And here we go, back to Boston. The Lakers broke out to another big lead early in the game, only to watch Paul Pierce and the Celtics even it up by halftime. From there, we were treated to some high-intensity, although sloppy, basketball, and the Lakers had just enough to hold off the Celtics for at least one more game. Here are some notes that I took, as well as some thoughts leading up to Game 6 in Boston tomorrow night.
Lamar Odom & Pau Gasol, revisited
The highly criticized duo of Odom and Gasol certainly weren’t flashy, and they certainly don’t inspire confidence all the time, but the two of them simply got it done in Game 5. Both had almost 20 points (Odom 20, Gasol 19) and 10+ rebounds, and for the first time, both looked aggressive playing down low. Even though Kobe led the Lakers in scoring with 25, the Lakers wouldn’t have made it to Game 6 without Odom and Gasol. Gasol looked much more comfortable down low without the big body of Kendrick Perkins to worry about, getting Kevin Garnett into early foul trouble and consistently drawing attention down low the rest of the game. Odom was able to simplify things on offense, taking what the defense was giving him, both inside and out- several times he was able to sneak open under the basket for easy lay-ins.
Although it’s rare to see from them, Odom and Gasol dug in and played tough, physical games on both ends of the floor. They let up far fewer offensive rebounds than the first few games of the series, something the Celtics had been thriving on, and Odom finally showed some emotion, getting in the face of James Posey late in the 4th. It’s interesting, but it seems that they really feed off of each other- either they both are playing well, or neither is.
I said it before Game 5, and their performance in that game only solidified it- the Lakers need strong efforts from both Odom and Gasol if they want to win. They delivered on their home court, now let’s see if they can do it on the road.
The Lakers version of Smallball
I loved the move that Jackson made, going with a 2-point guard lineup of Jordan Farmar and Derek Fisher down the stretch, with Kobe sliding over the 3. I’ve said several times that Farmar has played very well this series, and generally been the most competent member of the Lakers problematic bench. This alignment works because Farmar has such great speed, especially against Eddie House and Sam Cassell, and he used it several times to get to the basket. Defensively, Fisher is strong enough to guard shooting guards, and he’s done a good job on Ray Allen the past few games. Last season, when he was on the Jazz, Fisher actually started most of the season as their shooting guard (alongside Deron Williams), so he has experience in this role. As long as the Celtics continue to use a backcourt of House or Cassell with Ray Allen, we should see more of this lineup from the Lakers.
Can anyone guard Paul Pierce?
Paul Pierce is simply playing amazing basketball right now, which left me asking myself, is there anyone out there who can guard Paul Pierce? I don’t just mean on the Lakers, because they clearly don’t have anyone up to the task (and no, Kobe can’t guard Pierce, even if he did pick his pocket late in Game 5), I mean in the entire league. Sure, Pierce only averaged 20 points a game this year, and for his career he’s a 23-point per game scorer, so it’s not like he’s the most dominant scorer in the league. But over the course of these playoffs, and especially in the Finals, Pierce has simply been unstoppable. He is a strong ball-handler, can shoot it from anywhere on the court, is extremely strong in the post (and high post), and can finish around the basket, even after contact. He keeps the defense off-balance with his hesitation and spin moves, and once he gets a step on his man, he doesn’t get caught from behind. He is too strong and physical for quicker defenders like Kobe or Bruce Bowen, and but too quick for bigger defenders like Andrei Kirilenko or Josh Smith.
With a little help, I came up with a very short list of players who would be best suited to guard Pierce. The leading candidate, and one of my favorite players, is Shane Battier, who has the size, lateral quickness and most importantly, the intelligence to stay with Pierce. Some other alternatives would include Gerald Wallace of the Bobcats and Ron Artest of the Kings. Before these playoffs, I would have listed LeBron and Tayshaun Prince, but Pierce has proven that neither could effectively guard him for a complete game.
So where does this leave the Lakers? Personally, I’m surprised that they haven’t given Lamar Odom any time on Pierce, just to try to use a much bigger body on him without sacrificing quickness. But Odom isn’t a great individual defender and prone to picking up cheap fouls, and LA needs him on the floor as much as possible. Luke Walton hasn’t even come close to staying with Pierce, and Radmonovic hasn’t had any success on him either. Ariza has had some solid stretches, so I’d expect him to see more time guarding Pierce for the rest of the Finals, and Kobe has done a respectable job, but it takes a real physical toll on Kobe to guard Pierce for the whole game. Since there isn’t one real solution, I think that Jackson just needs to have a fresh body on Pierce as much as possible before Kobe picks him up down the stretch. Also, they need to stop letting Pierce finish at the rim- when he draws contact, it needs to be hard contact, maybe putting him on the floor a whole time. It’s more likely that Pierce has a good game than Allen or Garnett, so shutting him down (or at least slowing him) is a real key for a Lakers win.
The James Posey Factor
When you’re serious about building a championship caliber team, there are certain players who you want who just do what it takes to win. Robert Horry has made a living in this role. Off the top of my head, Steve Kerr, Byron Russell (even though he never won a championship), even Stephen Jackson also make the list. You can add James Posey as well. Already having won a championship with the Miami Heat 2 years ago, Posey has been a huge difference-maker in this series. He is fearless on both ends of the floor, taking and making big 3s on offense, stepping in for charges on defense. Playing both forward spots (he has seen extended time at the 4 because he matches up so well against Lamar Odom), he is a legitimate pest with his help defense, and also with his scrappy play after the whistle. Odom in particular has been getting upset about Posey’s physical play, leading to a near-altercation in the 4th quarter of Game 5. Not only is he comfortable with his bench role, but he embraces it. Watch the Celtics before they step onto the floor for tip-off. Posey greets each player with a long (maybe too long) hug and shouts some motivational words at them before they take the floor. When a player is down, or has made a mistake, he always seems to be the first one in their ear (there was a moment where Perkins had picked up a cheap foul earlier in the Finals and Posey was on the bench chewing him out). This is the NBA Finals, and he’s not worrying about hurting anyone’s feelings, he’s there to win.
On a side note, Posey is a free agent after this season and his postseason efforts are not going unnoticed. Even though he seems very loyal to this Celtics team, I wouldn’t be surprised if a veteran team looking for a leader to put them over the top offers him a lot of money, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Posey takes the deal. Just something to look out for.
Phil Jackson and the Lakers Bench
Billed as the better of the 2 benches before the series started, the Lakers bench has been a complete non-factor in the Finals (pretty sure this isn’t the first time I’ve written this, but it continues to amaze me how poorly they’ve played). Luke Walton needs to be cut out of the rotation. It’s almost like Phil Jackson doesn’t want to hurt Walton’s feelings, because that’s just his coaching style. But Walton hasn’t helped the Lakers on either end of the floor, and with only 2 games left in the season (at most), his playing time should be reduced dramatically or cut out completely. I bring up the Walton case because it shows how Jackson has really been unable to manage his bench effectively throughout this series. Yes, they are short of big bodies. Turiaf isn’t big enough to bang with the Celtics, and his relentless energy is negated by a Celtics team that always plays with that kind of energy and emotion. Chris Mihm might be big enough, but he hasn’t played in months and really looked rusty in his few minutes in Game 5. I actually liked the gamble by Jackson of putting Mihm in, however, because he was at least trying to shake things up.
I think Trevor Ariza needs to see more minutes (not the first time I’ve said this either), because he’s an active and athletic body on defense who has been doing a good job on hustle plays and loose balls as well. He should be taking Walton’s minutes, as well as Radmonovic’s. To me, Radmonovic is one of the most frustrating players to watch. He certainly does have talent, and his three-point stroke really is great, but he is way too soft, and never really seems into the game. I was saying in Game 5 that he plays a preseason game and a game in the Finals with the same amount of effort. I think that Phil has been too kind to him as well, and needs to get him off the floor when he has any mental lapses. The one bright spot has been Jordan Farmar, who has played relatively well in every game, and has always been aggressive on both ends. Between him and Sasha Vujacic, the Lakers have 2 options to close out games alongside of Fisher, Kobe, Odom and Gasol. Whichever of the Farmar-Vujacic pairing is playing better should get the nod down the stretch.
Game 6 Prediction
Even though the Lakers have still not looked convincing in either of their wins, they still have a few things going for them. The Celtics are legitimately banged up and with the quick turnaround, the health situation isn’t going to get much better. I’ve heard that Perkins will probably miss Game 6 as well, and Paul Pierce just played the full 48 minutes (a few seconds less) before hopping on a cross-country flight. Also, the Lakers big men are coming off of their best games of the series, and they showed some resilience on the defensive end as well. And of course, they still have Kobe Bryant. He hasn’t been the best player in the series so far (easily Pierce), but he’s still the MVP and everyone’s consensus Best Player in the World. He’s shown how hot he can get, and I’m expecting him to feed off of the rowdy Boston crowd for a vintage performance.
That said, the Celtics have played too well and won’t lose two games at home. The Lakers haven’t shown that they can even contain Paul Pierce, and Garnett won’t have as poor of a game at home as he did in LA. The Celtics have just been the better team, and their defense is too good for the Lakers. I’m predicting a Game 6 and series victory for the Celtics.
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