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While the Lakers have performed at least a little better on the court than their shamrocked enemies from the east, the basic narratives surrounding both teams are similar. Aging squads clinging like kittens on tree branches to championship relevance while all sorts of pre-deadline rumors swirl around their big stars, putting into serious question the future of their current ring bearing cores.

Still, just as it was when the teams met this year in Boston, a Lakers/Celtics matchup brings the sort of intensity out of both teams reminding everyone why, even if both squads need a little polish to get back to the top, we still pay close attention when they're on the floor together. Certainly until the cast of characters changes significantly, at least.

To get a little more insight on where things stand with the C's, we caught up with our man Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston, who was kind enough to step away from a family vacation (seriously!) to answer a few questions:

Q: The Celtics still get it done defensively (3rd in efficiency) but the offense has fallen off a cliff (25th), even relative to what's gone on with the Lakers. What accounts for their struggles?

Forsberg: As you'd expect from an aging team, the pace of play has dipped (even Rajon Rondo can't get these guys to run often) and Boston's pace has bogged down a full possession per game since its championship season. The bigger problems are that Boston (1) turns the ball over at an alarming rate, (2) doesn't rebound particularly well at either end of the floor, and (3) settles for an insane amount of jump shots (all signs of an aging team). The result? A Celtics squad that averaged 100.5 points per game in their title campaign is now averaging a mere 90.5 points per game this season. We see occasional bursts of life, particularly when Rondo fuels them, but if jump shots aren't falling, this team really struggles to put points on the board because they don't typically generate easy buckets.

Q: How real are the Rajon Rondo trade discussions? Can you explain the persistent chatter surrounding him? On an aging team, he seems like the one guy you'd want to build around.

Forsberg: The Rondo trade chatter was very real in the preseason when the team tried to pry Chris Paul from New Orleans. Even when we heard rumors about Rondo being offered to another team, it was always with the goal of obtaining the pieces necessary to land Paul, who was the only endgame for Danny Ainge. Ever since? I'm sure Ainge is listening, but the Celtics understand his value. He's not going anywhere without an elite cornerstone coming back to Boston and that's unlikely to happen at the deadline. Is he a stubborn kid? Sure, but what superstar doesn't have his flaws? When he's engaged, he's one of the best at his position.

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Last week, in the wake of that day's rumor-du-jour (to Minnesota for Derrick Williams and stuff) Pau Gasol told me he'd like some sort of resolution to the ongoing swap gossip swirling around him. Following L.A.'s loss to the Suns on Sunday in Phoenix, Kobe Bryant laid into management, saying essentially the same thing. Trade him or don't, but make a decision quickly. Don't let Gasol, or the team, twist in the wind.

I suspect Kobe's comments won't do much beyond making Gasol's mental state an even bigger focus between now and the deadline.

Pau is a tough guy to trade. On the one hand, even in a "down" year, Gasol is averaging 16.8 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.3 blocks a game. Last night, he put up 17/12/6, and after people were concerned about circumstances sending his game downhill. He's very, very good, and has a skill set most teams covet. Far too good to give away for a box of saltines and 15 basketballs.

On the other hand, he's 31, carries a pricey contract and still has a little image rehab to do following the end of last season.

Still, if everyone wants a resolution and the Lakers, as Gasol believes, are simply waiting for the right offer, what could the deals look like? Below are a collection of Trade Machine-approved swaps, many reflecting some of the very rumors causing all this controversy in the first place.

(A couple of notes: First, for simplicity's sake, I stuck to two-team deals with at least some degree of viability. Second, I tried to keep each deal boiled down to the key figures. Again, a nod to simplicity, and the clarity of a deal's essential components. Experiment with them as you please to appease the gods of equity. Finally, inclusion of a scenario is not necessarily an endorsement.)

TRADE 1: Lakers trade Gasol to Houston for Luis Scola, Kevin Martin and Goran Dragic.

It's the deal everyone made before, right, cutting those pesky league-owned killjoy Hornets out of the loop? No, not really. That swap worked well for L.A. because they got back Chris Paul in the process. Houston's package nets them a lesser replacement at power forward whose numbers this year are down, an explosive scorer in Martin who plays the same position as Kobe and a score-first prospect at the point who represents an improvement over what the Lakers have, because almost anyone does.

Maybe the Lakers can flip the components for something else, but unless you think the Lakers win by adding more depth -- I'm a believer that, generally speaking, in the NBA the team getting the best player wins the deal -- I don't think this improves them.

Adding Kyle Lowry changes the equation, but Houston isn't doing that.

TRADE 2: Gasol to Chicago for Carlos Boozer and C.J. Watson

It would be interesting, because as worked up as the fan base can get over Gasol's perceived inadequacies few players have been more roundly mocked locally than Boozer, going back to his Utah days. Just about every criticism has been thrown his way, fairly or not. Offensively, the fit isn't bad. Boozer is skilled, and unlike Gasol doesn't pine for high-quality touches on the block, so he'd open things up for Andrew Bynum down low. On the other hand, except for rebounding, Boozer is an awful defender, and his short arms (for a 6-foot-9 guy) and earthbound game mean he alters very little inside (0.5 blocks per game). The Lakers would suffer defensively in the exchange. Plus, Boozer gets hurt all the time. Only three of his past seven seasons could be reasonably considered healthy, and he's owed a lot of money going forward.

The key would be Watson. Is he a starting-caliber PG who simply hasn't had the opportunity, or just a solid backup? I tend to believe the latter. For this trade to work, the Bulls would have to add sweetener. A package centered around Luol Deng might have appeal for the Lakers, but the metrics don't work as well for Chicago.

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There's a very good chance Thursday's game was the last page in the most recent chapter of the storied Lakers/Celtics rivalry, given how much change could be coming to each team and the long odds for either team -- let alone both -- to make this year's Finals.

If so, the teams went out with, if not a bang (tough to use that word in an overtime game where neither squad hits the 90-point mark), a hard fought, tightly contested 53 minutes of basketball reflecting their recent history. Lakers win 88-87, evening their record on the Grammy trip at 2-2 and opening the door to a strong finish ahead of wholly winnable games in New York and Toronto.

We touched on all this, and the following, during tonight's Lakers Late Night:

• A big night for L.A.'s Big Three, at once reinforcing the team's top end strength (good) and all the issues with the middle and bottom parts (not good).
• The return of Steve Blake, and what it means.
• Andy's cat, and her first LLN appearance of the season.

It wasn't easy (when is it easy in Boston?) but as they did in Denver against a high quality Nuggets team, the Los Angeles Lakers again dug deep to beat a heretofore hot Boston Celtics squad Thursday night in overtime.

With the win, the Lakers now have a great shot at finishing the trip at a strong 4-2. Here are five takeaways:

1. The big three were big.


Kobe Bryant was a catalyst for his teammates early, moving the ball well and providing opportunities around the floor. When he did start shooting, Bryant made each of his first four attempts, and after a lull in the middle of the game got things going. In the third, he beat Ray Allen (and others) on a wicked step through in the paint, then canned a couple J's off the mid-post against Allen. Later, he made a nice one-dribble move on Mickael Pietrus. Overall, he finished 11-of-24 for 27 points, along with four assists and five boards. Against a Boston team that loves to bait opponents into low percentage plays, Bryant played a very controlled game.

He certainly pulled his weight, but when support was needed or the shots didn't fall, Bryant was picked up by the other two members of L.A.'s triumvirate.

Pau Gasol was huge, playing an excellent floor game providing all the scoring, facilitating and rebounding the Lakers need from him. On the night he was officially left off this season's All-Star team, Gasol turned in one of his best games of the season. He put the ball on the floor effectively, showed some good footwork in the post, and made some excellent passes as well. Then there were three key second-half putbacks, including one that tied the game at 82 with only 8.2 seconds remaining. Save a couple truly horrible decisions early, leading to turnovers and opportunities for the home team, Gasol was on point.

Defensively, Gasol was big against Kevin Garnett, who basically disappeared as the game went on, then saved the game by blocking Allen at the buzzer on what would have been a game-winning putback off a Paul Pierce miss. Gasol finished with 25 points (12-for-20), plus 14 rebounds, three dimes and that one massive swat.

Andrew Bynum struggled from the floor, making only six of his 15 shots, but he was a beast on the boards (17) and produced three huge plays on the offensive glass. The first two produced and-1 opportunities at the end of the first half off a miss from Bryant, then again in the fourth off a corner 3-pointer from Gasol. In OT, Bynum tipped in a Bryant miss to give the Lakers a late lead. Add in three blocks, and you get the sort of game people want from Bynum, in which he doesn't let problems putting the ball in the hoop prevent him from working hard in other areas.

Games like this point more to problems with the rest of the roster than they do the Lakers' big three. Asking more against a high-end team like Boston simply isn't realistic. On Thursday night, it was just enough to get it done.

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Just two seasons ago, the Lakers and Celtics battled for the NBA championship in a seven-game series for the ages. They meet Thursday as squads good enough to be taken seriously, but because both are old and flawed, they are widely regarded as outsiders looking into the 2012 title chase. However, neither team seems ready to pack up the tents. And even if they were, there's enough bad blood remaining from a split pair of Finals ('08 and '10) to guarantee a spirited battle.

Along with ESPN Boston's Chris Forsberg, we pondered three questions heading into this game.



1. What matchup are you most looking forward to seeing?


Chris Forsberg: Kobe Bryant vs. Mickael Pietrus: We sorta know how the starters match up, so I'm interested to see if Pietrus can be a Tony Allen-like Kobe stopper off the bench. Pietrus has been spectacular since being picked up on Christmas Eve after the Suns released him. And Pietrus supposedly said this summer that Bryant wanted him on the Lakers. (Runner-up: Troy Murphy vs. Anybody. Really, he's one of the Lakers' top reserves this season?!)

Andy Kamenetzky: Paul Pierce vs. Metta World Peace. There have been signs that MWP is rediscovering his defensive mojo. Most recently in Denver, he did the lion's share of the work in limiting Danilo Gallinari to just six points. Of course, there are still games where his defense is as ineffective as his offense, which renders MWP a total nonfactor. The Lakers need Paul Pierce kept in check, and much of that responsibility falls on MWP. We'll see if he's up for the task against a potential All-Star.

Brian Kamenetzky: Pau Gasol vs. Kevin Garnett. Pau’s output against what will surely be an extra yappy, extra chest-puffy KG will get the attention, and Gasol needs to produce more efficiently (eight of last 12 games with FG% at 45 or below). If he doesn’t, L.A. will have to find alternative options against a top-end defensive squad. Meanwhile, Garnett’s scoring has picked up, but Gasol has held opposing PFs to a respectable PER (14). If one goes off at the expense of the other, a victory for his team is highly likely.

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Per Dave McMenamin, Steve Blake was medically cleared to participate in Wednesday's practice and will be a game-time decision for Thursday's game against the Celtics. A return to action basically coincides with the timetable for recovery from a fracture near his ribs.

"I've just been patient with it, trying to let it heal," Blake said during Wednesday's practice. "I really had no preconception of when I was coming back. I didn't know if it was going to be sooner or later. I really had no idea. To me, it's on time...[Practice] felt good. My rhythm is a little off, but that will come with time. Hopefully whenever I do play, I'll be ready to play and able to contribute."

Obviously, Blake's potential availability is a big deal. Not that the bench ran like a Swiss watch with him in the lineup, but he was nonetheless the best second unit play-maker, and by a long shot. That the reserves have struggled to do much in Blake's absence beyond feed the ball to Andrew Bynum or watch Andrew Goudelock generate his own looks is no coincidence, nor terribly surprising. With Blake back, the second unit offense will hopefully run a little smoother, and he'll hopefully add a few buckets to the mix.

In the meantime, I assume Goudelock will assume two-guard duties, allowing him to operate more of a pure scorer, rather than outside his comfort zone as a quasi-point guard. I also imagine Mike Brown will give more minutes to Goudelock than Jason Kapono as a reserve shooting guard, which will hopefully help limit Kobe Bryant minutes. For that matter, Blake on hand should also mean equal Derek Fisher's minutes reduced, which wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. Blake and Fisher can also finish games together with Kobe at small forward in games where Metta World Peace and Matt Barnes aren't offering much, which has been too often these days.

Considering the glaring limitations of the Lakers roster, any options gained are a welcome development.

Kobe Bryant turned 33 on Tuesday, as good a reason as any to look back at everything The Mamba has accomplished during a HOF career. The K Bros and 710 ESPN's Mark Willard tackle a few questions that, to say the least, offer options for responses.

• Beyond the titles, what is the most impressive aspect of Kobe's career?
• What is your prediction for Kobe's next great achievement?
• What is your favorite moment of Kobe's career?

Check out what we said, then offer your two cents.

Last Sunday, as the Dallas Mavericks celebrated a championship in the same arena housing a pep rally last July to celebrate the union of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, like all the analysts, Internet scribes and fans across Twitter, I pondered the standard talking points; LeBron's series-long disappearing act, a hesitance eventually shared by his teammates. The frustration that eventually did in Flash. Dirk Nowitzki's fourth quarter comeback. Jason Terry's clutch shooting. Depth overcoming talent. Teamwork overcoming flash. The nationwide pleasure taken in Team South Beach's wipe out.

But eventually, I also had a flashback to standing in the TD Garden visitor's locker room, watching various members of the 2008 Lakers talk about getting their asses handed to them in humiliating fashion.

And the title they won the following season.

And how similar the Lakers' and Heat's situations are.

Obviously, these aren't identical back stories. The Lakers, despite being considered (if memory serves) the consensus favorite in the Finals, nonetheless were riding an unexpected wave of greatness. The season began with Kobe Bryant wanting out and the franchise's future cloudier than a typical Seattle morning.

Yes, Andrew Bynum's shocking improvement, then the trade for Pau Gasol, transformed the 2007 seven-seeds into legitimate title contenders, but that's also no substitute for an entire season spent preparing for a Finals appearance. Not to mention, adversity conquered along the way. As Derek Fisher put it, the Lakers kind of "waltzed (their) way" to the NBA Finals before getting blindsided by the buzz saw that was Boston. Bynum available and Trevor Ariza fully functional perhaps would have offset that callowness. But at the end of the day, it was painfully obvious Boston had been the team spending every minute from training camp to their Game 6 blow out mentally readying for the moment they raised the O'Brien.

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For all parties involved -- fans, media, and especially, the Lakers themselves -- Sunday's 122-86 loss to the Dallas Mavericks was a sucker punch finale to a season steeped in misdirection. The preseason favorite among pundits and General Managers, an underwhelming regular season left the Lakers no longer regarded as bullet proof entering the playoffs, but still a force to be reckoned with. The first round created more doubts, and believing meant also buying into an exceptionally difficult path, despite home-court advantage in the West unexpectedly regained.

But not even the most skeptical Lakers fans (or zealous Mavericks fans) can honestly claim to have foreseen the bodies left for dead in Dallas. It's one thing to get upset. It's quite another to get swept, and in fashion even the "Jail Blazer" squads would have deemed classless. The world Lakers fans knew has steadily spiraled in an unfamiliar direction, and by Sunday's end, had been turned completely upside down.

It hasn't been a pleasant 24 hours, but this disaster served as a painful reminder of what ultimately makes sports so compelling: Unpredictability.

Nobody truly knows what's coming next in sports. Not the fans. Not the "experts." Not the players.

Over the last four seasons, unpredictability has been at the center of the Lakers' highest, lowest and most surprising points. The inedible memories, soaring or sour.

Unpredictability is Kobe Bryant looking happier and coming into his own as a leader in 2008 perhaps more than any other year, despite the season beginning with him wanting to play anywhere but in L.A.

Unpredictability was 2008 marking the franchise's return to powerhouse form, despite skepticism at the season's outset about even making the playoffs. Unpredictability was also a reminder that waltzing through three conference series means nothing in regard to what happens in the Finals.

Unpredictability is Pau Gasol coming to L.A. out of nowhere in exchange for a player 10 times worse.

Unpredictability is why Gasol can shift from being emasculated by the Celtics in 2008 to becoming a rebounding machine against those same Celtics in 2010 to morphing mysteriously into a ghost during a bizarrely ineffective 2011 playoffs.

Unpredictability is why we believe Bryant can still make impossible shots at will in the face of tangible evidence his proficiency as an assassin is slipping.

Unpredictability is Shannon Brown, despite evidence of being too raw and inexperienced, arriving as a self-proclaimed trade "thrown in" and immediately entering a title-run rotation, while Steve Blake can arrive as a perfect fit on paper yet struggle to make an impact.

Unpredictability is why Lamar Odom can age like fine wine and enjoy his best season as a 12-year veteran, which simply defies logic. Unpredictability is also why the long-elusive consistency discovered this season failed to translate during the payoffs.

Unpredictability is Andrew Bynum suddenly emerging in 2007 as a potential franchise cornerstone. Unpredictability is also knees constantly at risk to buckle, providing doubt about whether Drew can truly be built around.

Unpredictability is Bynum demonstrating maturity by wholeheartedly embracing a defense-oriented role. Unpredictability is also Bynum's penchant for immature and dangerous cheap shots when he's upset.

Unpredictability is Ron Artest inheriting the title "goat," then "hero" during Game 5 of against Western Conference finals against the Suns, all within the span of a minute.

Unpredictability is why Artest can defy his reputation by remaining the calmest Laker during Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals, yet reinforce his reputation with a senseless flagrant foul during Game 2 of the 2011 Western Conference semifinals.

Unpredictability is a crucial basket from Derek Fisher at the rim, not beyond the arc.

Unpredictability is Sasha Vujacic scoring the final two points to clinch the Lakers' 16th championship.

Unpredictability is the simultaneously thrilling, fascinating and frustrating way Kobe is impossible to pin down.

Unpredictability is why emotionally investing in a team sometimes feels as painful as any life event beyond literal life and death.

Unpredictability is why, despite how disappointed, disillusioned or angry Lakers fans might feel right now, next season is a must to watch.

Losses Tuesday and Wednesday against inferior competition have been costly for the Lakers, not just in terms of scuttling any chance to catch the Spurs at the top of the Western Conference or the Bulls back East- San Antonio wrapped up the number one seed last night, and Chicago would have to lose their five remaining games for the Lakers to have a shot- but in solidifying no worse than a third seed overall heading into the playoffs.

Boston and Miami are nipping at purple and gold heels.

The Celtics have 23 losses, same as the Lakers, though L.A. holds the tiebreaker by virtue of a better record against the opposing conference. Miami has 24, following a similarly inexcusable loss of their own Wednesday night at home to Milwaukee, but holds the tiebreaker over the Lakers by virtue of a 2-0 season series sweep. The Heat need only to catch the Lakers to earn a better seed.

Obviously this is significant stuff. Any more backsliding, and the Lakers could cede much of the advantage gained after the break. Every E.C. team they fall behind makes playing a potential Finals series as the road team more likely, something history sees as a very bad thing.

As the final week of the regular season arrives, here's how the schedules break down:

Lakers (four games remaining): Friday at Portland, Sunday vs. OKC, Tuesday vs. San Antonio, Wednesday at Sacramento.

Celtics (five games): Tonight at Chicago, Friday vs. Washington, Sunday at Miami, Monday at Washington, Wednesday vs. New York.

Miami (four games): Friday vs. Charlotte, Sunday vs. Boston, Monday at Atlanta, Wednesday at Toronto.

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Did you miss it? No worries, you can re-live all the fun via the handy link below.

Among the topics of discussion:

• How likely is it the Lakers will catch San Antonio before the end of the season?
• Which teams are the most dangerous for L.A. in the Eastern Conference?
• Oklahoma City- Are they the biggest threat to the Lakers in the West?
• Award season- Does Kobe have a shot at MVP? What about Lamar Odom for Sixth Man of the Year?
• Will a lack of consistent defensive rebounding hurt the Lakers in the playoffs?

Click here for the transcript .

For those unable to duck their bosses for an hour and participate on company time, here's the transcript.

Topics included Andrew Bynum vs. Dwight Howard, the probability of Matt Barnes and Shannon Brown opting out this offseason, and potential playoff matchups. Like many, I've been wondering lately if the Bulls could come out of the East. I also would rather face the Blazers than the Griz in the first round, but that's just one man's opinion.

Enjoy!

Following Monday's win over Orlando, Kobe Bryant was asked if he's paid attention to the teams the Lakers are chasing in the standings. “Not really. We’re just playing," he said. "Just playing and doing what we need to do. We just want to go into the playoffs, play good basketball, execute, try to minimize mistakes."

So far, so good. Stay focused on what you're doing, right? Control that which can be controlled. He continued.

"Home court advantage to me is overrated."

Hmmm.... While I have no idea if Kobe has had problems with his TPS reports of late, I'm going to have to go ahead and sort of disagree with him, there. History does, too. Statistically speaking, the home team has a major advantage in the NBA playoffs. Via ESPN Stats and Information:

SERIES WON BY TEAM WITH HOME-COURT ADVANTAGE, since 1983-84 (when the NBA went to a 16-team format)

First Round: 166-50 (.769)
Conference Semifinals: 85-23 (.787)
Conference Finals: 37-17 (.685)
NBA Finals: 21-6 (.778)

These are misleading numbers, to some degree, since HCA is not assigned randomly. The best teams earn it, meaning they win not only because of home cooking, but superior talent. Still, the 77.8 percent success rate in the Finals is pretty impressive. I know I'm not the only person who thinks playing Games 6 and 7 of the '10 Finals at Staples was a profound advantage for the Lakers. Certainly the Celtics, based on their comments this season about the importance of home court, agree.

No question, the Lakers are a team fully capable of winning away from Los Angeles. They've done it all year, arguably performing with more consistency in other team's buildings than their own while running up the league's best road record. Multiple road series are hardly a death sentence. Still, there's a big difference between an obstacle being insurmountable and "overrated." Home court may not be the former, but certainly isn't the latter, either.

Here are some particulars:

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With the trade deadline expired and the Lakers suddenly playing like two-time defending champions, it felt like as good a time as any to record a new batch of ear candy. Our guest? Chris Palmer, who covers the NBA (and action sports!) for ESPN The Magazine, one of our favorite dudes in the biz. Here are the talking points.

PODCAST
Andy and Brian break down the new-look Western Conference and how it impacts the Lakers with ESPN The Magazine's Chris Palmer. Plus, Ron Ron talk talk. Podcast

- With Palmer taking time out from his Academy Awards party schedule, we discuss the trade deadline's madness. The Lakers stood pat while several teams went to the mattresses.

How much better did Oklahoma City become with the acquisitions of Kendrick Perkins, Nate Robinson and Nazr Mohammed. And by extension, did Boston become worse by altering the tried and true with Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic? How threatening is Portland with Gerald Wallace? New Orleans with Carl Landry? Memphis with Shane Battier? Denver without Melo and Chauncey? All the angles and implications of this souped up Western Conference are examined.

Meanwhile, did the Lakers do the right thing by rolling with their "A-minus" roster, as Chris would grade it? In his estimation, yes.

"I love what the Lakers did. Doing nothing is exactly what they should have done. They don't have to worry about chemistry issues. They don't have to worry about working new guys into a very difficult offense to learn. Let's keep it moving.

"This team has won two championships. It's built to win another. Don't tamper if it's working fine for you."

- Deron Williams' migration eastward won't make the Nets a playoff team ... now. But down the road? Chris talks about the statement made by this splashy deal.

- Chris makes a case for the Cavaliers' willingness to take on Baron Davis in exchange for a potentially high draft pick. He offers solid points, but we're not buying them.

- With Palmer off the phone to seek out a Walmart, Brian and I talk about the Lakers' red hot play since the All-Star break (and this was before the Clippers walloping). Is this a sure-fire sign of the "corner" turned, "switch" flipped or whatever cliche' you prefer? Ask us next week. To a man, they're performing better and this is typically the time when the Lakers crank things to another level, but a season this inconsistent, often for inconsistent reasons, requires more proof for reassurance.

- Along these lines, two strong games (three, if you count his performance against the Clips) by Ron Artest are analyzed. Suddenly, Ron-Ron is playing decisive, confident basketball. Maybe he's no longer dealing with the anxiety of a mixtape about to drop. On a related news, Brian also reveals his ignorance of hip hop slang.

Maybe the Lakers should just stay on the road.

In the third game of their season-long seven-game road trip, the Lakers again scored a win, this time against an elite team, the type of victory that has eluded them all season. It wasn't a perfect measuring stick given Boston's health issues only exacerbated by foul trouble, but, if I might borrow wisdom from the wisest of late 1970's American summer camp cinema- Meatballs- "It just doesn't matter." The Lakers still went into the TD Banknorth Garden and owned the second half of a game they needed to win. That it doesn't "mean" anything in terms of determining a playoff favorite is irrelevant. Had the Lakers lost, the same would be true.

Thursday's game may not be great for determining the NBA's next champion, but it was excellent for providing a little perspective. All in all, it was a top-shelf performance, the type fans (and perhaps the Lakers themselves) have been looking for all season. Here's how it broke down...

Highlights:

1. Second-Half Defense. Even with a rally to end the second quarter, the Lakers still allowed Boston to shoot over 51 percent from the field in the first half. In the third quarter, though, with Ray Allen on the bench with foul trouble (followed later by Von Wafer), Nate Robinson in the locker room with injury, the Lakers did a great job in the halfcourt of clamping down on Boston's remaining scorers, forcing the Celtics into low-percentage looks, including a host of Rajon Rondo jumpers. Once Allen went to the bench at the 6:41 mark, the Lakers allowed only three field goals the rest of the quarter, all jumpers. The Celtics scored only 15 points overall, and combined with the best offensive quarter of the game for the Lakers made for quite a positive frame for the visitors.

2. Opening the Third Quarter. L.A. carried serious momentum into the half, cutting a 15-point deficit to eight over the last four minutes of the second quarter. Instead of allowing Boston to regain control coming out of the break, the Lakers continued their push. Derek Fisher drilled a 3-pointer from the top of the key to cut Boston's lead to five. Kobe Bryant came right back, probing against Allen before splitting a double team off the pick and roll -- it seemed Boston was preparing for Bryant to pass, given his first-half tendencies, and finishing at the rim, drawing the and-one in the process. In 38 seconds, the Lakers had six points. On their next trip, the Bryant again worked his way inside to score, followed by a Pau Gasol jumper at the 10:18 mark giving the Lakers a 55-53 lead.

From there, the Lakers continued establishing control over the game. But it was those first two minutes of the third swinging the balance of the game in their favor.

3. Kobe Bryant. A lingering criticism of the first matchup at Staples Center was Bryant's shot selection. Efficient as he was early, Kobe dominated touches and shots. As the Lakers struggled in the second half, Bryant took even firmer control of the offense, at one point hoisting on over 10 straight trips.

Tonight, Bryant was clearly determined to get his teammates touches. He spent most of the first half working through double teams, coming off the pick and roll, penetrating to draw the defense, and then kicking to the open man. He found Gasol and Andrew Bynum in the two-man game, hit shooters on the perimeter, and did a great job distributing the ball. The results weren't necessarily there -- the Lakers missed a lot of shots in the first half -- but the intention was. That he took three shots in the first half isn't really the point, but rather his determination not force shots and get Boston moving in transition.

Having set up the Celtics early, Kobe was able to exploit cracks in Boston's defense early in the third. Not surprisingly, he was more aggressive looking for his own shot over the final 24 minutes, and did so with good efficiency, hitting eight of 14 for 20 points. Once Allen was out of the game, Bryant made a point of attacking Wafer because he's Kobe Bryant, and Von Wafer was guarding him. He'd finish with 23.

4. Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. Together, they combined for 36 points on 14-for-23 from the floor, 19 rebounds, and two blocks. Gasol continued his run of aggressive play, taking shots when they were available, attacking Kevin Garnett in the paint, and posting a far more influential game than when Boston visited Staples. He even took a bite out of Lamar Odom's forehead in the third quarter, sending L.O. to the bench for medical attention. It was, presumably, unintentional, but who's to say Gasol hasn't evolved from Black Swan to Black Cannibal?

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