With the NBA Finals it feels like everything is over-exaggerated and ridiculed. Whoever has won the most recent game is a shoe-in for champion, while the losing team’s fans feel it’s over and throw in the premature towel. While none of this truly matters until the series is completely over, it is interesting to take in the trends of a series and see what you can decipher when looking ahead to the next game.
Game 3 was deemed an important game for both squads. Boston, fresh of their win in Los Angeles on Sunday, was looking to hold home court and take a 2-1 lead in the series with the next two games at home. The Lakers were looking to bounce back from an atrocious fourth quarter on Sunday and steal home court back from the Celtics. Needless to say, quite a bit was riding on this game.
Next: The Rise and Fall of Ray Allen…
After watching Game 3 unfold before me last night I began to notice certain things, picking up some consistencies for the first time this series. First, and what I think most importantly, is that the Celtics are going to live and die by Ray Allen. There is no question that he is the straw to stir the drink, and in the only game he has showed up for so far this series the Celtics walked away with a win. In Game 1 and last night’s Game 3, Allen played horrid basketball and the Celtics dropped both games.
In a lot of ways I felt like the Lakers defense on Allen wasn’t much better last night than it was on Sunday, when Allen set an NBA record for three-point shots in the NBA Finals. Allen had open looks during Game 3, he just failed to knock them down. After the game excuses were made, mainly tired legs and bruised muscles, but the bottom line is that the shots weren’t falling. This cost Boston severely, and allowed Los Angeles to win a big game and reclaim home court advantage. Now, if you’re a Lakers fan you should also be encouraged with the way the team is playing despite poor efforts from some of their key players. Lamar Odom had a good game if you were to just focus on the box score, but in reality was a no-show for much of Game 3, continuing the trend from the first two games of the series. While Odom was 5-5 from the field with 12 points, he was not nearly as assertive as Phil and the Lakers would probably like him to be. Despite the perfect percentage from the floor, Odom was MIA for much of Game 3.
Another strong no-show, at least offensively, was Ron Artest. This is another continuing trend that we are witnessing more of as this series progresses. Unlike Odom, however, Artest is able to redeem his poor offensive performances by his tenacity and toughness on the opposite end of the floor. Artest had 2 points on 1-4 shooting in Game 3, but had a key steal in the fourth and harassed Paul Pierce to the tone of 15 points on 5-12 field goals. If he can continue to be a thorn in Pierce’s side for the rest of the series, any offensive production will have to be considered charity for Los Angeles. Next: Positives, Negatives, and the Ever-Important Adjustments
Next: Taking a Closer Look at the Big Baby
One of the strong performances I took out of Game 3 for Boston was Glen Davis. Davis gave Doc Rivers and the Celtics some very strong minutes off the bench, especially in the second half. Davis played a physical post game and used his bulk to overpower Lamar Odom in the post, and finished the game with 12 points and 3 boards. If Davis can continue to give Boston solid minutes off the bench while the starters are resting it will really help them out throughout the remainder of the series.
Kevin Garnett also made an appearance last night, and was easily the Celtics most productive player. After two poor performances in L.A. and plenty of media scrutiny, Garnett was quick to show that his career isn’t dead quite yet. He bolted out of the gates, scoring the first four points of the game, and finished the night with 25 points and 6 rebounds, by far his best performance of the series thus far.
For Boston, do you feel disappointed that you wasted Garnett’s only positive game so far this series, or do you feel he’ll be back to do it again on Thursday? Also, do the Lakers feel they dodged a bullet and that Garnett will be unable to keep up this high level of play for the next few games? This is just one of the many intriguing story lines propelling us towards Game 4.
Next: Hook. Line. Sinker. Fish.
Now onto the Lakers. First of all, Derek Fisher. I find it amusing that every year in January there are discussions involving his age and deteriorating play at the point guard, but in June it is nothing but comments on his clutch abilities and his savvy in the NBA Finals. In a game that featured Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Pau Gasol, and Rajon Rondo, Derek Fisher decided this game. The point guard from Little Rock, Arkansas was more valuable than any of the blue-chip prospects or high school phenoms. The Lakers do not win this game without Derek Fisher’s contributions in the fourth. Period.
As a life-long Derek Fisher fan, nothing gives me more pleasure than seeing this man come up big game after game in the post-season. His 11 points in the fourth quarter allowed the Lakers to keep their lead, and ultimately seal the deal on Boston’s come-back attempts. It doesn’t matter who he’s playing or what is stacked against him, when there is a big game on the line Derek Fisher delivers time and time again.
On the Lakers side there were several supporting players last night who deserved plenty of credit. First of all, Andrew Bynum. If there is one guy who isn’t getting enough credit so far in this NBA Finals it’s Bynum. Bum knee and all, the Lakers young center is using his size and strength to overpower a shorter, and sometimes more fragile Boston frontcourt. However, as great as he has played so far in this series the most telling sign from him came from his reactions on the bench.
Late in the fourth quarter of Game 3, when the game was anything but decided, Bynum was on the sideline jumping and cheering his team on, understanding that he didn’t have to be in the game to make a difference. This is something you love to see from anyone, but when you get that energy and emotion from a starting center who might be riffed they’re not closing the game on the floor you must give him some credit.
Another strong supporting cast member for the Lakers last night was Luke Walton. After Artest picked up two early fouls Walton checked in early and played above average basketball for head coach Phil Jackson. Walton, like Fisher, often gets a bad rep amongst fans and media members alike who feel like he isn’t contributing enough on the floor. Also, much like Fisher, I have been a Luke Walton fan for years. Walton is the epitome of controlled offense, most of the time. While he has moments where he makes dumb passes or takes poor shots, for the great majority of the time he works the offense and turns down good shots to get his teammates great shots.
Walton put forth only 13 minutes on the court last night, and didn’t light up the box score by any means. But he played hard, aggressive defense on Pierce and gave an all-out effort that any coach would be proud of. When players step up for their down teammates it can define a team, and in my opinion Luke Walton is the definition of a team basketball player.
Next: Looking Towards Game 4 and the Rest of the Series…
Now all of this over-analyzing isn’t going to mean much of anything on Thursday night when these two teams collide for Game 4, but for now this is what is important in the basketball world. Both teams will make adjustments, and both teams will try hard to win Game 4. However, if you’re the Boston Celtics you need to understand that the next two games are must-win games because heading back to Los Angeles down 3-2 is a very bad idea.
It is hard to say who should feel more fortunate heading into Game 4 on Thursday night. On one hand you have the Celtics, who managed to keep last night’s game close despite wretched performances from Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. On the other is Los Angeles, who has had two straight poor shooting nights, albeit 50 points combined, from Kobe Bryant, and practically nothing out of Artest and Odom, yet still lead the series 2-1. In a series that is supposed to be defined by big players making big plays, this series has had everyone scratching their heads thus far.