Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (R) hugs Boston Celtics guard Ray Allen at the end of their NBA basketball game in Boston, Massachusetts February 10, 2011. REUTERS/Brian Snyder (UNITED STATES – Tags: SPORT BASKETBALL)
With his second of three three-pointers on the night, Ray Allen broke Reggie Miller’s all-time three-point record (2,560) against the Lakers, but Kobe Bryant was too much in the second half, and the Celtics fell, 92-86.
After struggling all season against the league’s top teams, the Lakers needed a “signature win” and they got it in Boston despite a rough start. L.A. trailed by 15 points in the middle of the second quarter, but closed with a 13-6 run to cut the lead to eight at halftime. A 10-0 Laker run to start the third quarter, and Boston’s lead was gone. The teams traded blows until a well-rested Kobe came off the bench with the Lakers nursing a three-point lead and 5:04 remaining in the fourth quarter, and effectively put the game away with 10 points in the final five minutes.
What does this win mean? Laker fans can take their fingers off the panic button, for one. Had the Celtics won by a wide margin, the Lakers would have been more likely to shake the roster up before the Feb. 24 trade deadline. With the win, they’re likely to do nothing at all, or possibly tinker with some of the players at the bottom of the rotation.
I still don’t understand why the Lakers wouldn’t pull a trigger on a Bynum-for-Carmelo swap, but Steve Kerr said last night that by giving up Bynum, they’d be giving up their height advantage. And who am I to argue with Kerr, who broke up that Suns team (to acquire Shaquille O’Neal) that was two bench-clearing suspensions away from upsetting the eventual-champion San Antonio Spurs in 2007? Kerr also wonders how difficult it would be to insert Carmelo into the triangle offense, but with the way Ron Artest is playing (i.e. not well), Anthony would be a huge upgrade. Even if it took him a while to fit in, he couldn’t be any worse than Artest.
Bynum definitely helps the Lakers against the Celtics. I just think Carmelo would help them more against everyone else they might play in the postseason. Plus, he’s not the injury risk that Bynum is.
Oh, and if you’re wondering how Reggie Miller felt about Allen breaking his record. Here’s what he said just before it happened:
“It just shows you, when people ask me, ‘you’ve got to be a little bit upset or bitter?’ Why? First of all, all records are made to be broken. I had a conversation with Ray earlier tonight and he was like, ‘when I was a rookie and I came to Market Square Arena and I saw you for three, three and a half hours before (the game) shooting, that’s how I wanted to patent my game.’ I’m just so happy for him because this is one of the best guys. He’s so humble, he’s so giving, he’s a great family man and I’m excited. This is great. This is great for the game of basketball. You know why? We’re focusing and talking about shooting, Steve. You know how many hours (we went) and we had keys to the gym, we’d go early. No one talks about shooting anymore.”
Those are two pretty classy individuals right there.
