After Game 1 with all the media hypsters saying that the Lakers had out-toughed the Celtics, Phil Jackson expected the Celtics to pound the Lakers inside.
Jackson had D.J. Mbenga and Josh Powell rough up Pau Gasol in practice on Saturday to ready him for a tough physical game inside.
But Doc Rivers had a different idea.
Instead, the Celtics went outside with their guards doing most of the damage to build a 14-point lead early in the second quarter. Rajon Rondo was everywhere, grabbing rebounds and setting up plays for Ray Allen who hit seven straight three-pointers and scored 27 points in the first half.
Defense was where the Celtics played a tough physical game inside, boxing out Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum who had only five rebounds between them in the half.
As a team the Celtics out-rebounded the Lakers 23-19 in the first half. Thanks to who? Perkins? Garnett? Davis? No, Rajon Rondo.
But the Lakers cut into the Celtics lead in the last minute of the half with Gasol putting in a layup and hitting the free throw for a three-point play. Then Kobe Bryant stole the inbound pass and hit a three-pointer to cut the Celtics lead to 54-48 at halftime.
The Lakers came out firing in the third period and took the lead briefly 57-56. The Celtics came back to tie the game. Then Rajon Rondo stole the ball from Kobe Bryant and got Bryant to commit his fourth foul.
Without Bryant in the game, Rondo got the ball to a wide-open Ray Allen who knocked down his eighth three-pointer to go into the NBA Finals record book.
It was up to Pau Gasol to hold down the fort while Bryant was on the bench. Gasol finished the quarter with 24 points as the Celtics and Lakers ended the quarter tied at 72 and shooting 43% and 42% respectively.
The final period began with Bryant picki...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
