Kobe Bryant buried a free throw line jump shot over Ray Allen with 7.3 seconds left, giving the Los Angeles Lakers a 90-89 lead. Ray Allen's potential game winning jump shot went begging and the Lakers escape Boston with a one-point win.
- The Celtics had the lead for much of the fourth, only to see it evaporate with mere seconds left.
- An offensive foul called on Paul Pierce with 27.5 seconds left really swung the momentum in the Lakers' favor, leading to Kobe's theatrics.
- Kobe was held to just 8-20 shooting and scored only 19 points, but he certainly made it when it mattered most.
- Rajon Rondo was huge today, putting up a line of 21 points, 5 rebounds, 12 assists, two steals and just one turnover.
- Ray Allen shot just 2-10 on the day, including that final miss, and finished with just seven points.
- Andrew Bynum was a beast for the Lakers, and the C's had virtually no answer for him. He posted 19 points and 11 rebounds, with five of those boards coming on the offensive glass.
- Tony Allen contributed 12 crucial points in the first half when the Celtics were staring an 11-point deficit in the face. He also played very good defense on Kobe for much of the afternoon.
- Both teams held double-digit leads in this one, with the Lakers going up big early, and the C's holding an 11-point lead as late as the 9:16 mark of the fourth quarter.
- The Celtics displayed signs of the energy and tenacity we expect from them. A win today in a late game fashion might have meant big things for this squad moving forward. Unfortunately, it's just another heart breaking loss, ending what was a nightmare of a weekend against three of the NBA's top teams.
Stay Tuned for Jimmy Toscano's write-up.