CELTICS, LAKERS, TAKE FIRST STEP TO FINALS

 

 

Well, first there were 30, then 16, then 8 and now four. Two per conference, each wanting to be the team that gets to compete for the Larry O'Brian trophy. It's the 2008 NBA conference Finals and not only are there no hiding places but there are no weak teams whatsoever. Three of the teams involved have won the title within the last ten years. The fourth team hasn't even made the Finals in my memory but do have the best regular season record this season. So, no room for an off night, let's see what they can do!

In the East the Celtics faced the Pistons in Boston. Well the Celtics surged ahead early on but the Pistons came back late in the 1st quarter to lead but that was only a brief blip. The Pistons opened the second quarter on the front foot and tied the game before the Celts replied but the playoff veterans weren't going anywhere any time soon and led 39-34 with less than four minutes to go in the half but the Celtics made it back from there led by Kevin Garnett's 14 points and led 41-40 at the half.

The Pistons opened the scoring in the third to lead 42-41 but after that the Celts just exploded! The Pistons did a decent enough damage limitation job in the early stages of the quarter but the Celts lead still hit double digits and there was seemingly no way back. Credit to the Pistons for outscoring the Celts in the fourth but they never really came close and the barely kept the deficit to single digits. The Celtics were led by KG on 26 points backed up by Paul Pierce on 22. They won the game 88-79.

Out West, the Lakers faced the Spurs in LA. The early stages of the first quarter were tight to start with but then the Spurs took over and it took a Lakers surge to stop them from running away with the game by the end of the first quarter. The Lakers were back in it for a while in the second and tied the game at 33 but then the Spurs really did get some breathing space and the Lakers looked headed for embarrassment. Tim Duncan returned to form with 16 points at the half, Spurs led 51-43.

Well the opened the third in a merciless mood. Their lead first hit double digits and then broke the twenty point barrier. Late on in the quarter the Lakers started comeback which cut the deficit significantly but the Spurs were still leading 72-65 with a quarter to go. The early part of the fourth quarter looked pretty even and of course that would be advantage Spurs but Kobe had other ideas and tied the game with just over three minutes on the clock before the Lakers took the lead thirty second later this completing an amazing comeback! Kobe grabbed 26 points, Lakers won 89-85.

One down, three to go!

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