The game was over. The Celtics led by 24 points with 7:54 to go. The Garden was rocking, and a 2-0 Celtics lead in the series was a near certainty. Then the Lakers started hitting shots from everywhere, especially from downtown. The lead slowly chipped away. Then the Celtics started missing shots and turning the ball over, and the lead quickly chipped away. Suddenly, there was a minute left and the Lakers were down four, then two after foul shots from Kobe.
With the crowd very nervous and preparing for the worst though, Paul Pierce again came up huge. First, he drew a foul and hit both free throws, making it a four point game again. Then downcourt, he blocked Sasha Vujacic's shot attempt (after some good D by Boston to keep it out of Kobe's hands). James Posey made the free throws, effectively icing the game.
The other Celtic who had a huge night was Leon Powe. Powe scored 21 points in just 15 minutes of action, playing a huge role in Boston taking such a big lead. Six of his points came during a 15-2 run to end the third quarter, which at the time figured to put the game away.
This time around, the Lakers executed better on offense, shooting 49.4% from the field. However, Boston one-upped them, shooting 52.9%.
It ended up a lot closer than expected, but the Celtics now lead the series 2-0. The series now heads to Los Angeles for three games. Can the Lakers come back, or will the Celtics, who can almost taste the title, keep their momentum going?
more
