5 min left – 90 to 89 Lakers
Andrew Bynum (DUBIOUS) moving screen call
4:16 Ray Allen misses three point attempt
3:55 Kobe misses jumper where he pulls up short to avoid a charge
3:19 – Deathly sequence where Pau Gasol blocks Perkins jump hook, and instead of grabbing the ball, he tries to tap to Kobe, but instead taps it right to Rondo who scores.
91 – 90 – Celtics Lead
3:05 – KG picks up his fifth foul wrestling with Pau in the post.
2:59 – Ron Artest throws the ball away trying to force it into Pau – what’s interesting to note upon review is that KG was literally holding Pau by the waist when the pass was thrown, but the refs didn’t want to give KG his 6th foul, so it resulted in a turnover. KG picking up his 5th actually helped the Celtics.
2:38 – Kevin Garnett makes two point shot.
93 – 90 Celtics
2:14 – Another deathly sequence. Fisher has an open (abeit long) two point attempt, but instead steps back to take a three pointer (trying to tie the game in one shot), giving Rondo a chance to recover and block the shot from behind and ignite a fast break.
2:06 – Kobe, with 5 fouls, gets back and single handedly stops Boston’s fast break, only he loses control of the ball out of bounds (partially because Ray Allen grabbed his arm).
1:59 – Ray Allen misses a jumper and the play where KG clearly knocks the ball out of bounds happens. The refs call it out on Pau. They then decide not to review it and stick to one of the worst calls I’ve ever seen.
1:50 – Celtics inbound and Rajon Rondo knocks down a wide open 20 foot jumper (a shot it looks like the Lakers were hoping he would take not MAKE).
95 – 90 – Celtics (do you see what a huge play that call was? Lakers were down three with the ball. Instead they’re down 5. Amazing.)
1:35 – This was the final DEATH play. If the Lakers calmly run their offense and score two, they’re only down 3 with time left to get back into it, but Kobe forces up a three (and in his defense, he’s made that shot quite a few times) and misses.
1:21 – Lakers get scrambled on defense leading to a Perkins layup.
97 to 90 Boston
1:12 – Kobe forces up a jumper and misses. Pau fouls Perkins who only makes 1 out of 2 free throws.
98 to 90 Boston
:56 – Ron Artest dribbles around aimlessly and jacks up a terrible shot, but Pau gets the rebound and
:52 – Kobe finally connects on a three pointer
98 to 93
:47 – Lakers scramble the Celtics and actually force a turnover…except that Monty McCutcheon decides to give Ron Artest his 6th foul despite the fact that he made almost ZERO contact with Rajon Rondo. So just to be clear, it’s cool to give Artest his 6th foul, but not KG during the sequence that happend with 2:59 left? By the way, this phantom foul call essentially kills any Laker chance at a comeback. Rondo makes 1 of 2.
:39 – Rondo strips Kobe from behind as he’s coming down the court. Here’s what’s amazing: Artest just got called for his SIXTH FOUL for WAY LESS contact, but there is no call on Rondo.
:33 – Rondo is intentionally fouled and makes 1 of 2.
100 to 93 Celtics
:28 – Now in full desperation mode, Kobe lauches another 3 and misses.
:26 – KG is intentionally fouled and makes 2 of 2
102 to 93 Celtics
:17 – WAY in desperation mode, Pau launches a 3 and misses.
:16 – Perkins is intentionally fouled and makes 1 of 2
103 to 93 Celtics
:10 – Pau is intentionally fouled by Paul Pierce while attempting to make his first inside look in forever. He makes 1 of 2 free throws.
103 to 94 Celtics
00: – Celtics dribble out the clock.
So in reviewing the last five minutes, what really happened?
Things the Lakers COULD control:
1) Pau Gasol blocking Perkins’ shot, then tipping it to Rondo instead of just grabbing it.
2) Derek Fisher steps back to try to tie the game with a three pointer instead of taking the open 2 pointer, and gets his shot blocked.
3) Down 5 with 1:35 left, Kobe impatiently jacks up a 3 instead of running the offense and trying to get back in the game when there was still time to do so.
4) Down 7 with 1:12 Kobe tried to drive and force up a jumper, but the Lakers were in desperation mode, and I think he was trying to score as quickly as possible.
Things the Lakers COULD NOT control:
1) The moving screen call on Bynum that started the Celtics’ final run…a play the Celtics had been getting away with the whole game against Fish.
2) With 2:59 left, KG was allowed to bear hug Pau Gasol so he couldn’t receive the entry pass from Ron Artest, resulting in a turnover.
3) The KG out of bounds sequence with 1:59 left.
4) The awful 6th foul call on Ron Artest with :47 left, but the game was about over at that point.
So at the end of the day, the Lakers absolutely could have played better down the stretch (to me, the hasty 3 pointer by Kobe with 1:35 left sticks out), but there was also a lot of things that happened that were not in their control.
