Paul Pierce is, of course, our usual first option, and he's been the most consistent against the Lakers thus far. He's hardly been a picture of dependability, however; after a strong Game 1, he endured a miserable 2-for-11 performance in Game 2, was hampered by foul trouble in Game 3, and did most of his damage in the first quarter of Game 4. We can win the series with him averaging 16.5 points per game, as he is now, and what's good is that he's doing it on 12 shots per night. Ron Artest is a tough matchup for him, and the fact that he's not forcing the issue is key to our success.
Ray Allen stole the show with a 27-point first half in Game 2, but he's been basically ineffective offensively the rest of the series (his defense on Kobe Bryant has been excellent, however). Ray has gotten great looks in the last three games, and there's no reason to think he won't continue to get them. Therefore, Ray finding his shooting stroke may well be the key to Boston's championship fortunes. I don't think we need him to light it up like he did in Game 2, when he hit his first seven three-point atempts. But we need something better than the 35 percent clip he's currently hitting at.
Kevin Garnett was labeled washed-up after truly horrific performances in the first two games, but his Game 3 performance, in which he repeatedly faced up against Pau Gasol and beat him off the dribble on his way to 25 points, erased any notion that the The Big Ticket was done. KG wasn't quite as effective in Game 4, but he remained aggressive, and the jumpers he did miss looked fine, unlike the ones he missed during the first two games, which looked awkward and tentative. I feel very confident about Garnett moving forward, especially given how aggressive he's been the last couple of times out, as we don't always see that side of him.
Rajon Rondo's triple-double in Game 2 had ESPN.com touting a nine-part series on his "legend," but aside from that game -- aside from the fourth quarter of that game, really -- he's had a rather pedestrian series. Rondo's job is a very difficult one. He's being guarded, sort of, by Kobe Bryant, who is content to play several feet off of him and help on the other Celtics. Rondo is therefore charged with choosing between his own offense, which is almost always available to him, and going to one of his teammates, any two of whom seem to to need help getting untracked at any given time. I think Rondo needs to establish his penetration early and force LA to guard him a little more honestly. The best opportunity for this is, I feel, when the ball comes back to Rondo, rather than as the first action of the offense. If Boston can get the Laker defense shifting by going to Pierce or KG or Ray, then Rondo's lanes open up. I also though Rondo has looked a little spooked by LA's shotblocking; the absence or limitation of Andrew Bynum due to knee injury may spur Rondo to take the ball to the hole more authoritatively.
On another note, I still think it's ridiculous that the NBA insists on this 2-3-2 format, but gave two full days off between Games 1 and 2 and between Games 4 and 5, when the teams remained in the same city, but only one full day of rest between Games 2 and 3 and between Games 5 and 6, when both teams must travel cross-country. It makes Game 5 all the more important for Boston, in my opinion, as the travel should hurt the older Celtics more than it hurts the Lakers -- especially going East to West, when LA has home court in Game 6.
Tip's at 8 p.m. tonight on ABC.
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