The Lakers destroyed the Celtics Tuesday night and forced a seventh and deciding game in the NBA Finals, 89-67. And the game wasn't even that close. The Lakers dominated play from the beginning until the end of the game. The question is: how did the L.A. take care of the Celtics so easily? Dexter Fishmore of Silver Screen and Roll has his reasons, and they begin and end with the Lakers' defensive performance for the ages.
If you'd forgotten that the Lakers were capable of choking an opponent out with world-class defense, that's understandable. As recently as early March, they led the NBA in defensive efficiency, but a late-season fade, plus points allowed in bunches in playoff series against the Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns, took some of the gleam off the Lakers' defensive rep. Tonight that great Laker D came roaring back, and not a moment too soon. They allowed the Celtics to score a pathetically low 0.78 points per possession. That's not just the lowest efficiency mark by a Laker opponent in these playoffs. It's the lowest mark of an opponent all season long. To put it in further perspective, at no point in these playoffs or the regular season had the Celtic offense been held below 0.83 points per trip.Did the Lakers pick the right time for one of the greatest defensive performances in NBA Finals history? Yes. Yes, I'd say they did.
Statistics in this game don't lie. The Celtics shot poorly, not only from the three point line, but overall as well. Silver Screen and Roll shows how dominant the Lakers were last night on the defensive side of the ball.
|
Poss. |
TO% |
FTA/ |
FT% |
3FGA/FGA |
2PT% |
3PT% |
EFG |
TS% |
OReb Rate |
DReb Rate |
PPP |
Bos. |
86 |
16 |
0.12 |
60 |
0.27 |
38 |
22 |
36 |
38 |
25 |
67 |
0.78 |
L.A. |
85 |
15 |
0.24 |
90 |
0.24 |
45 |
32 |
46 |
51 |
33 |
75 |
1.05 |
For more of the Laker fan perspective, visit Silver Screen and Roll.