i blame this loss on Garnett. 3 HUGE free-throw miss and then fucked up a easy tip in.

unless a miracle happens the Celtics should win on tuesday.

Not to mention the foul trouble he got in, I didn't expect the Celtics to win tonight (especially after the start, and Perk not starting) however I'm kind of pissed that they couldn't pull it out when they got close. Though there was no way they deserved to be in the game, but the Lakers let them back in it.

Well. That's it. Lakers won.

Ugh. The Lakers fucked up so bad that fourth quarter that I thought they deserved to lose that game. That's just not how you close games. PERIOD.

And Magnus, dude, it's KG, and I'd argue that he has choked late in the games in these playoffs (a recurring theme throughout his career, unfortunately), but he has not choked in the playoffs in general. Aside from his stupid decisions to take a painfully enormous amount of jumpers, he has been the reason why the Celtics defense has been choking the Lakers.

We haven't been able to do that with any teams since 86, i believe so for me never. I'm trying to decide if this game really worries me, or I'm just pissed off now because (like game 3) we came way closer then we should have in a game and ended up dropping it. I'm leaning (and hoping) for the latter.

Kobay's steal was pretty big... could make a case for a foul but whatever

It's gonna be fucking hard to win these two games in Boston, but I wouldn't say this is "over". Really they just have to win the next one and get it to Game 7 and then it's all up in the air.

And KG has been the big choke all playoffs, even in their wins, but they've managed to do it without him. I think the Celtics will still win this series... without his help down the stretch. If they lose this though, he'll never live it down.

This has been one hell of a year for Boston sports. Red Sox win world series, Patriots perfect season with a topping of failure at the Super Bowl, and finally a trip to the NBA finals against their most hated foes: The Lakers.

Hell it is also been one hell of a year for Kansas Jayhawks sports. First they win the Orange Bowl, and then the national championship in one of the greatest finals ever, and finally it looks like Paul Piece will be the MVP of the NBA Finals (a Jayhawks Hall-of-Famer if you didn't know).

lets go guys; lets finish this shit on tuesday!

Eh as piss poor as Garnett's offense has been, his defense has made up for it. But you're right, Magnus, he's only been good, which apparently is good enough. As for Pierce playing at an HoF level, on Games 1,2 and 5 definitely. I'd make a case for Ray Allen, too.

If there's one thing I learned from this series: my team could use James Posey. The guy is a relentless trooper.

I feel the same way after I did with Game 3 - confident. Another desperation game for the Lakers, at home, and this was it? The Celtics had a very limited inside defense tonight with Perkins out and Garnett in foul trouble which sat him out for most of the second and made him less aggressive in the fourth, and they still somehow managed to win another in LA? And it's not like Gasol and Odom didn't show up, they did and in big ways, but the Celtics hung around thanks to Paul Pierce and the rest of the supporting cast including........(gulp) Sam Cassell. Why? Because the Lakers defense is absolute shit. Now I know I'm not saying anything new by saying that, but if the Lakers had any sort of defense, they would've won this game handedly. Instead, even though they won they game, they have to find a way to have a better effort in Game 6 back in Boston. Based on the fact that they haven't had the kind of effort they'll need in Game 6 in any of the previous five games, I don't see it happening in Boston, even if Perkins is out of the lineup, which even though Michelle Tafoya said he'd be doubtful for Game 6, I see him coming back and toughing it out.

The only thing I'm concerned about coming back to Boston is Rajon Rondo. After seeing how he played tonight (although brief), it's clear that his ankle is fine. What's also clear is that Bryant is shaking him up a bit. I guess he'll just have to play through it, because I don't see Rivers at this point starting House, simply because that's unfair to Rondo. I just think he'll be on a tighter leash. And one thing Rondo needs to learn during the summer (or now preferably), is that when you have a clear as day open lay up, don't pass the ball out. Why give up a free two points when you can take them.

Anyways, I predicted at the beginning of the playoffs that the Celtics would win in 6 against the Lakers. I said at the end of the Detroit series that the Celtics would win in 6 against the Lakers. I'm not changing my mind now. As I said, the Lakers are going to need to play their clear cut best game in this series in order to push it to 7. Although I think it'll be a close game, I don't see the Celtics losing Game 6.

Personally I wouldn't be so confident as the refs so far have given every game to the Celts, the Celts didn't look great in any previous series, and truthfully other than Pierce they haven't looked so great in this series - pretty bad that they don't even have any 10 point wins in the series.

so Kobe has as good a chance to play a great game as the Celts have to play great.

and with one game at a time - 2 Lakers wins is not out of the questions.

Just hope the refs give the Lakers calls after 5 bad games screwing the Lakers....

PS. Notice that the 4th quarter foul shots were 16-6 Celts - and even though they were going inside they still aren't getting the calls especially when they are getting banged taking shots.

1. If the refs have given every game to Celtics so far, shouldn't I feel confident that that will continue?
2. They still won the series. And apparently winning in six against Detroit isn't good.
3. Yeah, Ray Allen has really looked awful.
4. Game 1 they won 98-88. Unless my math is off, that's a 10 point win.



Kobe's going to need the bench to step up. He can't win both games by himself.



True. But on the road in Boston against a better team with a better defense, it's unlikely.



Sure they did.



You're right, the Lakers got away with a lot of contact down low. And here I was thinking you thought the refs were giving the games to the Celtics. But just incase you're talking about the Lakers, they're still not taking the ball as often inside as much as you think they apparently are.

It was a fun game and I hope it goes to 7 to drag it out. Loved the steal and pass near the end.

If Lakers came back and won this series in 7... I think this would have to be one of the best/most legendary series ever. That's a big if, but I'd like to see it just for the heck of it.

what are the injuires reports on the Celtics as they have about some that are hurt - Rondo, Perkins,

plus

Celts' Allen hurries away to kid's health matter
Leaves Staples immediately after game because of undisclosed issue
AP report

LOS ANGELES - Boston guard Ray Allen left Staples Center quickly after Game 5 of the NBA finals Sunday night because of a health concern involving one of his children.

The Celtics didn’t give specifics, but released a statement in which coach Doc Rivers asked that, “You please respect Ray’s privacy at this time, and we’ll keep you up to date as best we can moving forward.”

Allen has a daughter, Tierra, and sons Walter Ray Allen III and Walker.

Perkins is the only one who is in doubt. According to ESPN about the Allen situation, someone close to the team said that Allen would probably play on Tuesday. And as for Rondo, seeing as he leapfrogged to the hoop (the play where he had a clear layup and then passed) his ankle is fine. He just hasn't been good against Bryant, and House and Cassell have taken over. I expect Rondo to start again on Tuesday.

Even if Allen is playing today, the problem is how his kid's health issues would affect his mindset.

I am thinking that I want to see a 7th game as that would be so exciting.

Who would stand the pressure the best and who would come through.

or one could argue he'd want to play better so there wouldn't be a need for a game 7. I doubt we see anything much different from Allen then we have in the series.

Didn't he have personal problems (not him personally) during the Cleveland series? I read an ESPN article talking about how that affected his game more than anything, somehow contributing to his painfully long slump.

Wow.

That was an anti-climactic as anti-climactic can go. And I guess I was wrong with Ray Allen. 7-9 from downtown? Man, he's hungry.

2 minutes is enough for Kobe to make a huge comeback and take it game 7.

As a wholehearted Blazers fan, I was bred to hate the Lakers in any way possible, and honestly, I couldn't ask for a better finale for the Lakers' season. Congrats Celtics for the Larry O'Brien Trophy. Well deserved.

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