hard to think we are anything other than "done" when it comes to winning the title. Sure, we have a chance (think dumb-and-dumber), but that chance has to look remote at this point.

[Casperian]

The Celtics said these last three games would be statement games.

So, what exactly is the statement they were talking about?

[Donoghus]

The team and coaching staff is going to learn from this.

I hate to say it but this was an encouraging loss.  Celtics played extremely well for a large duration of this game and illustrated that they can still play with the best.  The loss is tough to take but the Celtics still managed to take a step in the right direction.