"[Rajon] Rondo did not play well in that game in Los Angeles and he is such a critical component," said Bill Walton, the man who won a ring with the Celtics in 1985-86. "The Celtics were playing great ball at the time, just as they are now. They went into a two-week funk after that game when nobody was contributing. The second string, particualry Big Baby [Glen Davis], has to have an impact on every game for them. The Celtics just started that game way too slow. You're going to have to play great to beat the Lakers on any court."
"This game will mean everything and it very likely could determine the championship," said Walton, no stranger to hyperbole. "That's the way these teams have to look at it. Home-court advantage is just critical.
"One thing this young Laker team learned last year is how incredibly powerful a force home-court advantage is for the Celtics. These players grew up when the Celtics were down, so they never saw it. Now they know that Celtic fans are incredible in what they do to inspire the home team and intimidate the road team. It can be devastating, as it was to the Lakers last year."
--Today's Globe
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There will be plenty of incentives for the Celtics when they meet the Los Angeles Lakers tonight, the most pragmatic being the competition for the NBA's best regular-season record and home-court advantage in the playoffs.
Of course, there are factors of pride and protecting turf, the power trip of proving who's best.
"We have extra motivation this time, because they broke our streak the first time," Pierce said.
"It's a big game," guard Ray Allen said
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