The Celtics took control of the game in the beginning of the second quarter and looked destined to glide to an easy victory. Paul Pierce had 28 points and 8 assists, showing no signs of the Game 1 injury that initially appeared to end his season. Garnett had 17 points and 14 rebounds, while Ray Allen also scored 17.
The Celtics were aided by a cast of unsung heroes. Leon Powe, getting back in Doc Rivers' rotation, scored 21 points and got to the foul line 13 times in just 14 minutes. Rondo threw 16 passes that led to baskets. Veterans James Posey and P.J. Brown were productive as well.
The Lakers bench has been overrated and they didn't dispel that accusation in Game 2. The Lakers defense was sieve-like. They were down 24 points late. But Kobe Bryant never conceded defeat. He ended the game with 30 points and 8 assists. The Boston lead kept trickling away, little by little. Sasha Vujacic hit a big three to cut the lead to 6. Vladimir Radmanivic, usually a very poor defender, stole the ball and lumbered down the court to put the deficit at 4.
On the key possession at the end of the game, Bryant never touched the ball. Instead Vujacic threw up a panic-stricken three-pointer that never had a chance. Like a MDC charge towards the Zimbabwean presidency, you always had the feeling that the Lakers would come up short, no matter how noble their run, it just wasn't destined to be. The Celtics won 108-102, but the Lakers gained something from their comeback attempt. As the Finals head to Los Angeles, this series is far from over.
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