Media Coverage of NBA Finals Game 3

Discussion in 'NBA General' started by Shapecity, Jun 8, 2010.

  1. Shapecity

    Shapecity S2/JBB Teamster Staff Member Administrator

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    Monique Walker, Boston Globe: "Lamar Odom has logged time in each of the two games in the NBA Finals. He has touched the ball. Tossed up shots. Run the floor. But he has been absent. The Lakers forward and sixth man hasn't contributed much this series. In the Western Conference finals, Odom averaged 14 points and 11.8 rebounds in 34.3 minutes in the six-game series against Phoenix. Against the Celtics, those numbers have plummeted to 4 points and 4.5 rebounds in 18 minutes a game. Instead of racking up minutes, rebounds, and points, Odom was gathering fouls. In both games, Odom fell into foul trouble and his playing time was limited. He had five fouls in each game, picking up three in the first quarter of Sunday night's 103-94 Game 2 loss to the Celtics. 'It's two games in a row, both on drives against Paul Pierce,'(notes) Odom said. 'It took me out of the game. I was only able to play 14 minutes [Sunday]. I couldn't really contribute much, just in spirit. That's the way the ball bounces sometimes.' Odom has a reputation of being inconsistent and that characterization is following the 11-year veteran into the Finals. After averaging a double-double heading into the series, Odom mustered 5 points and five fouls in 21 minutes in Game 1, but the Lakers won, 102-89. But with a hot-shooting Ray Allen(notes) and a show-stopping Rajon Rondo(notes) in Game 2, the Lakers couldn't afford to have so little production from Odom. Odom picked up his second foul at the 1:21 mark of the first quarter. As Lakers coach Phil Jackson debated taking him out, he picked up his third foul. 'Again, my fault,' said Jackson Sunday night. 'He got, bang-bang, two fouls immediately, and I turned to my crew and said, "Do you think he can play through this?" And as I was talking to them, he got his third foul. So obviously, he couldn't play through that sequence. He just basically got in the ball game and got those three fouls and it really took him out of the ball game. That's a bit unfortunate for him. He'll get a chance later on in this series to redeem himself.'"

    Mitch Lawrence, New York Daily News: "Even if they lose Tuesday night, it can't be any worse for the Lakers than it was the last time they were in town for a June game. Remember? The Lakers were blown out of TD Garden in Game 6 of the 2008 Finals by a record 39 points. Not merely satisfied with their team's victory to secure banner No. 17, jubilant Celtic fans poured outside the Garden and rocked the Lakers' bus. As for Tuesday night and Game 3 of the Finals, if the Lakers can't figure out a way to stop Rajon Rondo, or if Kobe Bryant(notes) can't give them a big fourth quarter, or if Lamar Odom(notes) pulls his third straight no-show, or if Andrew Bynum(notes) can't cope with the quick turnaround, the worst that can happen is that they'll trail, 2-1, in the 2010 postseason for the first time. Thanks to their Game 2 loss at home, their first of the playoffs after nine straight home wins, the Lakers for the first time find themselves tied in a series and heading into their opponent's arena. 'There's no doubt it's a blow to us to lose the home-court (advantage),' Phil Jackson said after the Lakers crumbled down the stretch of Game 2 in a 103-94 defeat. 'But we anticipated that this might happen. And we're just going to have to pick it up.'"

    Benjamin Hochman, Denver Post: "The circus used to be a bunch of clowns in a smelly tent. Now, the circus is surreal - a carnival of contortionism, swooping acrobatics and danger-addicts, all seen on the grand stage of the Cirque du Soliel ... or the NBA Finals. Have you seen Cirque du Rajon? In Boston's Game 2 win here, point guard Rajon Rondo put on a spectacle to tie the series at 1-1 going into tonight's Game 3 in Boston. There was Rondo, lunging past Derek Fisher(notes), then putting on the brakes and lunging back at Fisher, blocking his 3-point attempt ... from behind, in the final minute. There was Rondo, with Kobe Bryant past him on the right, impossibly stretching his left arm behind Bryant's back, tipping the basketball away. And there was Rondo, in his most frightening feat (at least to Boston fans, who remember his shooting woes) - attempting a long-range jumper in the final minutes that helped ice the victory. Oh, and the guy also had a triple-double - the first in the NBA Finals since Tim Duncan(notes) in 2003. 'If (we're to) lose the game, I want to go out being aggressive,' said Rondo, who finished with 19 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. When Boston's 'Big Three' won the 2008 title, Rondo was the fourth guy, a flawed but zesty point guard who complemented the superstars well enough to win the big one. Now, he is the 'Big One.' He's the thumping heart of the Celtics. 'He's our quarterback,' Boston coach Doc Rivers said. After an average Game 1, which Boston lost, Rondo said he watched video of the entire game. Afterward, he said tracking loose balls would be the key in Game 2, and the guy was all over the court. The point guard was the only player on either team to crack double-digit rebounds. 'One rebound he went to the roof - it seemed like he went over all the bigs,' teammate Ray Allen said. 'But that does give us another dimension. When he can rebound like that, it does take the pressure off our bigs to have double-digit rebounds every night when our guards are getting it. Sometimes the rebounds are bouncing long. That's the difference in our offensive rebounds that they didn't get tonight - we got those rebounds.'"

    Michael Lee, Washington Post: "He's got game, but Ray Allen doesn't have much time. At 34, Allen is the oldest member of the Boston Celtics' aging Big Three and is headed toward unrestricted free agency when the season ends. So, while the Los Angeles Lakers couldn't catch him on his deer-like jaunts around screens in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night, Allen was in pursuit of much more than open space to drain one of his record eight three-pointers in the Celtics' 103-94 victory. With nothing promised beyond this point, Allen wants to snare a second NBA title with the Celtics while he can. 'This moment is our moment,' Allen said after the Celtics evened their best-of-seven series with the Lakers at one game, with Game 3 on Tuesday in Boston, 'and we've got to take advantage of it.' Allen's opportunity was nearly taken away around the trade deadline, when Danny Ainge, the Celtics' president of basketball operations, dangled Allen and his $19.8 million expiring contract with the hopes of possibly adding a jolt to a roster that appeared to have grown stale. The Wizards had considered a deal for Allen involving Caron Butler(notes) before later settling on a deal with Dallas. But Ainge held on to Allen and the Celtics have benefited ever since, with his dazzling shooting performance on Sunday night -- in which he hit seven consecutive three-pointers in the first half alone -- the latest, and perhaps, shining example. Boston needed Allen to carry his team on a night when Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett(notes) -- the other members of Boston's future Hall of Fame trio -- were way off their usual games and the Celtics' big men stayed in foul trouble. Allen accounted for half of Boston's 54 first-half points, as he scored 27 of his game-high 32 in the first two periods. 'I can't say enough about what Ray did for us,' said point guard Rajon Rondo, who had a triple-double with 19 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. 'He carried us the whole way. Guys were in foul trouble, from Kevin to [Kendrick Perkins(notes)], just everyone. We were playing on edge, but Ray, he held us together through it.'"

    Dan Duggan, Boston Herald: "Ron Artest has been inconsistent, and Lamar Odom has been invisible. So, the Los Angeles Lakers have needed another player to step up in support of Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol(notes). Few expected it would be Andrew Bynum, but the Lakers center has been a major presence in the first two games of the Finals. Bynum's playing time had dipped significantly after he suffered a slight tear in his right meniscus in the first round against Oklahoma City, but he's made a resurgence against the Celtics. The 7-footer is averaging 15.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.5 blocks while shooting 62.5 percent from the field. Bynum was a monster in the Lakers' 103-94 Game 2 loss Sunday at the Staples Center, tying a career playoff-high with 21 points to go with seven blocks. He also logged a playoffs-high 39 minutes. 'I'm just out playing hard,' Bynum said. 'I take my treatment and play hard. It is what it is with my knee. I've been telling myself that the whole playoffs.' Bynum has sat out practices during the Finals in order to get treatment. A week ago, he had fluid drained from the knee, but the procedure wasn't effective, and the pain and swelling haven't subsided. 'I'm not thinking about the injury,' Bynum said. 'The docs are telling me it's not going to get worse. It's just going to get more swelling, and we'll just keep taking it down.'"

    Mark Whicker, Orange County Register: "The streets of Maywood were out there for the young Shannon Brown(notes). His dad was there, too. Chris Brown is a 22-year police officer, now a sergeant, but he drove the cruiser for a long time. Shannon had one foot on opposite sidewalks. It was not the most comfortable place to be. 'It was a challenge,' Brown said. 'I'm out there with guys who don't understand what it's like to be a cop. They're on the other side. Fights here, fights there, arguments, and I had to do things that I'm not proud of today. I had to prove myself at times. What they did was not the side I wanted to be on. It got a little crazy at times.'" Celtics coach Doc Rivers and Celtics guard Michael Finley(notes) are from the same Chicago suburb and went to the same Proviso East program that produced Dee Brown(notes), who played for Illinois when Shannon was at Michigan State. Mix those daily trials with three years of Spartans basketball, where Tom Izzo sometimes fits the team with football helmets, and Shannon Brown's arrival in L.A. made the purple deeper. There isn't much lavender about him. In fact, Brown was watching the '08 Finals and rooting for Rivers. He was languishing with the Charlotte Hornets then, with no clue that he and Adam Morrison(notes) would be shipped to the Lakers for Vladimir Radmanovic(notes). 'Doc was from my town so it was kinda surreal, almost,' Brown said. 'And I saw KG (Kevin Garnett) bullying the Lakers a little bit. But I think we've overcome that.'"

    New York Post: "If the Knicks are forced to go to plan C when it comes to free-agent power forwards, Carlos Boozer(notes) says he would be a better option than David Lee(notes). Both will be free agents this summer, behind the Raptors' Chris Bosh(notes) and Suns' Amar'e Stoudemire(notes) in the power-forward pecking order. Both Boozer and Lee could be options for the Knicks and Nets if Bosh and Stoudemire head elsewhere. Boozer was asked on ESPN 1050 if he was a better player than Lee. 'Absolutely I do. I think he's a very good, young player though,' Boozer said. 'I think he's had a great season and he was the all star this year. I think he has a great upside to him I just think I'm better, but I mean that's for you guys to debate about, I don't worry about that kind of stuff. I just go out there and play all for my team and try everything I can to win games and win a ring. David Lee is a great young player, a good friend of mine, and of course I wish him the best of luck as well with whatever he does, if he stays in NY or if he also goes elsewhere.'"

    Lynn Henning, Detroit News: "After saying no to the NBA in a suspenseful change of heart 10 years ago, Tom Izzo's goal of winning a second national championship at Michigan State University now may be upended by another NBA team, the Cleveland Cavaliers. In what may be the most significant pursuit of Michigan State's basketball coach in years, Izzo is being courted openly and aggressively to become the new Cavaliers coach. Dan Gilbert, the Detroit native and Quicken Loans founder who also happens to be a Michigan State graduate and an impassioned fan of Izzo, is reportedly willing to double Izzo's $3 million annual income as part of a five-year $30 million package. 'I've said all along, Michigan State has been really good to me and I would like nothing more than to win another national championship here and put it in that elite-of-elite stature,' Izzo said Monday night during an interview with Lansing radio station WILS-AM. 'And I still have that as a very important part.' Izzo, however, during what was a rambling non-denial of his invitation by the Cavaliers, said he would stick to a 'no-comment' policy as far as any specifics were concerned with respect to any job offers. 'I would just say that there have been so many things out there that are so far-fetched right now and I'm the Michigan State coach and that's what I'm gonna do,' Izzo said. 'Who knows what the future brings?'"

    John Reid, New Orleans Times-Picayune: "The New Orleans Hornets announced Monday they will introduce Monty Williams as their new head coach on Tuesday at the New Orleans Arena. Williams' contract agreement is expected to be finalized later this afternoon, Hornets officials said, Williams agreed to a three-year contract with a team option for a fourth year. At 38, he will become the youngest head coach in the NBA. Williams, who spent five seasons as an assistant with the Portland Trail Blazers, is expected to arrive in New Orleans sometime tonight."

    Richard Sandomir, New York Times: "The Boston Celtics' win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night on ABC in Game 2 of the N.B.A. finals attracted an average of 15.5 million viewers, up from the 14.1 million for the comparable game last year. The Celtics' knotting of the series competed directly against NBC's broadcast of Game 5 of the N.H.L. finals, which was won by Chicago, 7-4, over Philadelphia. Its 4.0 overnight rating was up 54 percent over last year's Game 5 between Pittsburgh and Detroit. Although each series matches teams in big markets, the half-hour rating breakdown showed the dominance of the N.B.A. game. At most points, the Boston-Los Angeles rating overwhelmed that of the Chicago-Philadelphia broadcast. From 10 to 10:30, the 10.1 for the N.B.A. game nearly tripled the 3.6 of the Blackhawks' victory."
     
  2. Mr.Gunner

    Mr.Gunner Member

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    The great wall of text...lol. Nice read.
     
  3. Shapecity

    Shapecity S2/JBB Teamster Staff Member Administrator

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    From Kevin Arnovitz, TrueHoop: In Game 1, Ray Allen scored only 12 points in 27 minutes after battling foul trouble in the Celtics’ sluggish loss. With two days off before Game 2, Allen had to carry his ineffectual performance around with him. He tried to play golf, but said he couldn’t focus because his head was spinning with recursive thoughts like figuring out how to guard Kobe Bryant, or capitalizing on opportunities the Celtics had missed in the series opener. “Throughout the day it would just flash in my head,” Allen said. “Whatever I’m doing I might be spaced out. Somebody might be asking me a question and I’m not right there at that moment.”

    From Henry Abbot, TrueHoop: If you haven’t yet seen Kevin Arnovitz’s breakdown of how Ray Allen got open in Game 2, stop reading this and go watch that. And it brings up an interesting little playoff point: Winning a series is often about making opponents think, which often means coaching adjustments. The more I watch that, the clearer it is that Derek Fisher really can’t guard Ray Allen. Not if the Celtic big men are going to get away with all those moving picks away from the ball. Kobe Bryant can do a good job of it, though. And as Arnovitz demonstrates, the Lakers can stay closer to Allen on the break, and help a lot more as he’s coming off screens.

    From Saurav A. Das, Silver Screen and Roll: Hmm, nice of the Boston Celtics to show up to the party, hey? Unfortunately, simultaneously the Lakers decided to go on break at various extended periods throughout this Game Two (except for Lamar Odom, who’s currently in Vanuatu with his wife Khloe Kardashian, and has been all Finals, but more on that later), and thus the basketball world still hasn’t seen that glorious display of perfectly matched poetry on the hardwood that this series has the potential to provide. The result of the Celtics’ showing up like the hardworking intern while the Lakers’ showing up lazy and often taking smoke breaks like the veteran manager who can

    From Kenny Masenda, Ed The Sports Fan: It is with great sadness, anger, disappointment, frustration, and dismay that I write today’s post. What I am about to say is something that has been said by plenty in the past year, as well by Pau Gasol recently, who, even though he told the truth, should still shut the *bleep* up, because he’s a second-fiddle for the other team. The ugly truth is one of my childhood heroes, The Great Kevin Garnett, is dying a slow basketball death right before our very eyes, and there’s absolutely nothing we can do about it.

    From Kelly Dwyer, Ball Don’t Lie: It was almost comical, this stereotype gone mad. One of the worst shooting exhibitions I’ve seen, at this level, in a long time. Tossing out the “in a long time” qualifier, by the way, because I can’t think of anything worse than it right now, and I’m hoping I’m wrong. I’m hoping there was something worse than this. There probably wasn’t. Ron Artest shot 1-for-10 in Game 2, scoring six points, turning the ball over three times and fouling out in the process. It wasn’t just that he shot miserably in a game that should have been a notch in his belt (holding Paul Pierce on the other end to 2-of-11 shooting), but it was the way he put up those 10 shots. Terrible looks, mostly uncalled-for, seriously team-crippling.

    From Chris Tomasson, NBA Fanhouse: As the saga continues whether Lakers coach Phil Jackson will return next season, it’s not out of the question Jackson on Sunday sat on the bench at the Staples Center for the final time. Not that Jackson specifically noted that to his team following the Game 2 103-94 Finals loss to the Boston Celtics, but the master of motivation did touch on something that pulled no punches. “P.J. came out and told us it might be the last time we play (in Los Angeles this season),” Lakers center Andrew Bynum said of the defeat that left the series tied 1-1 with the next three games in Boston. “I think that woke everybody up.”

    From Sekou Smith, Hang Time Blog: Have the purple and gold crocodile tears stopped yet? Has anyone found the shamrock green pacifier? Two games into the NBA Finals and you can tell the latest incarnation of Lakers vs. Celtics must already be a doozie, because the coast-to-coast wailing from both sides is making for the most unpleasant loud noise heard since the Concorde was grounded and Rosie O’Donnell went off the air. In Game 1 it was the Celtics who were hosed. Poor Ray Allen was shackled to the bench with foul trouble almost before the national anthem was finished and, of course, that meant Boston never had a chance. Never mind that the Celtics shot 36 free throws in the game to the 31 for the Lakers.

    THE PAPERS

    From Kevin Ding, OC Register: The Lakers were in Indianapolis in late January, and Kobe Bryant had Peyton Manning on his brain and football in his dreams. Quite calmly, Bryant declared that he could’ve been a football star. Had he begun playing football at age 5 the way he started basketball, Bryant said, he could’ve made it big playing that sport instead. Asked if he would’ve been a wide receiver, Bryant agreed that his build would’ve made that the logical position for him. (Just imagine Kobe’s wrath directed at the quarterbacks not getting him the ball.) Firmly believing he has NFL potential just goes further to show Bryant’s confidence that he can do anything.

    From Mark Heisler, Los Angeles Times: A funny thing — tweet! — happened — tweet! — on the way — tweet! — to the NBA title. Not that “funny” is the word Ray Allen would have chosen after fouling out of Game 1 in 27 minutes on some ticky-tack fouls he hadn’t seen since UConn. Nor was Kobe Bryant any happier after having to leave at a key moment of Game 2, after a ticky-tack call he might not have gotten at Lower Merion.

    THE MAJORS

    From Arash Markazi, ESPN Los Angeles: “3 Mo.” After Game 1, the phrase written on the dry erase board in the Los Angeles Lakers’ locker room served as a source of motivation. After Game 2, it remained on the board, unchanged, serving as a reminder that the Lakers remain three wins away from winning the NBA championship, and a reminder that they must now to travel to Boston for the next three games. If the Lakers are to win “3 Mo,” they must win at least one game in Boston, something they were unable to do two years ago, when the Celtics not only won all their Finals home games but also came back from a 24-point deficit in the third quarter to steal one in Los Angeles.

    From Art Garcia, NBA.com: The Celtics left Los Angeles with the split every playoff team hopes for on the road. With the home-court edge now in Boston’s corner, the Lakers have to be feeling the pressure as they prepare for the trek east. Well, not necessarily. As disappointing as losing Sunday night was for the defending champs, especially after winning Game 1 in blowout fashion, history suggests the Lakers still own the upper hand. Since the NBA adopted the 2-3-2 format for The Finals in 1985, splits have treated the home team well. On 10 occasions over the last 25 years we’ve seen the series tied 1-1, with the last being the Pistons-Lakers in 2004. The team that began with the home-court has gone on to win seven. The only three teams to claim the championship after splitting on the road are the Lakers (1985), Bulls (1998) and Pistons (2004).

    From Jack McCallum, Sports Illustrated: To an extent, covering the NBA in the 1980s meant covering the Lakers and the Celtics. For the better part of that decade, I could set a preseason agenda of travel to L.A. and Boston — with some side trips to Chicago (a guy named Jordan was playing there) and Detroit (the Bad Boys first turned baaa-d in the mid-’80s) — and be pretty much on the money. And it came, conveniently, full circle in my final year as a full-time NBA beat writer when it was Boston-L.A. in the 2008 Finals. As you’ve been reading (perhaps ad nauseum) here and other places, there was nothing like Lakers-Celtics. It goes without saying that their rivalry made it special, but the personalities of the players, coaches, execs and even fans made them newsworthy on their own.

    From Todd Behrendt, Fox Sports: Even when the going is good during the postseason, Kobe Bryant isn’t exactly chatty when he steps to the postgame podium. And when the going gets tough, well, Bryant’s interviews take on the tenor of a wisdom tooth extraction. After the Lakers’ Game 1 win, Bryant joked with reporters about his occasionally surly demeanor during his playoff press conferences. After the Celtics evened the series with a 103-94 win in Game 2, Bryant’s surliness was no laughing matter.
     

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