Game 6 of this series stunk as a Celtics fan. The Lakers defense was very good, but there were opportunities. The second half opened with a series of missed layups and missed chances. So what will the deciding factors be for Game 7? What will decide the fate of the 2010 NBA Championship and the latest bragging rights in the historic Boston-LA feud? Glad you asked.
Odom and Artest. Neither player was spectacular in Game 6, but the key was they both contributed positively. The Lakers don't need either player to carry the team (Kobe and Gasol will do that), but they can't suck. The Celtics (on most nights) are two good for Kobe and Gasol to do it alone.
Injured big men. In the last two games Andrew Bynum has played largely ineffective minutes. It really hurt the Lakers in Game 5, but didn't make much of a difference in Game 6. Why? Because Kendrick Perkins left the game early, and Gasol was such a monster (17-13-9-3), that he filled the holes. But Bynum is the glue when Gasol is struggling, and he's the one post player the Celtics struggle to defend (when he's on). Perkins' injury could be devastating for the Celtics. He's one of only two plus post defenders (Rasheed being the other, and he's a nut job), with KG showing flashes of his old defensive brilliance only occasionally. Sheldon Williams, in 14 rust-filled minutes, showed why he's on the bench.
Where for art thou Rondo? After starting the playoffs brilliantly and staking his claim to best PG in the land, Rondo is slowing disappearing from the Finals stage. Yes, he threw up a decent line (10-5-6-2), but he was 5-15 shooting, including half a dozen missed layups (though the degree of difficulty was high). I know I keep harping on this, but something is off with Rondo. The Celtics need a monster Game 7 from him to get it done.
So those are the keys. Celtics in 7.
One more thing: Sasha Vujacic and Tony Allen are two of the most frustrating players alive. Yes, they both have their uses, but they both make 2-3 dumb plays a game that makes you wonder if this is there first pro game. Let me illustrate.
Sasha, toward the end of the 1st half, was trailing on a break. Kobe was being guarded on mismatch by Rondo (which happened a lot last night) and Odom was being guarded by Ray Allen. Two mismatches on the secondary break. So what does Sasha do? He jacks up a contested three. If I was a Lakers fan I would have been throwing my Jack sunglasses at the TV.
But Tony didn't want to be outdone. Later in the game he called for the ball and posted up. The only time Tony Allen should call for the ball in a post up situation is if one of his kids is guarding him at a family picnic. Even then, he'll stick brick the layup.
So I'm pretty sure if those two ever end up on the same team, the universe may explode.
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