Somehow, Vegas still sees the Lakers as favorite in this one

[branchinator]

There's a reason why Derek Fisher was terrible with Golden State and Utah. He sucks. Fisher's biggest attribute is that he hits a lot of clutch shots that are generated off of double teams to Kobe/Gasol. There's no way Fisher would be playing more than 5-10 mpg for the Celtics. And if KG were healthy, Odom wouldn't be playing much for the Celtics either. Bynum would probably start over Perkins but it'd be pretty close.

Wouldn't you think that Fisher would play over Krypto-Nate? Being the primary backup at PG for the Celtics could be interpreted as "playing meaningful minutes".

Nate has barely played this postseason. If Rondo is healthy, he plays 38-43 mpg, which leaves about 5-10 for the backup. I don't think 5-10 minutes is meaningful.

[twballgame9]

Bynum is the only one of those three that would play at all, and he definitely would not start over Perk. Bynum is a slightly better player overall and a much better offensive player. But Perk is arguably the second best defensive center in the NBA, and the Celtics wouldn't need the scoring.

[twballgame9]

There's a reason why Derek Fisher was terrible with Golden State and Utah. He sucks. Fisher's biggest attribute is that he hits a lot of clutch shots that are generated off of double teams to Kobe/Gasol. There's no way Fisher would be playing more than 5-10 mpg for the Celtics. And if KG were healthy, Odom wouldn't be playing much for the Celtics either. Bynum would probably start over Perkins but it'd be pretty close.

Wouldn't you think that Fisher would play over Krypto-Nate? Being the primary backup at PG for the Celtics could be interpreted as "playing meaningful minutes".

Nate has barely played this postseason. If Rondo is healthy, he plays 38-43 mpg, which leaves about 5-10 for the backup. I don't think 5-10 minutes is meaningful.

And those minutes go to Allen, who the Celtics have to play to give an extra defender on Kobe/Wade/Carter/LeBron.

[cvilleagle]

Bynum is the only one of those three that would play at all, and he definitely would not start over Perk. Bynum is a slightly better player overall and a much better offensive player. But Perk is arguably the second best defensive center in the NBA, and the Celtics wouldn't need the scoring.

I think it depends on what you mean by "meaningful minutes", clearly, but I think Bynum would take some of perkins' minutes if/when they need offense. He and Odom would both be threats to take minutes from Big Baby.

As for Fisher, Tony Allen has been getting a good number of minutes recently. I could see Fisher playing in that spot since he's not a true point anyways. Obviously he's not taking minutes from Rondo or Allen.

[eaglesmith]

Your analysis is a joke:

1. Ray Allen has averaged 21 ppg against the Lakers in his career. Last night he got 32 points. +11.
2. Paul Pierce has averaged 27 ppg against the Lakers. Last night he got 10. - 17.
3. KG has averaged 20 ppg against the Lakers. Last night he got 6. -14.

All fundamentals were in our favor last night. From an individualities perspective, Piece and Garnett underperformed much more than Ray Allen and Rondo outperformed.

While I expect that at this point Rondo is basically going to be a stud every night, Pierce will play better, and that Ray Allen is going to have at least one more night (perhaps not 8 of 9 from three, but close) like he did in Game 2, it's pretty foolish to post KG's career averages against the Lakers and use that as a starting point to determine how the rest of the series is going to go. KG is clearly hurt, whatever cortisone shot they put in his knee has worn off, and he's not going to provide 20 ppg the rest of the series. He can still hit the 15-18 foot jumper and play great defense, but he's a shell of the old KG who put up 25/15/5 in the 2004 playoffs.

[eaglesmith]

Also, if you don't think Odom would get Big Baby's minutes, considering the matchup problems he would pose, you're nuts. And Artest might be an offensive suckhole at this point, but you can still stick him on the other team's best scorer and expect good things.

[twballgame9]

Also, if you don't think Odom would get Big Baby's minutes, considering the matchup problems he would pose, you're nuts. And Artest might be an offensive suckhole at this point, but you can still stick him on the other team's best scorer and expect good things.

Yeah, no. Odom is a pussy in the paint, and can't shoot as well as Big Baby. The guy doesn't even get legit minutes on the Lakers anymore.

Pierce and Allen play 40 minutes a game. There would be no substantial minutes for Artest.

Kobe, Gasol and some decent minutes for Bynum (though not as many as you guys pretend). No one else on the Lakers could play for the Celtics, and Fisher wouldn't even make that team. The Lakers are a two man show - two very good players, but two players nonetheless.

[branchinator]

Lamar Odom is one of the most overrated players in the NBA and I wouldn't trade Baby for him. He's like the Bill Hall of the NBA. He does a lot of things...and none of them particularly well.

[OldEaglePub]

3. KG has averaged 20 ppg against the Lakers. Last night he got 6. -14.

From an individualities perspective, Piece and Garnett underperformed much more than Ray Allen and Rondo outperformed.

...it's pretty foolish to post KG's career averages against the Lakers and use that as a starting point to determine how the rest of the series is going to go. KG is clearly hurt, whatever cortisone shot they put in his knee has worn off, and he's not going to provide 20 ppg the rest of the series. He can still hit the 15-18 foot jumper and play great defense, but he's a shell of the old KG who put up 25/15/5 in the 2004 playoffs.

His career against the Lakers is exactly that, a starting point. From which you have to subtract to account for age and injury. Still, Garnett's performance in GAME 2 was very poor and nowhere close to his Game 1 against LA and entire series against Cleveland. Garnett should still be able to get 14-18 points every single night.

Jun 6 @ LAL: 6 pts
Jun 3 @ LAL 16 pts
May 28 ORL: 10 pts
May 26 @ ORL: 10 pts
May 24 ORL: 14 pts
May 22 ORL: 10 pts
May 18 @ ORL: 10 pts
May 16 @ ORL: 8 pts
May 13 CLE: 22 pts
May 11 @ CLE: 18 pts
May 9 CLE: 18 pts
May 7 CLE: 19 pts
May 3 @ CLE: 18 pts
May 1 @ CLE: 18 pts
Apr 27 MIA: 14 pts
Apr 25 @ MIA: 18 pts
Apr 23 @ MIA: 16 pts
Apr 20 MIA: 0 pts

[eaglesmith]

I'm not saying he can't be productive, but when he goes from 19 ppg (Cleveland) to 9 ppg (Orlando) it certainly suggests to be that a cortisone shot has worn off. Rashard Lewis was not suddenly dominating him defensively. Lewis is an awful post defender, who's overall game is akin to Odom's (ie: floats outside too much for a player his size, lacks interior toughness, not good in the clutch). If the Lakers ignore him, he'll sit there and hit the medium-range jumpers all day, but he's going to have a hard time slowing down Gasol.

[twballgame9]

I'm not saying he can't be productive, but when he goes from 19 ppg (Cleveland) to 9 ppg (Orlando) it certainly suggests to be that a cortisone shot has worn off. Rashard Lewis was not suddenly dominating him defensively. Lewis is an awful post defender, who's overall game is akin to Odom's (ie: floats outside too much for a player his size, lacks interior toughness, not good in the clutch). If the Lakers ignore him, he'll sit there and hit the medium-range jumpers all day, but he's going to have a hard time slowing down Gasol.

There is also some evidence that the knee may not be the only injury with which KG is playing.

[eaglesmith]

I'm not saying he can't be productive, but when he goes from 19 ppg (Cleveland) to 9 ppg (Orlando) it certainly suggests to be that a cortisone shot has worn off. Rashard Lewis was not suddenly dominating him defensively. Lewis is an awful post defender, who's overall game is akin to Odom's (ie: floats outside too much for a player his size, lacks interior toughness, not good in the clutch). If the Lakers ignore him, he'll sit there and hit the medium-range jumpers all day, but he's going to have a hard time slowing down Gasol.

There is also some evidence that the knee may not be the only injury with which KG is playing.

I haven't been following much of the write-up stuff between games. What is this injury?

[twballgame9]

I'm not saying he can't be productive, but when he goes from 19 ppg (Cleveland) to 9 ppg (Orlando) it certainly suggests to be that a cortisone shot has worn off. Rashard Lewis was not suddenly dominating him defensively. Lewis is an awful post defender, who's overall game is akin to Odom's (ie: floats outside too much for a player his size, lacks interior toughness, not good in the clutch). If the Lakers ignore him, he'll sit there and hit the medium-range jumpers all day, but he's going to have a hard time slowing down Gasol.

There is also some evidence that the knee may not be the only injury with which KG is playing.

I haven't been following much of the write-up stuff between games. What is this injury?

He's rebounding with one arm (he was excoriated for it in the last game by van Gundy) and was seen briefly on the bench grimacing and rubbing the left shoulder. If he has rotator cuff issues, it would explain his recent rebounding ineptness. The knee should not prevent a guy that tall from going after and securing boards with two hands. I think the knee is as healed as you can expect - I think he has a different issue.

[BCEagles25]

Bynum is the only one of those three that would play at all, and he definitely would not start over Perk. Bynum is a slightly better player overall and a much better offensive player. But Perk is arguably the second best defensive center in the NBA, and the Celtics wouldn't need the scoring.

I disagree. Odom is a pretty versatile and experienced player, he would find a solid 15 minutes on any NBA team.

[twballgame9]

Bynum is the only one of those three that would play at all, and he definitely would not start over Perk. Bynum is a slightly better player overall and a much better offensive player. But Perk is arguably the second best defensive center in the NBA, and the Celtics wouldn't need the scoring.

I disagree. Odom is a pretty versatile and experienced player, he would find a solid 15 minutes on any NBA team.

Odom is fucking horrible, and lazy on top of it.

The officiating is a fucking joke. It's almost laughable. The touch fouls versus hacking no calls are bad enough, but the totally arbitrary and capricious "illegal screen" should be an embarrassment to the NBA.

I get a kick out of the "foul discrepancy" comments. Mark Jackson says "that is not a foul" about 8 times, but knows that the Stern Gestapo will end his career if he says what he want to say about the "foul discrepancy".

And be sure that this is about to switch around from an officiating standpoint. The Celtics will get every call until this inevitably ends up close in the third quarter, just like every other NBA game. Joke.

[twballgame9]

Lakers are getting every bounce, every call (yet bitching nonetheless) and the Celtics are missing free throws, throwing the ball away, shooting like shit, having every close shot roll out, and are not getting a single call. If this game is 10 or less at the half, it's a frigging miracle.

[eaglesmith]

Pierce and Allen play 40 minutes a game. There would be no substantial minutes for Artest.

Wouldn't it benefit the Celtics, at this point in Allen and Pierce's careers, to play them about 32 MPG and have Artest fill in the gap with the other 15? So long as you could pound it into Ron-Ron's head that he needs to pass at least twice as often as he shoots?

[eaglesmith]

Having only heard the first half on the radio, either KG is going to completely disappear in the 2nd half, or else he got another cortisone shot. I did hear about his one-armed rebounding again, so maybe he didn't get one in his shoulder. He's been effective offensively, obviously.

[twballgame9]

Having only heard the first half on the radio, either KG is going to completely disappear in the 2nd half, or else he got another cortisone shot. I did hear about his one-armed rebounding again, so maybe he didn't get one in his shoulder. He's been effective offensively, obviously.

He's destroying Gasol by going right at him. The rebounding is still weak though.

[BCEagles25]

How can Paul Pierce dribble with his thumb up his ass?

[eaglesmith]

37% shooting and they're only down 10? Wow.

[twballgame9]

Celtics want to beat this team, they need to do what they have been doing all playoffs - run. They look terrible in the half court.

The Lakers get away with rape, theft and murder in the paint. Bynum is a talentless thug. Like a really fat, slow Dwight Howard.

[eaglesmith]

Celtics want to beat this team, they need to do what they have been doing all playoffs - run. They look terrible in the half court.

The Lakers get away with rape, theft and murder in the paint. Bynum is a talentless thug. Like a really fat, slow Dwight Howard.

Come on now. He's far more talented offensively than Howard. Which isn't saying much, I realize.

[BCEagles25]

The Celtics half court consists of:

a) watching Garnett twist around violently with the ball in his hands above the free throw line.
b) watching Paul Pierce navigate his way through the entire Lakers roster, and throw up a crazy, usually successful shot.
c) Ray Allen does 3 laps around the arc, looks for the ball, does three more.

[twballgame9]

Mike Breen makes my ears bleed.

[eaglesmith]

The fact that Odom doesn't immediately drive to the basket when Big Baby is trying to guard him at the arc is insulting to me as a basketball fan with no rooting interest.

[eaglesmith]

I also cannot effing stand the "stand around until there's 5 seconds left and let the guy at the top of the key create something" play at the end of the quarter. Especially when it's in Rondo's hands, who, for as talented as he is, is not a good enough shooter to hit that 20 footer as an option.

[eaglesmith]

Tony Allen playing meaningful minutes in the league, let alone the NBA Finals, is astonishing. When did he stop being a complete moron?

[twballgame9]

Tony Allen is a good player and one of the best defenders around. He plays because he is one of the only guys around athletic enough to lock up LeBron and Wade.

Big Baby is fucking embarrassing that stiff Odom on both ends of the floor.

And I told you they needed to run.

[twballgame9]

Again, the calls on screens are utterly perplexing. Good job refs, you completely changed the momentum of the game with a retarded call. Mission Accomplished.