Lakers Can’t Handle The Truth Celtics Win Game One 98-88

Posted by Jeff Sack under NBA PLAYOFFS

Welcome To The World of Gentlemen, Gentlemen.

Even watching on TV, you could feel the air being sucked out of the “New Garden” Thursday night as every person in that building that had any loyalty towards the Boston Celtics were collectively holding their breath. Boston Celtics forward and their leading scorer in the 2008 NBA Playoffs Paul Pierce, was lying on the ground writhing in pain holding his leg with 6:49 left in the third quarter. Pierce had been injured in a collision with teammate center Kendrick Perkins. The forward had to be carried off the court by his teammates, and put onto a wheelchair. He was then transported to Celtics locker room. Pierce, and Boston coach Doc Rivers immediately thought worst case scenario, the forwards season was over. Rivers took his team aside and screamed to them that this was the adversity that a gentleman from South Africa had told them about in the preseason. The Celtics coach told his team this was the time for them to prove their worth, that they could over come this.

With 5:04 remaining, Pierce jogged out of the locker room, a protective sleeve on his right knee. It turned out to be a strained knee, and soon Pierce was back in the game. Pierce’s performance inspired his team to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers 98-88 in game one of the NBA Finals. Kevin Garnett led Boston as he recorded a double-double, scoring 24 points, and grabbing 13 boards. Pierce who scored only 3 points in the first half ended the night with 22.

This is already starting out to be?a fun series, you had two heavyweight champs in the ring Thursday night standing toe to toe and giving each other their best shots. The “Green Team” had a paper thin lead at the end of the first quarter, as they were up 23-21. The Lakers had the advantage at the half as they walked into the locker room leading 51-46. Pierce came out smoking in the third quarter scoring six unanswered points, and the Celtics led 52-51. The Lakers had a 62-58 lead when Pierce was hurt, but the Celtics tied the game at 62-62 when Ray Allen hit a trey. The lead went back and forth until “The Truth” hit back to back treys with just over a minute left in the period. Boston led at the end of three quarters led 77-73. Kobe Bryant opened the final quarter with an outside shot to make it 77-75, but Los Angeles would never be closer than four points behind the rest of the game.

Kevin Garnett?scored 24 points, grabbed 13 boards, 3 assists, 1 steal, in the Boston victory. Pierce scored 22 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, Ray Allen scored 19 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 1 block. Rajon Rondo scored 15 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds. Two other players who came up bigger than their box scores were the two old Turks, Sam Cassell who was huge in the first, and P.J. Brown who was just as big in the second half.

Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 24 points after a tough first half, 6 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block. Pau Gasol scored 15?points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, Derek Fisher also scored 15 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals. Lamar Odom scored 14 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal. Boston holds on to home court advantage with the win, game two will be in Boston on Sunday.

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