You Can Breathe Now: Celtics 96, Lakers 89

Posted by Brendan Jackson on Jun 10, 2010 871779 commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F2010%2F06%2F10%2Fyou-can-breath-now-celtics-96-lakers-89%2FYou+Can+Breathe+Now%3A+Celtics+96%2C+Lakers+892010-06-11+03%3A47%3A06Brendan+Jacksonhttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F%3Fp%3D8717

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Exhale….

Breathe in…

Exhale…

Breathe in…

The Lakers are good.   The Lakers are really good.  The Lakers won the first three quarters of this game on the offensive end handily.  The Celtics merely got enough stops in the first three quarters to keep it close.  Then, the unthinkable to most.  The Celtics’ bench starts the fourth quarter with Ray Allen the only starter to remain on the court.  A surprising move by Doc Rivers, but it paid vast dividends as the Celtics proceed to 11-2 run to go up for good.

Nate Robinson was huge.  Glen Davis was huge. Tony Allen…could have been better…

I kid Tony only because I love him.  He has the hardest job on the entire team and he plays it really well.

All along we have been saying that the Celtics’ bench is their biggest asset and advantage and we have finally been proven right.  After three games showcasing some underwhelming performances from the bench, they finally stepped up to their billing.

Enjoy this one Celtics’ fans, because this series is a complete dog fight.Some things you’ll be talking about around the water-cooler tomorrow:

• I want some assurance that Nate Robinson and Rasheed Wallace will the “importance of composure” talk. I’m talking video evidence.
• I know they’ll be ref talk and I don’t want to hear it.  They were awful on both ends tonight.  Truly awful.  Still, I will say that the Lakers lost the pivotal call on that Kobe Bryant charge/block.  I would say it was a charge by close to a mile.  Bryant slid that right foot a little to get under Pierce, but I still would have called that a charge 10 times out of 10.
• The Celtics hit some clutch shots tonight: Pierce and Allen elbow jumpers.  Wallace three.  Robinson floater- just to name a few.
• Kobe Bryant is out of his damn mind.  Just completely unconscious.  I have never been a Bryant fan.  I find him extremely unlikeable.  Unfortunately, I am starting to like him.  He shot nearly 50% from the field.  He made almost every tough shot the Celtics forced him in to taking.  33 points and a quiet 7 turnovers.
• Andrew Bynum looks hurt.  This is devastating for the Lakers and something that will undoubtedly be monitored through the rest of this series.  He has some much heart to play this hurt.  I am just not sure he can do it.
• Great balanced scoring.  Enough to give Celtics’ fans hope that everyone has a rhythm now.
• The Celtics won the turnover battle and rebound battle handily.  They do this and keep the Lakers in the 80s in points. they will win every time.  Of course, the opposite it also true.