My NBA FINALS DIARY: He Got Game (Game2)

Michael Jordan once said “I never looked at the consequences of missing a big shot… when you think about the consequences you always think of a negative result.” Ray Allen after a dismal showing in game 1 because of foul trouble may have pondered that quote thoroughly as he shoot his way out in game 2 scoring 32 points with 8 out of 11 from the three point line eclipsing Scottie Pippen and Kenny Smith’s record of 7 three pointers in a finals game. The perfect arc, the perfect twist it was like watching a pure shooter in perpetual motion. But it wasn’t only a one man show, Rondo had a triple double racking up 19 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists right after Allen cooled down in the second half. The Celtics leveled the series and will be playing games 3 and 4 on their own turf.
The key for the Celtics win was adjustment although they still find themselves in trouble down low but Rondo’s effectiveness and Allen’s deadly shooting keep them in the game and in the last two minutes it was their team defense that gave them their edge. “An entire team effort,” Rondo said. “Ray carried us through the first half. Second half, we got in a little slump but we stuck with it, stayed together and got a victory.” Now the Celtics are going home and will try to win both games to put the Lakers back in the pressure cooker like the 2008 finals when the Celtics were leading 3-1.
The most conditioned athlete in the NBA, the 34 year old Ray Allen who last ate cheese burger while he was still 19 years old move through screens and was almost perfect beyond the arc, there was no hesitation, Ray was on a mission wanting to get back all the time he lost in game 1 all the frustrations and all the misses he doesn’t think about consequences as long as his teammates provide him his space… Swish… in goes number 8… Game 3 would be a different ball game and the Lakers will be eyeing more on Allen… Ray is just glad he got out of the slump earlier in the series and he knows whatever defense the Lakers will give him he just shoot his way out of it after all that’s what shooters are.
The New York magazine describes Allen as “a somberly effective minimalist performance.” From his movie “He got game”…. He definitely has.