Jerry West on KG v. Kobe

Tip of the cap to Michael for reminding me of this piece from the Globe The man who brought Kobe Bryant to the Los Angeles Lakers recently called the high-scoring, high-maintenance guard the best player in the NBA. West made his preference clear with all due respect to the Celtics' Kevin Garnett , though the Hollywood logic behind his choice likely will spark some debate. 

"Garnett is very good, but if he had the pressure on him to score like Kobe does every night, there's a difference," West said. "Kevin is going to be a great, great player every night in all facets of the game. 

But the other one has a little bit different kind of cachet to him." While Garnett is a "tremendously good basketball player," West said Bryant brings a degree of excitement "like going to an action movie instead of seeing a great film. 

Kevin Garnett would be in a great film and Kobe Bryant would be the action-hero figure. He's going to supply the jumps off the tops of bridges, dunks, going through 10 people, driving to make a layup.

 "Kevin Garnett is just going to be the steady, steady, steady guy there every night. But I think from an all-around standpoint, Kobe is the best." "I love Kevin Garnett as a player. As you move along in your life, you learn to appreciate different things. I saw the incredible skill of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. I saw incredible skill in Magic Johnson. 

But Magic Johnson was the action hero, and Abdul-Jabbar was your serious actor. Boston's never had a player like Bryant. West acknowledged the impact Garnett has made with the Celtics and commented that he is happy for them.

 But do the Celtics have what it takes to win a championship? "I wouldn't even want to venture into that," said West. "One injury to the best of teams [changes the odds]. I don't care who it is. You take the best player off the best team and they can forget about it." --- Jerry, Jerry, Jerry. 

Your beloved purple was supposedly deeper, more talented, and better coached than Da Green, and yet they still lost 6 of 8 games this year (if you read any Bob Ryan, then you'll also agree that the purple should have lost all eight). Worse, in two games, your team quit trying before the game was over.

That's right, your team quit competing despite the fact that they are paid millions to do so, not to mention that they are professional athletes and ought to have some individual pride. Shameful and shameless. 12/30/2007 Game at Staples Purple Quits Trying With 7 Minutes Left in 4th 6/19/2008 NBA Finals Game 6 Purple Quits Trying at Half

Will 66 be more Like 67 or 68?

Much of Celtic Nation has been hitting the snooze bar since the green closed out wins against Phoenix and New Orleans at home, while other Celtics fans began to lose interest after win number 60 and home-court advantage had been secured. 

Not me. 

I've always been fascinated by watching talented green teams pile up the wins. Russell’s Celtics won 60 games three times, and two of those team’s won championships. 

Heinsohn’s Celtics won 60 games twice, and neither of those teams won a championship. When Boston won nine of its first eleven games in the Bird Era, it was immediately apparent that Celtics teams would be racking up Ws by the boatload for many years to come. 

Bird’s Celtics won 60 games six times in seven years. Yet how many Celtics fans know the precise number of regular-season wins compiled by any one of those teams? 

The regular-season record of one of those teams stands out, to be sure. But can you tell me how many regular season games the 1981 or 1984 championship teams won? How about how many games Bird won in his rookie season? 

While 60 regular season wins is clearly special, then, the final win total becomes memorable only once a Celtics team eclipses 65 wins. Most Celtics fans know two regular season numbers by heart, 68 and 67. Sixty-eight wins by the 1973 Celtics, who lost in the Eastern Conference Finals to the Knicks, and 67 wins by the 1986 squad. Winning 66 games would put Garnett’s Celtics in that exclusive group. 

 68 67 66 

 Now that the Bulls went off and won 72, the 67 wins doesn’t seem quite as impressive as it did back when the 1986 Celtics originally reached that milestone. It is nonetheless distinctive. It adds to the identity of that team, and enables McHale to idly boast “we were only a handful of mental lapses away from winning 70 games two or three times in the 80s.” 

 So while winning their 66th game tomorrow night would be no cause to break out the champagne, it would definitely write another chapter in the book on the 2007-08 Boston Celtics, a book that will reach it’s climax shortly. In the end, the number 66 will either be remembered like the number 67 or the number 68. I never did like 68.

The Truth and the Ticket: Co-MVPs?

Let’s start with the obvious:

This is Paul Pierce’s best year, bar none. Pierce has completely overhauled his game to fit the team that Doc and Danny have put around him.

Gone are the days where his offense consists of head-down drives through multiple defenders.

Gone are the days where he hoists up contested treys despite teammates standing alone nearby.

He’s playing defense.

He’s picking his spots to score within the flow of the offense.

He’s getting others more involved in the offense, with Leon Powe, Glen Davis, and Kendrick Perkins being the primary beneficiaries of his ball-sharing proclivities.

Let's not forget, either, that he’s still finding time to take over big games, and score by the bushelfull down the stretch, as everyone witnessed at home against Phoenix, at home against San Antonio, and on the road against the Lakers.

Oh, and, by the way, he's the only Boston Celtic, starter or otherwise, to play in every game this season.

The Boston Celtics, meanwhile, have the best record in the NBA, and will probably break the single-season record for win-differential improvement.

Until very recently, however, MVP discussions have failed to include even a mention of Celtics number 34. The biggest reason for this oversight is that Pierce was here last year, the year before, and the year before that, when the Celtics weren’t very good.

So how can he be the reason for the turnaround when, some observers have hinted, he was part of the problem?

One answer might be to look at who the leading scorer has been in the Celtics most important games this year, the games against Detroit, Los Angeles, San Antonio, Dallas, Phoenix, New Orleans, and Houston. KG and the Truth have each led the team in scoring 7 times in 15 games against those opponents (Big Baby led the team the other game).

So at the very least Pierce has shared primary scoring responsibilities with the Ticket in big games. Equally important, the Celtics are 13-2 in those games.

Below I set forth Pierce's numbers in those 15 games (click on image to enlarge). His averages in those games are pretty close to his season averages across the board. So while he's definitely played an integral role in the Celtics success, it would be hard to argue that his elevated play was the deciding factor in more than a handful of outcomes.


Yet, as with KG, numbers don't tell the entire story.

Look at the second game against Detroit. Glen Davis was the leading scorer, and, in the eyes of most observers, the star of the game.

But focusing on Davis as the star of the game forgets the person responsible for driving to the hole, drawing double and triple teams, and then finding the open Baby for a layup. Pierce was credited with seven dimes in the game, but on more than a few occasions, Pierce put Baby in a position to score after a dribble or two, even though for statistical purposes, no assist would have been credited.

The Boston Celtics have gone to war with Paul Pierce on their side for a decade now. This makes it difficult to slight him in any way.

At the same time, Pierce himself admits that KG has changed the entire culture in Beantown.

Upon his arrival, Garnett made developing chemistry the first priority and then made a stifling, lock-down defense the team brand. He is the embodiment of selfless teamwork on offense. He creates the mood, sets the tempo, and establishes the focus before the opening tip. During the game, he scores, he intimidates, he deflects, and he rejects. He is the closest thing we've had to Bill Russell on defense since #6 retired, and yet he drains his jumper at a rate approximating Larry Bird in his hey day.

If the writers decide that Pierce and KG should share the MVP, I'd be down with that.

Otherwise, I've got KG.

Sorry Paul.

Wolves Broadcaster Calls KG a Choker

 December 2008

Chad Hartman, a former Minnesota Timberwolves broadcaster, reflects on the Celtics-Spurs game, and, in doing so, basically calls out KG as a choke artist. 

 He advises Boston fans what to expect come playoff time. Highlights include: --KG is a "very insecure" player (history of shooting air-balls during final minutes) --KG "clutches up" in the fourth quarter (eg., bad pass at end of Spurs game) --He's not even the MVP of his own team (Paul Pierce) --He comes up with "brutal" performances in all four quarters of big games (e.g., Game 6, WCF's) --Leadership skills are overrated --Practicing hard and ball-sharing are not leadership skills --Hartman's sidekick echoes sentiment that KG is "greatest #2 player of all time"  

 

The Celtics success sure must be a bitter pill for these various Wolves personalities to swallow, as they are coming out of the woodwork by the bushel-full. Here is the link to the full discussion. Scroll to the mid-way point of the progress bar, or thereabouts.

It's All about the Journey

Call me a masochist for reading a book about the Lakers, but that is exactly what I am doing. Phil Jackson’s “The Last Season” chronicles the Lake Show’s 2003-2004 season.

It began when Karl Malone and Gary Payton both agreed to play for the veteran’s minimum and ended in complete disarray with Kobe’s ongoing sexual assault prosecution, the Kobe, Shaq, and Phil soap opera about whether Mitch would bring any of them back for the following season, Karl Malone’s injury, Gary Payton’s whining, and finally the Franchise Meltdown in the Finals.

And you think Doc has his hands full?

The one theme that Phil reiterates is the idea of a journey, an idea, coincidentally enough, that has been repeated by Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen throughout the preseason and the first 10 games of the Boston Celtics 2007-2008 regular season.

My first response to this idea was pretty straightforward.

Crap!

The only thing I’m after is Banner #17. Anything short of that and the so-call "journey" will do little to provide me solace.

But after further thought, I may be have to reconsider.

As Dr. Zen points out, the moment you raise your arms in championship triumph lasts exactly that long—one moment. Under what theory of maximizing personal happiness does any goal worth pursuing result in your happiness being maximized for a single moment?

Sure you can call all of your Laker friends and chant 17-14, 17-14 into the phone. But it won’t be long before they hang up. Ok, then maybe you follow that up with a bunch of 17-14 emails.

Then what?

No, I think the idea is to savor each game, relish in the fact that your team is now the “it” team in the NBA, appearing on national television about once every two weeks, leading the league in merchandise sold, and, most importantly, playing a pretty impressive brand of basketball that harkens back to the championship squads of the 60s, 70s, and 80s.

Each time Garnett makes a move that propels you out of your seat, enjoy the journey. Every time Pierce drives to the lane and dishes to a wide open teammate instead of plowing forward through double and triple teams, enjoy the journey. Every time the team goes on a win streak, enjoy the journey.

Now with every loss, let us all hope that it is a learning and growing experience on the road to the next championship.

With the 2-point loss to Orlando on Sunday, Chapter One is now complete for the 2007-2008 Journey. I am looking forward to the remainder of our trip over the next 7 months.

The McHale-to-Ainge Text Message

Most of us are familiar with the text message Larry Bird sent to Danny Ainge midway through the third quarter of game 6 of the 2008 NBA Finals. As it turns out, Kevin McHale texted Ainge shortly thereafter with a similar message.

Way back on December 9, 2007, I proposed that Ainge arrange for members of the last Celtics championship to participate in the next banner-hoisting ceremony via a private, closed-circuit party. I mean, you couldn't expect the GM's of the Indiana Pacers and the Minnesota Timberwolves to attend the ceremony in public, especially after McHale had been accused by Laker fans of turning down a better trade (Odom/Bynum) for a worse trade (Al Jefferson and picks), simply because McHale hates the Lakers and once played for the Celtics.

Turns out Ainge, Bird, and McHale decided to throw a virtual banner-hoisting ceremony for themselves. Now if we can just figure out when and how Bill Walton communicated with the others.

Jesus and the Alien Go One-on-One

Lakers 92, Celtics 131

Recap Box Score Play-By-Play Shot Chart Conversation

	1	2	3	4	T
LAL (14-7)	20	15	25	32	92
BOS (16-10)	24	34	31	42	131

Final

9:00 PM ET, June 17, 2008
TD Banknorth Garden
Boston, MA

LOS ANGELES LAKERS
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
Vladimir Radmanovic, SF	22	2-6	2-6	0-0	0	3	3	0	0	0	0	5	6
Lamar Odom, PF	40	2-8	0-1	10-16	0	10	10	5	0	0	3	4	14
Pau Gasol, FC	32	4-7	0-0	3-4	0	8	8	2	0	0	5	3	11
Kobe Bryant, SG	43	7-22	3-9	5-5	1	2	3	1	1	0	4	1	22
Derek Fisher, PG	28	2-4	0-2	3-3	0	0	0	4	0	0	1	5	7
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
Luke Walton, SF	14	2-4	1-2	3-4	0	0	0	2	1	0	0	2	8
Jordan Farmar, PG	26	3-5	3-4	3-4	0	1	1	1	1	0	4	2	12
Sasha Vujacic, SG	15	3-4	1-2	0-0	1	1	2	1	1	0	2	0	7
Ronny Turiaf, C	11	1-1	0-0	0-0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	2	2
Trevor Ariza, SF	9	1-3	0-1	1-2	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	3
Chris Mihm, C	DNP COACH'S DECISION
Ira Newble, SF	DNP COACH'S DECISION
TOTALS		FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
		27-64	10-27	28-38	2	27	29	16	4	0	19	25	92
		42.2%	37.0%	73.7%	Team TO (pts off): 19 (32)
BOSTON CELTICS
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
Paul Pierce, SF	39	4-13	2-7	7-8	1	2	3	10	2	0	2	2	17
Kevin Garnett, PF	36	10-18	0-1	6-7	3	11	14	4	3	1	0	2	26
Kendrick Perkins, C	13	1-3	0-0	0-0	2	2	4	0	0	1	2	5	2
Ray Allen, SG	32	8-12	7-9	3-3	1	3	4	2	3	0	1	0	26
Rajon Rondo, PG	32	8-20	0-1	5-7	2	5	7	8	6	0	1	3	21
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
P.J. Brown, PF	16	1-2	0-0	4-4	1	2	3	2	1	1	0	4	6
James Posey, SF	26	4-4	3-3	0-0	1	2	3	1	3	1	1	2	11
Leon Powe, PF	9	3-5	0-0	2-2	1	3	4	0	0	0	0	5	8
Eddie House, PG	16	2-6	1-5	4-4	0	2	2	5	0	0	0	0	9
Glen Davis, PF	15	1-2	0-0	1-2	2	2	4	0	0	0	0	2	3
Tony Allen, SG	6	1-2	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	2
Sam Cassell, PG	DNP COACH'S DECISION
TOTALS		FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
		43-87	13-26	32-37	14	34	48	33	18	4	7	25	131
		49.4%	50.0%	86.5%	Team TO (pts off): 8 (7)

Celtics 97, Lakers 91

Recap Box Score Play-By-Play Shot Chart Conversation

	1	2	3	4	T
BOS (16-10)	14	26	31	26	97
LAL (14-7)	35	23	15	18	91

Final

6:00 PM ET, June 12, 2008
STAPLES Center
Los Angeles, CA

BOSTON CELTICS
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
Paul Pierce, SF	42	6-13	0-3	8-9	0	4	4	7	1	1	4	4	20
Kevin Garnett, PF	37	7-14	0-0	2-2	2	9	11	3	2	1	4	3	16
Kendrick Perkins, C	13	1-3	0-0	0-0	0	1	1	0	0	1	0	4	2
Ray Allen, SG	48	6-11	2-6	5-5	2	7	9	2	3	1	1	2	19
Rajon Rondo, PG	17	2-4	0-0	1-2	0	1	1	2	0	0	0	1	5
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
P.J. Brown, PF	15	1-4	0-0	1-2	1	1	2	0	1	0	0	2	3
Eddie House, PG	25	4-9	2-4	1-2	0	4	4	1	0	0	0	0	11
James Posey, SF	25	5-10	4-8	4-4	0	2	2	0	0	0	0	5	18
Sam Cassell, PG	7	0-1	0-1	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	0
Leon Powe, PF	9	1-4	0-0	1-2	1	4	5	0	0	0	1	1	3
Tony Allen, SG	2	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
Glen Davis, PF	DNP COACH'S DECISION
TOTALS		FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
		33-73	8-22	23-28	6	34	40	15	7	4	11	24	97
		45.2%	36.4%	82.1%	Team TO (pts off): 11 (9)
LOS ANGELES LAKERS
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
Vladimir Radmanovic, SF	27	3-8	2-5	2-2	1	4	5	2	0	0	0	3	10
Lamar Odom, PF	39	8-11	0-1	3-4	4	6	10	4	0	1	2	1	19
Pau Gasol, FC	38	6-13	0-0	5-7	1	9	10	2	0	0	3	5	17
Kobe Bryant, SG	43	6-19	0-2	5-6	0	4	4	10	4	0	2	4	17
Derek Fisher, PG	25	4-5	0-1	5-6	0	0	0	3	0	0	3	2	13
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
Jordan Farmar, PG	21	1-6	1-3	0-0	0	3	3	1	0	0	0	0	3
Trevor Ariza, SF	9	2-2	1-1	1-2	3	2	5	0	1	1	0	2	6
Sasha Vujacic, SG	24	1-9	1-5	0-0	1	2	3	1	1	0	1	3	3
Luke Walton, SF	4	1-3	1-3	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	3
Ronny Turiaf, C	10	0-1	0-0	0-2	0	1	1	0	0	1	0	2	0
Chris Mihm, C	DNP COACH'S DECISION
Ira Newble, SF	DNP COACH'S DECISION
TOTALS		FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
		32-77	6-21	21-29	10	31	41	23	6	3	12	23	91
		41.6%	28.6%	72.4%	Team TO (pts off): 12 (6)

Celtics 98, Lakers 103

Recap Box Score Play-By-Play Shot Chart Conversation

	1	2	3	4	T
BOS (16-10)	22	30	18	28	98
LAL (14-7)	39	16	24	24	103

Final

6:00 PM ET, June 15, 2008
STAPLES Center
Los Angeles, CA

BOSTON CELTICS
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
Paul Pierce, SF	48	10-22	2-6	16-19	1	5	6	8	1	0	5	5	38
Kevin Garnett, PF	33	6-11	0-0	1-4	7	7	14	0	2	0	4	5	13
Leon Powe, PF	5	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	2	2	0	0	0	0	1	0
Ray Allen, SG	39	4-13	3-8	5-5	0	2	2	2	0	1	2	6	16
Rajon Rondo, PG	15	1-7	0-0	1-2	1	1	2	3	1	1	2	1	3
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
P.J. Brown, PF	25	2-5	0-0	0-0	1	2	3	0	0	0	0	5	4
Eddie House, PG	14	2-5	2-5	0-0	0	1	1	2	0	0	2	2	6
James Posey, SF	32	1-2	1-2	0-0	1	5	6	2	1	0	2	3	3
Tony Allen, SG	11	3-4	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	6
Sam Cassell, PG	18	4-8	0-1	1-1	0	1	1	2	0	0	1	0	9
Brian Scalabrine, PF	DNP COACH'S DECISION
Glen Davis, PF	DNP COACH'S DECISION
TOTALS		FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
		33-77	8-22	24-31	11	26	37	20	6	2	18	28	98
		42.9%	36.4%	77.4%	Team TO (pts off): 18 (18)
LOS ANGELES LAKERS
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
Vladimir Radmanovic, SF	19	3-6	1-2	0-0	0	5	5	2	1	0	3	2	7
Lamar Odom, PF	41	8-10	1-1	3-3	2	9	11	2	0	4	4	3	20
Pau Gasol, FC	42	6-10	0-0	7-10	3	10	13	6	1	2	0	3	19
Kobe Bryant, SG	44	8-21	4-9	5-7	3	4	7	4	5	0	6	4	25
Derek Fisher, PG	35	3-10	1-5	8-11	1	1	2	2	2	0	2	2	15
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
Jordan Farmar, PG	22	5-9	1-4	0-0	0	1	1	1	1	1	0	3	11
Sasha Vujacic, SG	20	2-10	0-5	0-0	1	0	1	0	1	0	0	2	4
Luke Walton, SF	10	1-2	0-1	0-0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	5	2
Chris Mihm, C	3	0-1	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	0
Trevor Ariza, SF	1	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Ronny Turiaf, C	1	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0
Ira Newble, SF	DNP COACH'S DECISION
TOTALS		FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
		36-79	8-27	23-31	10	30	40	19	11	7	17	28	103
		45.6%	29.6%	74.2%	Team TO (pts off): 17 (21)

Celtics 81, Lakers 87

Recap Box Score Play-By-Play Shot Chart Conversation

	1	2	3	4	T
BOS (16-10)	20	17	25	19	81
LAL (14-7)	20	23	17	27	87

Final

6:00 PM ET, June 10, 2008
STAPLES Center
Los Angeles, CA

BOSTON CELTICS
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
Paul Pierce, SF	32	2-14	0-4	2-3	1	5	6	3	1	0	3	5	6
Kevin Garnett, PF	42	6-21	0-0	1-2	3	9	12	5	1	3	3	2	13
Kendrick Perkins, C	28	4-5	0-0	0-1	2	4	6	1	3	2	1	4	8
Ray Allen, SG	41	8-13	5-7	4-6	3	2	5	2	1	1	1	3	25
Rajon Rondo, PG	22	4-8	0-0	0-0	2	0	2	4	0	1	2	4	8
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
James Posey, SF	25	1-3	1-3	6-6	1	6	7	0	1	0	0	2	9
P.J. Brown, PF	17	1-4	0-0	1-2	0	2	2	0	0	1	2	4	3
Sam Cassell, PG	7	1-4	0-1	0-0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	1	2
Leon Powe, PF	6	0-3	0-0	1-2	2	0	2	0	0	0	1	1	1
Eddie House, PG	20	2-8	2-3	0-0	0	3	3	2	1	0	0	2	6
Tony Allen, SG	DNP COACH'S DECISION
Glen Davis, PF	DNP COACH'S DECISION
TOTALS		FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
		29-83	8-18	15-22	14	31	45	19	8	8	13	28	81
		34.9%	44.4%	68.2%	Team TO (pts off): 13 (11)
LOS ANGELES LAKERS
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
Vladimir Radmanovic, SF	13	1-4	1-2	0-0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	4	3
Lamar Odom, PF	28	2-9	0-1	0-0	1	8	9	4	1	1	5	5	4
Pau Gasol, FC	39	3-9	0-0	3-8	3	9	12	2	0	0	3	3	9
Kobe Bryant, SG	45	12-20	1-2	11-18	3	4	7	1	2	0	3	4	36
Derek Fisher, PG	28	1-6	0-1	4-4	1	2	3	1	1	0	1	1	6
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
Ronny Turiaf, C	19	0-1	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	3	0
Jordan Farmar, PG	20	2-4	1-2	0-0	0	4	4	5	0	1	0	0	5
Sasha Vujacic, SG	28	7-10	3-5	3-4	0	4	4	1	0	1	0	2	20
Luke Walton, SF	11	0-3	0-0	0-0	1	2	3	2	0	1	0	1	0
Trevor Ariza, SF	9	2-3	0-1	0-0	0	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	4
Chris Mihm, C	DNP COACH'S DECISION
Ira Newble, SF	DNP COACH'S DECISION
TOTALS		FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
		30-69	6-14	21-34	9	35	44	17	4	6	12	23	87
		43.5%	42.9%	61.8%	Team TO (pts off): 13 (19)

Lakers 102, Celtics 108

Recap Box Score Play-By-Play Shot Chart Conversation

	1	2	3	4	T
LAL (14-7)	22	20	19	41	102
BOS (16-10)	20	34	29	25	108

Final

9:00 PM ET, June 8, 2008
TD Banknorth Garden
Boston, MA

LOS ANGELES LAKERS
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
Vladimir Radmanovic, SF	31	5-12	3-7	0-0	3	7	10	2	1	0	1	3	13
Lamar Odom, PF	32	5-11	0-0	0-0	3	5	8	2	0	0	2	5	10
Pau Gasol, FC	40	8-12	0-0	1-1	3	7	10	4	1	0	1	3	17
Kobe Bryant, SG	40	11-23	1-3	7-7	1	3	4	8	3	0	4	3	30
Derek Fisher, PG	30	3-8	1-4	2-2	0	0	0	3	3	0	0	5	9
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
Trevor Ariza, SF	7	0-1	0-0	0-0	0	2	2	0	0	0	1	2	0
Luke Walton, SF	13	1-2	0-0	0-0	0	1	1	0	0	0	2	1	2
Sasha Vujacic, SG	20	3-6	2-3	0-0	0	0	0	1	0	0	2	3	8
Jordan Farmar, PG	18	3-6	3-4	0-0	1	0	1	0	0	1	0	1	9
Ronny Turiaf, C	9	2-2	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	4
Chris Mihm, C	DNP COACH'S DECISION
D.J. Mbenga, C	DNP COACH'S DECISION
TOTALS		FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
		41-83	10-21	10-10	11	25	36	20	8	1	13	28	102
		49.4%	47.6%	100.0%	Team TO (pts off): 14 (19)
BOSTON CELTICS
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
Paul Pierce, SF	41	9-16	4-4	6-7	0	4	4	8	1	1	5	4	28
Kevin Garnett, PF	39	7-19	0-0	3-4	3	11	14	3	1	1	4	1	17
Kendrick Perkins, C	14	2-2	0-0	3-3	3	0	3	1	0	0	2	4	7
Ray Allen, SG	41	6-11	3-6	2-3	1	1	2	2	0	0	2	3	17
Rajon Rondo, PG	42	1-4	0-0	2-6	1	5	6	16	2	1	2	3	4
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
P.J. Brown, PF	23	3-4	0-0	0-0	1	2	3	0	1	0	0	1	6
James Posey, SF	20	2-3	2-3	2-2	0	3	3	0	1	0	0	1	8
Leon Powe, PF	15	6-7	0-0	9-13	1	1	2	0	0	0	0	4	21
Sam Cassell, PG	6	0-2	0-1	0-0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0
Eddie House, PG	DNP COACH'S DECISION
Tony Allen, SG	DNP COACH'S DECISION
Glen Davis, PF	DNP COACH'S DECISION
TOTALS		FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
		36-68	9-14	27-38	10	27	37	31	7	3	15	21	108
		52.9%	64.3%	71.1%	Team TO (pts off): 15 (18)

Lakers 88, Celtics 98

Recap Box Score Play-By-Play Shot Chart Conversation

	1	2	3	4	T
LAL (14-7)	21	30	22	15	88
BOS (16-10)	23	23	31	21	98

Final

9:00 PM ET, June 5, 2008
TD Banknorth Garden
Boston, MA

LOS ANGELES LAKERS
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
Vladimir Radmanovic, SF	17	2-5	1-4	0-0	2	3	5	2	2	0	0	5	5
Lamar Odom, PF	39	6-11	0-1	2-5	2	4	6	1	1	0	0	5	14
Pau Gasol, FC	41	6-11	0-0	3-4	2	6	8	4	1	1	1	3	15
Kobe Bryant, SG	42	9-26	0-3	6-6	0	3	3	6	1	1	4	3	24
Derek Fisher, PG	41	4-9	1-3	6-8	0	4	4	6	3	0	2	2	15
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
Sasha Vujacic, SG	27	2-7	1-3	3-3	0	2	2	1	0	0	0	4	8
Jordan Farmar, PG	7	1-1	0-0	0-0	0	1	1	0	0	0	1	1	2
Ronny Turiaf, C	12	2-5	0-0	1-2	0	2	2	0	0	0	0	3	5
Luke Walton, SF	14	0-2	0-0	0-0	1	1	2	1	0	0	0	3	0
Chris Mihm, C	DNP COACH'S DECISION
Trevor Ariza, SF	DNP COACH'S DECISION
D.J. Mbenga, C	DNP COACH'S DECISION
TOTALS		FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
		32-77	3-14	21-28	7	26	33	21	8	2	8	29	88
		41.6%	21.4%	75.0%	Team TO (pts off): 8 (5)
BOSTON CELTICS
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
Paul Pierce, SF	31	7-10	3-4	5-7	0	4	4	2	1	0	3	4	22
Kevin Garnett, PF	41	9-22	0-0	6-6	4	9	13	3	1	0	1	3	24
Kendrick Perkins, C	23	0-1	0-0	1-2	1	3	4	0	0	1	1	4	1
Ray Allen, SG	44	5-13	2-6	7-8	1	7	8	5	1	1	4	2	19
Rajon Rondo, PG	35	4-10	0-2	7-10	1	4	5	7	0	0	2	1	15
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
James Posey, SF	23	1-6	1-5	0-0	0	2	2	0	2	0	2	3	3
P.J. Brown, PF	21	1-4	0-0	0-0	1	5	6	2	0	1	0	3	2
Leon Powe, PF	9	1-1	0-0	2-2	2	2	4	0	0	0	0	1	4
Sam Cassell, PG	13	4-9	0-2	0-0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	1	8
Eddie House, PG	DNP COACH'S DECISION
Tony Allen, SG	DNP COACH'S DECISION
Glen Davis, PF	DNP COACH'S DECISION
TOTALS		FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
		32-76	6-19	28-35	10	36	46	20	6	3	13	22	98
		42.1%	31.6%	80.0%	Team TO (pts off): 14 (13)