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Lakers Defeated Game 2 Play 3 in LA by www.jamestowncalif.com Sports

The Los Angeles Lakers get defeated Game 2 at Boston 108-102. And it does hurt getting defeated by the Celtics now the Lakers face their biggest challenge. The Lakers beat themselves, and while the stats are misleading, the Celtics dominated this ball game most of the way. It was a must win for both teams, and the Celtics are now leading this series 2-0 go to LA to play 3. For the Celtics what was at stake was defending their home court early in the series by going up 2-0 rather than it being 1-1 with three in Los Angeles. The Lakers came out to play Game 2, and looked good in the half court game in the first quarter taking a 22-20 lead. Pau Gasol was going one and one with Garnett dunking one in his face, and make some sweet post moves scoring with the left hand.
This series is how I remember Lakers/Celtics series in that when the games are played at Boston, the refs do make some bad calls, or tic tac calls, and not being consistent at times early when it does affect the outcome of the game. The Lakers were playing according to game plan, playing aggressive, and Kobe sharing the ball with his team mates early getting them involved. Defense switched on Gasol where Perkins guarded him rather than KG.
Then came the whistle. Kobe gets called for his second foul early in the game where he checks Allen going for the ball, and after that Kobe was on the bench. The refs looked like they were waiting for that play, then to make the call early. You can't score points from the bench, so Boston was looking good in the 2nd quarter with Pierce making those three pointers outscore the Lakers 34-20. The Lakers sat at 22 for a juncture.
The Lakers Odom and Fisher also played with foul trouble with 3 each before halftime. Lamar was in the game with 3 fouls as Coach Jackson was not substituting for him.
Coach Jackson needed players coming off the bench to provide points, production, and minutes, and the bench did not do well against the Celtics bench. The Celtics role players with KG on the bench did a spectacular job, and the game came down to bench production in my opinion. Even with all that, the Lakers still in the game at halftime with the score 54-44.
The Lakers were all in foul trouble and the Celtics Powe, #0, was all over the basketball court making points and providing defense.
Then came the 3rd quarter, and the Lakers lost their composure in that quarter getting outscored 29-19 and down by 20, 83-63. It was ugly, and it was bad, but Lakers fans always believe in their team, and while people were all criticizing, the Lakers after being blown out of this game, make a tremendous fourth quarter surge outscoring the Celtics 41-25 in the 4th, and came within 2 points at 104-102 with a minute to go. The Lakers had this one, and the Celtics almost let this game get away luckily for them.
It was the little things that made the difference of this game. While Radmanovich goes plus 11, I didn't see it scores 13. He blew rebound opportunities late in the game where the Celtics scored on the second attempt. The Lakers role players go minus 12 for Turiaf scores 4 points, Luke Walton minus 16 scores 2 points, Farmar minus 16 scores a late 3 before the end of the 1st quarter scores 9 points, Vujacic goes minus 2 scores 8 points, but made some terrible passes all game. The Lakers Ariza played almost 7 minutes, and scores no points.
Lakers highs: Kobe Bryant scores 30 points, Odom scores 10, Gasol scores 17 points. Both Radmanivich and Gasol get 10 rebounds a piece, but the Lakers as a team still need to rebound the basketball better.
The factors in this series is that the Lakers have been out muscled in the lane, and at the same time have not been quick enough to contest the outside shots where the Celtics go 9-14 from 3 point FG's. There were five lead changes, and three times this game was tied. The Celtics got all the calls early and it affected the outcome in that the refs didn't let the players play. Still, the Lakers down 0-2 have three games in LA beginning Tuesday.
The Lakers shot 41-83 FG's, 49% which is good, but it didn't look like it until the 4th quarter while the Celtics go 53%, 36-68 so the Lakers had more shot attempts. Every time the Lakers had some momentum, the Celtics would make a run. Pierce and Allens' back to back three's looked good, but it is still 0-2 with 3 in LA.
This series is going to come down to coaching. The Lakers players will have to perform in LA and win all three games in order to remain in this series and force game 6 in Boston. Right now the Celtics have the 2 wins, and it is just how I remember the series from the 80's where the Lakers are under pressure and being challenged by a worthy opponent, but it means a little more against the Celtics.
The Games in LA, the players will have to play a lot better than they did at Boston. Most of all the Lakers have to win all three at home to protect their home court, and get another crack at the Celtics in front of the Boston fans whom were loud Sunday Night. It was an exciting game.
In the broadcasting booth, after Powe made a coast to coast dribble drive for the dunk in
front of all the Lakers defenders, one of the broadcasters said that Powe looked like Dr.J. I didn't even think of it, and liked the statement even though I knew that was not Dr.J, but who cares? Obviously the other broadcaster. In the booth, you should never criticize your fellow broadcast while on the air, and that is what happened in rebuttal saying that for that comment that it was the worst comment ever made on an ABC Broadcast. That is what they teach in school not to criticize the other broadcaster even if you disagree with him, or there is an error on the call. The Lakers go 10-10 at the free throw line while the Celtics go 27-38 FT's 71%.
What went wrong for the Lakers? The Lakers as a team turned the ball over 14 times. The Lakers played good defense at times, but not all game. The Lakers get defeated by 6 points making that incredible run late in the game showed the Celtics that this series is not over. The Lakers need to win game 3 convincingly. Kobe is going to have to step it up in Los Angeles as the Lakers need the MVP now more than ever.
thank you
re box scores http://www.nba.com/games/20080608/LALBOS/boxscore.html
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