Lakers' toughness proves it can stand up to Boston

Indeed, the greatest thing about a rivalry is watching a tense, hard fought infomercial of last year’s NBA finals match up, consisting of the Lakers versus the Celtics. We look forward to watching duels, such as the New York Yankees against the Boston Red Sox or Duke against North Carolina. But there’s none as intriguing as the Lakers-Celtics collocating much buzz, as mostly everyone's television were all tuned in to the Lakers-Celtics on Thursday night.

Finally, the Lakers got rid of the poisonous humilating 39 point loss in the finals last year. They weren't merely humilated, nor were they startled facing Boston, who as a team, overpowered them, making them so inferior, after their surreal hard-driven playoff run, to elicit the renaissance of the Lakers-Celtics rivalry, for one of the greatest rivalries in pro sports. Again, displaying the new generation of the Lakers-Celtics rivalry, which wasn't nearly an equaliser to the Magic Johnson and Larry Bird era, but comprises an high-quality of zealous drama.

Still, judging from the competitiveness and intense moments, even the close skirmishes, which dwendled down to the final seconds in their second meeting, is interesting for the Lakers-Celtics rivarly. Which continues to entice the beauty of the game, not just the game, but all sports in general. It was enticing to watch the Lakers, make things, in this tough-minded rivalry more interesting.

The Celtics were trying to avenge a 92-83 Christmas Day loss. They weren't able to procure redemption, but the Lakers were able to avenge their humiliating demolition loss in last year’s finals, erasing a bitter crisis to metamorphose a tense and physical 110-109 overtime thrilling win at Boston. They escaped Boston high spirited, settling for a statement, without their big man Andrew Bynum, who elevated as Lakers inside presence, before falling to the ground last week with a banged up knee, likely out for 8 to 12 weeks, after MRI revealed a knee sprain.

Truly, it didn’t matter, if it took just one point. Or if Bynum wasn’t present, all that mattered was the Lakers defensive firmness and excellence from other players surrounding Kobe Bryant, undoubtedly the best player in the league. Considering last season’s finals' sketchiness, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom, both were scapegoats for the Lakers inadequacies last year, failing to follow an agenda of significance. Instead, their blunders and softness on defense refuse to quell principles of committing to winning a championship.

Now confident and tougher, as chemistry continues to make a positive jolt on the Lakers, even larger, they’re eager and physical enough to probably defeat Boston if they redo their championship letdown. If anything, it’s a return Kobe is eager to have a shot at, hopefully winning a championship to endlessly embrace his fourth title, all with the Lakers. By snapping Boston’s latest winning streak of 12 straight wins, it’s a prelude to greatness. In their impressive win on Christmas, they snapped Boston's 19 game winning streak. So, the Lakers have matured, adapting as teammates, Kobe has grown up to realize there’s no I in team, but realizes the second letter in team, stands for effort as a unit, not individually.

Two day’s removed from scoring a record-breaking 61 points at the Madison Square Garden against the tumult New York Knicks, Kobe didn’t have to nearly tally the point total against the Celtics, getting lifts by Gasol, having a worthy physical tense night, after they pushed around the lanky seven-footer in the finals. Once again, Gasol presented his malign-toughness, similar to his Christmas Day fourth quarter heroics, coming to life again in the second-half, settling for 24 points, accompanied with 14 rebounds. His inside presence is definitely needed without Bynum's inside toughness, now it’s his chance to produce a well-rounded endowment, until Bynum gets healthy probably in time for the playoffs, which are looming.

Ray Allen could have had the Lakers walk away pitifully, if he would’ve converted on a game-winning three-pointer. A few day’s ago, Allen buried the game-winning three-point shot from the corner at Philadelphia. Meanwhile, the Lakers denied the Celtics on dropping any game-winning shots, protecting the perimeter as if it was life-threaten, perhaps it was sudden death. But, Allen missed an off-balanced three-point attempt. Game over.

With pressure on Boston, after the Lakers claimed possession of a one-point lead in overtime, the best thing for them was to hope for a prayerful game-winning shot. But, the high defensive intensity halted any last minute buzzard-beaters. Kevin Garnett, who had 16 points, missed the previous two games because of flu-like symptoms. He was effective, but fouled out in a physical battled against their hated rivals. Intense moments flared up, when Garnett exchanged words within Odom's face. Even an incident happened between Kobe and Rajon Rondo, who apparently provoked Bryant to trade a few words. This is a rivalry, both teams has bitterness, both teams have fierce emotions and both teams hate each presence.

And Odom came through, unveiling toughness against Boston, most importantly, knocking down a pair of free throws with 16 seconds remaining. On the year, he’s a mere 60 percent free throw shooter, continuingly faltering. Still, he made the shots when they mattered, followed by their aggressive defense, which accomplished the rest, to improve their uttermost record to 40-9, avenging that 136-92 loss.

For the Celtics, there weren’t any benchwarmers. Eddie House scored 16 points off the bench, when defensively the Lakers were a bit sluggish. In fact, they seemed doomed when House and Rondo, who had 16 points and 12 assist, constantly drove through lanes to get an array of easy layups, which was a problem for the Lakers, still they were solid defensively. It’s a factor to beating the defending champs and it’s a factor to getting crowned as champs. Defense is the factor to great championship teams, and Boston is a perfect model to winning last year's championship base on potent defense.

It’s a statement that’s being heard loud and clearly. Each year, we tend to grow. Certainly, the Lakers have matured into an intimidating pest for the Celtics. Absolutely, they earned the respect after overthrowing Boston twice sweeping them, in the regular-season series. Sure, the Big Three are still favorites, after all, they’re the defending champs. And if the Lakers want to earn praise, they’ll have to beat their hated nemesis.

Of course, this loss didn’t go to well for an undelightled Boston crowd. No frenzies, or “Beat L.A.” chants, just loud disgruntled boos, after Allen shot fell well-short, to drop another loss facing the purple and gold. It doesn’t state that the Lakers can beat Boston when it matters, but it states that anything can occur, in just a matter of seconds. For the Lakers, they’d to suffer a demolition and a year of patience to answer the Celtics, dust far, they’ve answered at home and in a hostile environment, where Kobe doesn’t get a warm reception, unlike in New York, an environment where everyone embraces Kobe and enjoys chanting “MVP”! “MVP”! As for Boston, they scream at the league’s reigning Most Valuable Player, insulting and booing. Still, it never stops Kobe executing offensively or even the ongoing aggressiveness of Gasol.

Feverishly, Lakers’ fans strongly believe they're worthy of a championship. They had to beat Boston, and they have met their challenged. Still, there’s a long season ahead, so they have to continue to play with poise and high intensity. Which were the tactics to beating Boston, working in their favor. If they can beat their rivals, then they can probably beat any team at this point. We’ll find out, of course, winning the Celtics is a great start to earning respect. Not only was it an exciting game, but it was an exciting Lakers team everybody accepts.

It was a win against the Celtics, redeeming themselves to reach a crescendo of championship worthiness. So the key winning Boston is playing resilient and tough defensively, even getting the inside resistance by Gasol, seemingly attacking the paint, making hook shots, grabbing rebounds and blocking shots, all a huge aspect retrieving last season’s struggles against the Celtics, who the Lakers are no longer intimidating by because of their size or physicality.

Currently, the Lakers are the favorites to win it all. Statistically, the Celtics have the league’s best record, but the Lakers are absolutely the best legitimately.

Kobe: 61 good, but sometimes bad

Déjà vu all over again for the Lakers, seemingly after Andrew Bynum started finding a groove offensively, averaging over 20 points in the last five games, before Saturday night’s shot to his right knee.

So, where will the Lakers go from here, after the results came back from an MRI exam, which wasn’t very cordial, learning they have lost Bynum for 8 to 12 weeks because of a torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee?

In the meantime, they have to recover from losing an inside force, still have yet to prove his worthiness through an entire season. In two seasons, Bynum haven’t showed his full season capabilities because of long-suffering injuries. Last season, he couldn’t show his playoff capabilities, but if everything goes well Bynum is expected back in time for the playoffs.

Perhaps, the biggest problem is returning from a injuring, once again trying to find a groove and get a feel of things. Aside from returning, it will mark the first time Bynum played during the postseason, if he makes it back in time, so it’s hard to predict if he’s able to perform at full strength after sitting out for a number of games.

Meanwhile, the Lakers have to find a solution for recovery. They have to find a solution to remain fixated and they have to adjust playing without their sudden rising star Bynum, who can again be a setback. Last year’s NBA finals wasn’t so friendly to the Lakers, who encountered a huge difference without that physical inside presence of Bynum, making times easier for the likes of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and the rest of Boston, enabling the Celtics to humiliate.

Currently, the Lakers recovery is Kobe Bryant, those days appear to have transcended into action. There have been plenty of moments where there have been unbelievable buzzard-beating three point shots or miraculous dunks or even that game where he posted 81 points.

On Tuesday night, Kobe was just 20 points away from tying his career-high and 21 points away from setting a new record. He’s the closest player to breaking the all-time record for points scored in a game, if not the greatest player to possibly come that close. Seemingly, it’s the Lakers who are granted with players who can shoot, piling up the scoreboards. Back in the day, Wilt Chamberlain, who set the all-time record for the most points scored in a single game, Kobe is the most logical player other than Chamberlain who can match Chamberlain’s 100-point score total.

Likely in this era, it’s uncommon to gaze at a shooting spectacle. But for a player like Kobe anything is characteristic. It wasn’t uncommon gazing at Kobe, who scored a record-setting 61 points at the Madison Square Garden, the world’s greatest venue, before a large crowd who mostly erupted every time Kobe would make a shot, drawing MVP chats and loud cheers from the New York crowd. LeBron James wasn’t even in town.

Absolutely, Kobe’s presence is needed for the Lakers to have fortune. Certainly without him the Lakers are doom. And scoring 61 points was brilliant, but anytime Kobe scores half of the team’s points, his teammates have the tendency of standing around gazing at him take over.

If Kobe has to continue to score more than 40 points a game to decide the outcome, it can become a problem. Before Bynum’s injury, everybody played as a team, and if they hope to win it all this year, they will need contributions from everyone other than just Kobe.

True, it’s fine if the Lakers win, but each game will play a different scenario, so scoring 61 is good at times, while other times it can hurt, such as the playoffs, particularly if they reach the finals, where they will likely play Boston. In fact, on Thursday the Lakers travel to their face their rivals in a hostile environment for a rematch against Boston.

Kobe having a big game against the Celtics probably will not be as smooth. He will probably get double team against Boston. Their defense executes the double team effectively, which will force his teammates to pick up slack, which they should be accustomed to playing as a team. So, it’s always nice to see Lamar Odom score double digit points, Trevor Ariza’s defensive urgency or Sasha Vujacic outside proficiency.

Still, the Lakers won the game, but sometimes players have a tendency of losing confidence or even their swagger once their star player has a productive night, an attitude seen before. In addition, the Lakers are a much-improved team than last year, showing maturity, most importantly playing as a unit. So, they shouldn’t have serious problems, with players slumping or displaying dullness. I expect Kobe to get his teammates involve on Wednesday at Toronto.

If skeptical about the Lakers, don’t be, they are the best team in the West. And I don’t expect another 60 point game, but I expect a total team effort, even more inside presence from Pau Gasol.

Scoring 61 points was jolting, but even more jolting is getting team contributions. Still the Lakers will increase the intensity, and will receive a team effort. All that matters is the win, even if it takes another Kobe 81 point performance or double digit scoring from teammates. They will get it done.