CELTICS EVEN IT UP

 

(Image taken from NBA.com)

The 2010 NBA Finals between the Celtics and the Lakers had officially started. It was the Lakers that had taken the first step to glory, winning Game 1 102-89 in LA. Still, the defending champions weren't out of the woods. The Lakers still had to hold on to homecourt advantage by winning Game 2 in LA. After that, the teams would shift to Boston where the series and of course the trophy could well be decided on Celtic turf. The '08 champions may not have been the East's expected representatives in the Finals but surely they would not want to get swept. It was time to see if they could step it up and make these Finals a contest to remember.

Well we started with Game 2 in LA. Of course the Lakers were going to come out strong and they led 7-2 with 9:46 left in the 1st but the Celtics weren't going to let them run away with it this time. By the end of the opener they'd turned the game round and left Phil Jackson with a lot of work to do. The Lakers didn't score for the opening minute of the 2nd quarter and were barely able to stay afloat after that, as the Celtics looked to wrap up the half. The Lakers did reign them in late on but this certainly wasn't how they were going to collect another title. Celtics led 54-48 with Ray Allen on 27 points. The home side needed a big second half.

The start of the 3rd quarter saw the Lakers come back to duel for the lead and looked to be getting the edge in the contest. The Lakers went on to maintain their lead but indeed the Celtics did come back and with a quarter to go, the game was left tied at 72. Though the Celtics had the early edge in the 4th, the Lakers did go on to retake the lead and going into the final minutes the game was still very much up for grabs. With 5:21 left in the game, the Lakers led 90-87. However then the Lakers proceded to somehow collapse and in doing so gave away homecourt advantage. Celtics won 103-94 with Allen finishing on 32 points and Rajon Rondo backing him up on 19.

Game 3 saw the series switch to Boston. The Celtics looked merciless early on, coming out to a 12-5 lead with 7:55 left in the 1st. However the Lakers picked themselves up and went on to not only turn the game round but effectivly shut the Celtics down by the time of the opening buzzer. In the early stages of the 2nd quarter the Lakers lead hit double figures and you had to think hard to remember whose court this game was meant to be on. Though they'd come East with their backs against the wall though, the Lakers came into half time leading 52-40. Kobe Bryant was on 16 points and the result of Game 2 looked likely to fade into the mists of time.

Early on in the third quarter, the Celtics took a bite out of the lead and managed to cut the gap down a fair bit. However both teams then fell into a massive drought that lasted for the best part of three minutes which was fine for the Lakers. Once the ball started going in the basket again, the Celtic were able to cut the gap further. The Celtics kept going early in the 4th and went on to cut the gap to one with just over eight minutes left in the game. The Lakers held on though and eventually managed to see off the Celtics and retake homecourt advantage to the tune of 91-84. Bryant grabbed 29 points with Derek Fisher turning back the clock to back him up with 16.

The two sides stayed in Boston for Game 4. Well there wasn't much breathing space between the two sides early on in the 1st in what was a crucial game. Still it was the Celtics that grabbed the edge in what proved to be a low scoring period and they led 19-16 at the end of one. The two sides continued to duel in the early stagews of the 4th quarter though but it proved to be very much a defensive contest, highlighted by another long-mid-quarter drought. When the teams started scoring again though, it was the Lakers that came out on top. They led 45-42 at half time with Pau Gasol on 31 points. What did the Celtics have left in reserve?

The answer turned out to be their reserves yet they wouldn't come into play for a while. In the meantime the two sides continued to push each other early in the third. The Lakers held on though and scrapped their way to the third buzzer with a 62-60 lead. Now was the time that the Boston bench mob made their presence known as they turned the game around and streaked away early in the 4th, leaving the Lakers looking for a late comeback. That comeback did not happen and the Lakers did well not to lose by double digits. Celtics won 96-89 with Paul Pierce leading them with 19 points. That set up a three-gamer with a garuntee that it'll be won in LA.

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