Hollywood Heist: Celtics Steal One As Lakers Choke in Game 4 of the NBA Finals

Written by: Nick Pardini

35-14, the Los Angeles Lakers took a twenty-one point first quarter lead: the largest in NBA Finals history. At the end of the second quarter, Jordan Farmar banked in a three-pointer to maintain an eighteen point lead at halftime. However, when the Lakers lead by 20 with 6:04 left in the third quarter, the collapse of the Lakers began. By outscoring the Lakers 31-15 in the third quarter, the Celtics cut the lead to two entering the fourth quarter. In the fourth the Lakers lost their composure and the resilient Celtics finished the comeback with an Eddie House jumper with 4:03 left in the game to take their first lead in the game. Upon, taking the lead, the Celtics sucked the energy out the Staples Center and rode their momentum to a game four win.

So how did the Celtics come back to complete the greatest comeback in NBA finals history? They won this game by locking down the Lakers on defense, having Ray Allen and Celtic role players stepping up, and a clutch second half by Paul Pierce. The ultimate collapse of the Lakers was due to a lack defensive intensity, poor shot selection, and even worse ball movement.

The Celtics defense stepped up to shut down the Lakers for the entire second half. They outscored the Lakers 57-33 after giving up fifty-eight points in the first half. Paul Pierce limited Kobe Bryant to a pedestrian seventeen points, while the Celtics held down the Laker role players to 6 for 26 shooting and made them a non presence in the second half. The Celtics stunted the triangle offense by taking Lamar Odom out of the game. Kevin Garnett cramped down on Pau Gasol in the second half and eliminated the Lakers post up game in the second half. As they have done throughout the regular season and the rest of the playoffs, the Celtics use their NBA leading defense to shut down the Lakers.

Offensively, the Celtics propelled their scoring with rise of some unusual factors. James Posey proved to be hot behind the arc and stepped up with eighteen critical points off the bench. Eddie House made some critical shots including the one that gave the Celtics the leas to pitch in eleven points. Ray Allen continued his consistency throughout the Finals, playing all forty-eight minutes and willing his team throughout the game with big shot after big shot. He iced the Celtic victory by shredding the Laker defense with an easy lay-up passed Sasha Vujacic with under a minute play. Overall, the Celtics stepped up their game and made every big play in the second half to steal game.

On the other side, the Lakers completed the biggest choke in NBA Finals history. Up by eighteen at halftime, the Lakers continued to be complacent as they were after taking a twenty-four point lead in the second quarter. They passed the ball like a hot potato, and their poor ball movement led to sloppy turnovers and rushed shots at the end of the shot clock. The Lakers also had poor shot selection and deferred from driving to the basket to settle for three pointers and fade away jump shot. Lamar Odom disappeared from the game, scoring only six points after the first quarter. The supposedly more talented Laker bench was badly outplayed by the Celtics and struggled to hit a shot in the second half. Ultimately, it was the porous defense of the Lakers in the fourth quarter that did them in. Poor moves such as fouling Paul Pierce behind the three point line and allowing wide open layups and three pointers to Boston’s role players proved to be disastrous. Ray Allen final drive to the basket past Sasha Vujacic summarized the Lakers’ poor defensive effort in one play.

In an attempt to inspire his team, Phil Jackson said at his press conference that this is just another game and he telling his players that the series is not over. The reality is the Lakers squandered their chance at a No team has ever come back from a three games to one deficit in NBA finals history. Judging by the Lakers have played in this series, they will not break this streak and most likely not be able to win in Boston. These type of games scar the psyche of a team and the Lakers seem to the lack the resilience and ability to beat the more talented and mentally tougher Boston Celtic On the bright side there is always next year for this rising young Lakers team who improved from a first round after thought to a championship contender.