Lakers-Celtics Game Two: Celtics Outmuscle Overmatched Lakers

In the NBA, any step off the accelerator will lead to a previously vanquished opponent rapidly approaching in your rear-view mirror.

While much of the Lakers’ 31-9 fourth quarter run should be attributed to the Celtics’ prematurely lighting their victory cigars, the Lakers may have found their blueprint to solving the vaunted Celtics defense.

Over the first 40 minutes or so, the Lakers played with their normal rotation of Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, Vladimir Radmanovic, Kobe Bryant, and Derek Fisher, with Ronny Turiaf as a backup center, Luke Walton as a backup forward, and Jordan Farmar and Sasha Vujacic coming as guards, moving Bryant to the small forward during their rotation. This rotation didn’t work for a several important reasons:

1. With Kendrick Perkins sagging off, and Kevin Garnett waiting in the wings, Lamar Odom had no way to use his phenomenal length and quick ups to his advantage. The Celtics turned him into a jump shooter (1-3 on jumpers), and therefore, a non-factor.

2.The Celtics bumped cutters and used their long arms to obstruct any open passes within the confines of the triangle. The Celtics also put pressure on the Lakers triangle trigger pass from the top into Pau Gasol on the high elbow, and then jammed the weak-side cutters on the opposite baseline and wing.

3. Kobe had some success losing Ray Allen around double screens, but he was often met with ten eyes and ten arms glued to his every movement preventing him from getting to the rim. Again, Kobe hit his share of spectacular jumpers, but more than half of Kobe’s assists, and almost half his points, came in the fourth quarter—too little too late.

4. Kobe took advantage of a disproportionate amount of Celtics switches on defense, going 2-2 against Rajon Rondo, 1-1 against P.J. Brown, 0-2 against Kendrick Perkins, and 1-1 on Leon Powe.

5. The remainder of Kobe’s 7-17 came from going 4-6 against James Posey, 1-3 against Paul Pierce, and 2-8 against Ray Allen.

6. Kobe’s best performances came in high screen/roll situations where he would draw help and make beautiful passes to open teammates (namely Pau Gasol) for layups on the backside of the defense. Attempts to post Kobe up on Ray Allen were thwarted by quick double teams and smart help by the original defender not to give Kobe the baseline.

7. Sasha Vujacic and Jordan Farmar played way too fast and out of control.

8. Vladimir Radmanovic hit his share of open shots (5-12 FG, 3-7 3FG, 13 PTS), but at the small forward position, he was forced to defend Paul Pierce and was eaten alive.

9. Ronnie Turiaf played hard off the bench, but Trevor Ariza looked lost and unprepared for important minutes, while Luke Walton over-handled, played zero defense, and looked too scared for prime time.

10. Of the Lakers starters, only Pau Gasol (8-12 FG, 10 REB, 17 PTS) had an above average first three quarters. He attacked Kevin Garnett’s body aggressively for hooks, strong layups, and a poster-sized dunk. When matched with Kendrick Perkins, Gasol used the right combination of aggression and finesse, breaking out a series of nifty fakes and pivots leading to crafty hook shots.

However, Vladimir Radmanovic filled the four-spot in the fourth, the Celtics went to sleep, and the Lakers were able to blast a barrage of three-balls nearly leading to an improbably victory. Radmanovic has to be given more minutes at the four spot for several reasons:

1. He won’t be a defensive liability against Kevin Garnett because Garnett doesn’t want to play in the post. Whatever jump shooting Kevin Garnett can provide can certainly be matched by V-Rad.

2. His presence behind the arc will open up space for Pau Gasol to work against the shorter Kendrick Perkins, P.J. Brown, and Leon Powe.

3. During the endgame, Bryant plays a lot of small forward, with Vujacic and Fisher at the guards so the backcourt can tolerate the increased minutes.

4. Kobe at the three will force Paul Pierce to switch on to him or defend Vujacic. Given how effective Ray Allen has defended Kobe, any opportunity to get Allen off of Kobe is a plus.

5. It isn’t as if Ariza or Walton are going to provide anything anyway.

Meanwhile, the Celtics did nearly everything right.

Paul Pierce (9-16 FG, 4-4 3FG, 4 REB, 8 AST, 5 TO, 1 BLK, 28 PTS) abused Radmanovic and Walton, and with the game suddenly up for grabs, Pierce drove the ball straight into Kobe for a layup and later lost Kobe on a screen to draw a pivotal foul leading to the game-clinching free throws.

Pierce was a creator and a finisher, a scorer and a defender, he scored effortlessly, attacked defensive mismatches, rotated perfectly, and made the clutch plays to win the game. Kobe may be the regular season MVP, but Pierce has played like the best player in the series.

Ray Allen (6-11 FG, 3-6 3FG, 17 PTS) abused Kobe through screens and played adhesive defense. Whatever struggles Allen previously had during the playoffs are a thing of the past.

Kevin Garnett missed most of his jumpers and did most of his damage during the least pressure-packed part of the game—he was 3-13 with one assist and four turnovers late in the third, and he missed his two jumpers during the Lakers comeback—and was outmuscled by Pau Gasol on defense. Garnett earned his bones, though, by corralling 14 rebounds.

Kendrick Perkins (2-2 FG, 7 PTS) was able to hit a turnaround over Gasol, and a muscle shot through Gasol, but was in foul trouble throughout.

Leon Powe (6-7 FG, 9-13 FT, 21 PTS) had the game of a lifetime, outworking the Lakers under the basket, taking Luke Walton off the dribble, and even dribbling coast-to-coast for a dunk! With three Lakers back on defense! Pierce was Boston’s best player, but Powe provided the extra spark to lift Boston over the top.

Rajon Rondo consistently made brilliant plays and snappy decisions—16 assists, two turnovers. The Celtics were always in scoring position when Rondo had the ball in his hands.

James Posey was a half-step slow for Kobe Bryant, but he worked hard and hit a pair of threes.

P.J. Brown (3-4 FG, 3 REB, 1 AST, 6 PTS) rotated, played smart defense, moved the ball, and converted his open looks.

The Celtics defense was a well-organized unit that understood what the Lakers wanted to do and how to throw them off. Their offense was a patient machine that churned out open look after open look.

Meanwhile, the Lakers look too young, too soft, and too defenseless to hang with the bigger, stronger Celtics.

Unless the Lakers can make some quick adjustments (Radmanovic at the four?) the Celtics look primed for a sweep.