Okay, I'm cheating slightly, because the game has just started, but I think LA will play hard tonight and odds are they will get the W.

Celtics are banged up and that last game must have taken a lot out of them. If they can hang tough in the first half though, thats when the Lakers may start to doubt and we will see of the pressure gets to them.

But I think the Lakers may stumble home after a couple of scares in this one.

I'm guessing that with about 9 min left in the first half...T. Allen makes 2-pt layup (P. Pierce assists)

Sam Cassel just got an assist. Should this have its own thread?

Nice one Doc. Sam Cassell, the Yinka Dare of point guards...

I can't believe Sam has been in the game for 6 minutes and hasn't had a shot.

So from what i can see, LA got the jump with Kobe hitting treys, now the inevitable, claw back through hard work and the celts will be celebrating on the laker hardwood. Hey, if Sam-I-am is passing and not shooting, LA is in trouble. Next he'll reject a Kobe break away dunk Josh Smith style...

Carbon copy of game 4 but the Celtics have got it back earlier so far. PP has been playing great. Nice to see Tony Allen and Mihm getting some minutes in the series. I think it will go down to the wire.

Been a rough morning trying to get a decent feed for this game! Looks like C's back in it though. Kobe and Pierce both having dominant offensive games.

So who's going to get the support they need? Does Gasol dominate with Perkins out and KG in foul trouble? Or does KG come out in the 2nd half and find his offensive game?

I'm surprised Ray has been out so long. Maybe Doc is trying to rest his legs as long as possible? This is a chance to close the series out tho, I think I'd have him go close to 48 again if necessary.

LOL Quagmire... you're trying really hard to employ that reverse mocker again aren't you?!?!

What's the opposite of Sam Cassell rejecting Kobe like Josh Smith? Answer: not sure yet but it can't be good for the Celtics!

Seriously though, is LA going to win when Kobe has scored 13 of his 15pts from the 3pt and free throw line? I would only say yes if it was because they are running everything through Gasol and swinging it to Kobe for these looks.. Hard to tell on a box-score update...

Why did Kobe sit so much during the Celts comeback? Surely he needs to be on the floor as much as possible, it is not like Phil can save him for teh next game if they lose.

Paul Pierce is The Truth........ Pure clutch....

I think Boston will win this one. The Lakers are in front at the 1/2, but it took an exceptional 1st quarter to get there. Boston look more settled, more in their sets and playing better defence now.

It is a real concern that a team can be so hot in the one quarter and then totally suck in the next. Maybe Phil sat Kobe for to long and he lost of mojo. I'm sure it will come back, but 2nd quarter was hardly showtime.

Now for some serious questions. If the Lakers lose:

1) How many cars will be torched????
2) To the closest thousand, guess how many people will riot in the street
3) How many cars will be overturned???
4) How many homicides????
5) How many shops will be looted
6) Will the Celtics be able to get out of LA in one piece????

I wish I had seen more of the 1st quarter, but going by the 2nd this has been a great game to watch. Real end to end stuff with both teams going right at each other. Some excellent shooting and good skills by both teams.

Ironically, the teams have switched in this game, with Boston going for a small run and gun team and the Lakers now crashing the boards and going into the paint successfully.

I'm a little concerned though, because this small lineup is allowing Gasol and Odom to contribute and gain confidence. I prefer it when its Kobe versus the world. He isn't going to beat the Celtics by himself.

My question for the 2nd half:
Will the real slim K-G please stand up?

Celtics just need to be close come the end of the game to give it a shot. Doc is actually coaching very well, especially considering KG's foul trouble and limited minutes. Our bench players are functioning very well as a team and being a lot more productive than the Lakers. Kobe will have to carry the Lakers.

after much stuffing around I found this one:
http://www.justin.tv/luisquiroz

You really have to give a tone of credit to the Celts.
They have a team that works so hard.

If the Lakers lose, i'd hate to be Kobes wife, no-way he is hearing "NO" tonight... (she's probably out with Karl Malone anyway..)

hmmmmmmmm, the Celts have now gone cold.... This is now where the Big 3 really need to step up and earn there coin. PP has been awesome, Ray has done some nice things and KG is having a dog of a game. It's KG's time now to step it up.

The Celts are really missing Perkins, and they are looking a little flat. I wonder why Doc didn't go with Powe to add some size and spark during the 3rd.

Foul trouble is really hurting the Celtics tonight. PJ is not going to be able to hold the fort by himself. I think Perk being out could cost the Celtics this game.

Foul trouble eh....

Here comes the story of the finals, Sam Cassell scores 16 un-answered points in the fourth!

(sorry Beantown, massive reverse mocker imployed)

man, James posey is the man. what a winner

C'mon Quagmire you're killing me. Everytime Cassell does something I'm fearing the worst! It drives me crazy cos he scores and pulls off important plays, but he also takes away from everyone else on the court. If we're going to iso every play I sure as hell don't want Cassell doing it!

AND KG, for F###K's SAKE, when you get the ball in the paint don't kick it out to Cassell FOR ANOTHER LONG BOMB! AAAAAARRGHGH

god, here come the refs to wreck the game. KG and Pierce's 5th foul both called in 5 seconds.

Foul trouble eh....

With Pierce and KG on 5 fouls each the Lakers really should close this out. Gasol should have been posting up KG all quarter. If the Lakers are smart, the next two plays Kobe or Gasol will try to foul out Pierce and then KG in succession and it will be game over.

Couldn't agree more Beantown, the Celtics should be doing the same with Kobe as well. Hitting FT is going to be crucial.

I reckon Pierce was hesitant to drive on that TO. Instead of taking it to the basket, he tried the upfake and it didn't work. Smarter play next time down. Damn the torpedoes, Pierce, full speed ahead!

Should a been 3 secs on Gasol in the paint. Lucky he missed. KG then plays it smart and forces the over the back foul. shooting two

Awww come on KG...

Bounce of the ball going Lakers way and they are making their FT's... looks bad for C's

Doc Rivers with balls of steel, subs in Tony "you never know what you're gonna get" Allen

Kobe waits until 37 seconds left to do anything. what a dagger

KG's gone missing

Big play by Kobe with the steal. Looked like a foul on the replay, but not certain. Ah well, thems the breaks. Not the Celtics day today

Definite foul on Kobe, should be almost automatic. I guess the earlier call of no corupt refs is wrong! ;)

That was damn close with House's 3 and then almost the steal!

Good game, Lakers did enough to survive. Boston will win at home on Wednesday though. Just hope Perk is back to give us another physical presence.

Good close game. Lakers took advantage of Celtics weakness today with Perkins out. Able to get Celtics in foul trouble which meant they could not lock down on defence late like they needed to.

Perkins needs to give the Celtics some minutes in game 6 and the big 3 need to stay out of foul trouble.

I'd love to see this go down to a game 7...the Lakers supporting cast helped get it done today. Odom starting to make an impact.

In light of the ESPN All-time greatest Finals performance article currently on their NBA page, how clear is it that Duncan is by a country mile a better player than KG. KG isn't even the second best player on his team in this Finals series.

Also, what fukt up system ranks Wade's Finals performance as the greatest of all time? What a joke.

Lakers are definitely gonna have to find some defence to close out any games in Boston. Pierce made it look so easy goin to the hoop off some of those picks.

Lakers definitely looked better when moving the ball, when trying to take them on one on one (eg Gasol and Bryant) the Boston team defence crushed them. Love to see a close game 7 but cant see it gettin past 6.

thedoctor, that must the umpires' greatest performances if Wade got up there

oh its Hollingers piece of fuckin supercrap PER system. I hate that system

Just looking at those Finals performances it makes it a little clearer why Phoenix gambled on Shaq - check out his numbers!

Agreed - Shaq was a monster. Tell me how Wade's performance out-ranks Jordan in 1991 when Jordan averaged 33 points, 11.5 assists and 7 rebounds. Ridiculous.

And Duncan in 2003. 24 points, 17 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 5.5 blocks.

If anything, the fact that Wade topped the rankings should be reason enough for Hollinger to scrap the system and start again.

Sub out Wade for prime Jordan... with shaq in the paint Michael would of scored like 30-40 with assists of 10-15 for the three quarters he played. (he would rest each fourth coz they would of been up by 30.)

That article is a joke.

I tend to ignore anything Hollinger comes up with. He'll always pull some BS stat out of his hole to make his favorite players look better... That final series was a joke, good old Stern had his fingerprints all over the cookie jar in that series... D-Whistle as number 1 is just bad.....

Bird's 27.0, 9.7 and 9.5 in 1986 is only good enough for 29th!

Yeah- no love shown for Bird's efforts or Magic playing centre.

What about the Dream and the way he carried the Rockets back 2 back????

I wonder if the NBA will be so arrogant and blatant as to fix it so we get Game 7 ... just like they fix the Heat championship to make Wade a star and give Shaq another title.. and game 6 of 02 that cost Sacramento a chance at the tile ... there was no way they would allow 2 small markets to compete for a title. Anythime a small market comes through it is against a big market team or team with the biggest stars think Bulls vs ... LA vs ... etc

i don't think the NBA cared about making Wade a star, it was the fact that Stern didn't want Mark Cuban to win a title.

sure they wanted a star .. stars sell merchandise $$$$ ... when you have one player making over 20 million a year in a multi billion dollar industry ..you're naive to think theres no corruption!!

honestly, we got lucky with game 5; credit to celtics defense (as much as i hate to admit) kobe missed a few chances to close out at the end that was VERY dissapointing. yeh sure he slamed home the game winner but that's only cos we got lucky with his steal which could've easily been a reaching call