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Eddie House beat the Lakers? For reals? AP Photo/Mark Avery
Gutless. Pathetic. Pitiful. Sorry. And that’s being generous to the Lakers.
Lamar Odom started out the game with a driving layup, and it looked like with that intensity it would be a foregone conclusion the Lakers would win. Lamar and the rest of the Lakers kept up the intensity in the first quarter pulling out to a 21-point lead, the largest lead at the end of the first quarter in NBA Finals history.
Though the Celtics chipped away at the lead in the second quarter, the Lakers kept things going attacking the rim and using their passing to get open shots when needed. Their defense also frustrated the Celtics to 37 percent shooting. Kevin Garnett settled for outside shots, and with Rajon Rondo still affected by his ankle sprain they were forced to rely more on Eddie House and Sam Cassell as their point guards.
With seven minutes left to go in the third quarter, the Lakers were up by 20 points. Then the choke started.
For some reason the Lakers decided to ditch everything they did well in the first half. Rather than pass the ball to unclog the lanes, they decided to try and create their own shots. The spectacular defense they displayed in the first half were laid to ruins by stupid fouls and blown assignments. And yet again the Boston bench outperformed the Lakers 35-15.
The Lakers looked like they were coasting in the third quarter. With a 20-point lead they figured they could throw up shots at will and the Celtics would just go away.
But the Celtics didn't go away, and once the Lakers realized that they couldn't come back with the same intensity they displayed in the first quarter. Every play looked like it was played on the sands of the Sahara. The Lakers were that much slower and that much more lackadaisical in the final 19 minutes.
On paper the Lakers should have won the game. They were healthy. Hell, the Celtics had to rely on Eddie House as a point guard! The
Shoulda, woulda, coulda.
With their backs against the wall, the Lakers now have no margin for error. There's no time to let a 24-point lead evaporate. There's no time for Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol to pussyfoot their way around the basket.
Apart from the first quarter of this game, nothing in this series indicates the Lakers have what it takes to beat the Celtics once much less thrice. The Celtics have imposed their will upon the Lakers. They're the ones who have been the aggressors making the Lakers look namby-pamby trying to skirt around the defenders.
On Laker's Line on KLAC, many callers thought the Lakers still have a chance to win the series. From the sound of it they have been sipping too much on what Vic the Brick has been drinking.
Let's face the facts. The Lakers are done. Boston will mercifully end this charade on Sunday. And the Lakers can yet again be described as another "L" word: Losers.
