Kobe Bryant takes it to Boston helps Lakers take 2-1 lead
Kobe Bryant is used to winning play-off games and hates losing, so when on Tuesday night he turned it on to help the LA Lakers beat the Boston Celtics 91-84 it wasn’t exactly surprising.
Bryant scored 29 points to go along with seven rebounds, four assists, two steals and three blocks, but did get some help from an old friend.
Derrick Fisher, the 35-year-old point guard, stepped up at the Boston Garden, scoring 16 valuable points to help LA regain home court advantage on Tuesday.
"Our thoughts are really just still on how disappointed we are, or were, losing that second game on our home court. I think that had more of our attention and focus than what happened in '08," Fisher said.
"We didn't doubt our ability to win here. We understand when you want to be the best, you have to win wherever, whenever."
The Lakers also received some help from a not so familiar face in Boston’s Ray Allen. After torching them in game two for 32 points and setting an NBA finals record with eight three-pointers made, Allen nearly set another record on Tuesday.
Allen missed all of his 13 shots from the field making it just the second time in his career he has not made a shot from the field. Allen’s 0-13 performance was one-shot shy of tying the worst ever performance in the NBA finals.
"It's a h**l of a swing, I'll tell you that. It's basketball. That's why you can't worry about it. He'll be back in the gym tomorrow and getting ready for the next game. ... It happens to the best of us,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said speaking of Allen’s performance.
Despite the defeat there were some positives for Boston to take out of the game especially with Kevin Garnett’s performace. The power forward scored 25 points, grabbed 6 rebounds and handed out three assists, a stark contrast to the six points he had the previous game.
But it was Allen who was the big talking point on Tuesday and with game four on Thursday night he will need to step up his game dramatically, but Fisher won’t mind if Allen stays cold.
“We obviously didn't expect him to go 0 for 13, there are going to be nights maybe when his legs aren't there because he's having to work so hard on both ends, but we won't see 0 for 13 on Thursday night, that's for sure."
Tags: