NBA: Celtics Win the Mental Battle in Los Angeles

The Lakers’ poor fourth quarter against Boston shows that LA will need to step up big time to keep their three-peat dreams alive.

Kobe can’t do it all
A 41-point effort from Kobe Bryant wasn’t enough for LA to win at home against the Celtics on Sunday night. Black Mamba was forced to carry the load as the Lakers’ crumbled to a 109-96 defeat in the Staples Center. The most disappointing part of this loss surely must be the way the other key parts in the Lakers’ star-studded line-up failed to deliver in the clutch. Bryant pulled the Lakers to within 4 points of the Celtics late in the fourth but there was no-one there to back him up. Pau Gasol had a night to forget, going 5 of 13 from the field as he tossed brick upon brick. Derek Fisher and Ron Artest combined for 2 of 16 from the field, including a mind-boggling 1 of 10 by Artest. Lamar Odom gave away a silly foul as the first half drew to a close, meaning the Lakers went in leading 54-50 instead of 54-48.

Boston keep composed
The Celtics had a big 32 point contribution from Paul Pierce but their success on Sunday was rooted in their ability to spread the ball around. NBA betting fans know that having Rajon Rondo on your team passing tends to help in that regard but the point guard also contributed 10 points in addition to his 16 dimes. Boston had 34 assists on 44 field goals, whereas LA’s 10 assists on 36 field goals reflected the one-man show Kobe was forced to deliver. Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Nate Robinson, and Glen Davis all hit double digits in points. Garnett backed up his audacious choice of footwear with 13 boards in addition to his 18 point haul. The Celtics two primary big men, Shaq and Kendrick Perkins, only tallied 2 points between them but neither tried to force shots that weren’t on. This reflected the better decision making by the Celtics down the stretch. They remained calm while the Lakers chased the game.

Time on Lakers’ side
For all their troubles last night, it’s not quite time to hit the panic button in Los Angeles. The Lakers are clearly having issues getting used to having their full complement of players back, it’s only natural given the injury that kept Andrew Bynum off the court. The crucial task facing Phil Jackson is restoring discipline to this line-up. Ron Artest became a contributor last season because he cut down on his erratic shooting performances. Gasol and Bynum combined seem to be worth less than the sum of their parts. Jackson must get his big men to work in tandem better. Kobe is the star on this team but he needs the players around him to take the load more in time for the real business in April.

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