Jun 11, 2008 8:24 am US/Eastern
Column: Not Surprising
Reporting
Dan Roche
LOS ANGELES (WBZ) ―
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Ray Allen broke out with 25 points, but Garnett and Pierce struggled to keep up as the Lakers beat Boston 87-81 in Game 3. (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty Images)
Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty Images
We saw many of the things we thought we would in Boston's 87-81 Game 3 loss Tuesday night here in Laker-land.
We saw a determined Kobe Bryant come out and put up 36 points on 12-of-20 shooting from the floor. Kobe hit some very big shots, especially late. One with 1:06 to go and another with 38 seconds left.
After Boston had a 38-10 free throw advantage in Game 2 - yep, you guessed it - L.A. goes 34 times to Boston's 22 times, including a 14-2 Laker advantage in the first quarter.
I do like what Doc Rivers said about that after the game though. He said the players can't use Phil Jackson's whining after Game 2 as an excuse and that L.A. deserved what they got because they were aggressive. He also added that his team now needs to go out and be the aggressors in Game 4.
What we didn't expect to see in Game 3? How about Paul Pierce going a dismal 2-for-14 from the floor and playing only 31 minutes because of foul trouble in his homecoming? Or KG shooting 6-for-21? That's two of the Big Three shooting a combined 8-for-35! And Boston still only lost by six.
So, the Celtics lost. Not unexpected at all. Boston is still up 2 games to 1. All the Celts need to do is win one of the next two games and they'll be in great shape coming home, up 3-2 with two shots to win it all on their home court.
But, I can't help but feel they let one get away in Game 3.
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