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Father's Day, through the years, has seen a number of memorable games. In 2006, Dwyane Wade had 43 points in a one-point win over the Mavericks. In 2005, Robert Horry slayed the Pistons with a great shot. In 2003, the Spurs won a title against the Nets on Father's Day. In 1996, Michael Jordan famously cried after winning his first title since the death of his father, against the Sonics. In 1994, Hakeem Olajuwon blocked John Starks' shot that could have won the series for New York. The shot of John Paxson's career was on Father's Day in 1993. And remember when Isiah Thomas famously scored 25 points in the third quarter, yet the Lakers won by one? That was Father's Day, 1988.

So with the Lakers fighting for their lives, and Celtics already icing down champagne somewhere in this building, it ought to be a big game.

Once again, we'll be joined by Dr. Jack Ramsay, David Thorpe, and Mike Moreau.

HENRY ABBOTT: Welcome. We'll get the party started about 9pm ET.

HENRY ABBOTT: Brian Scalabrine has been activated! He's in uniform and warming up -- taking the spot vacated by the injured Kendrick Perkins.

HENRY ABBOTT: During Laker introductions, they play a really catchy guitar riff. I'm all for it. The only thing that's a little weird, however, is that if I'm not mistaken, it's from The Who song Teenage Wasteland. Fits right in with Phil Jackson's pre-game comment that his team was young enough and dumb enough to come back from 3-1 down. UPDATE: That song is called Baba O'Riley. (Thanks Spike.)

MIKE MOREAU: Happy Father's Day everybody -- you make all the difference!  Perkins being out impacts the Celtic defense, but with the Laker softies up front, it may not matter.

DR. JACK RAMSAY: I wouldn't be surprised to see the Celtics start the game by going right into Leon Powe in the low post.

DAVID THORPE: I'm back!!  Happy Father's day Henry, Mike, and Dr. Jack.  And to every other dad joining us tonight.  All of us lucky enough to be a dad know how it's the best thing to ever happen to us.  Max and Rachel are rooting for Boston so Uncle Henry can go home and see his family!!  And they expect Paul Pierce to make it happen.

DAVID THORPE: PG has not had the right hook working.  Big shot.

DAVID THORPE: What's the over/under on Kobe' shots?  35?

MIKE MOREAU: The 3 is ok there from Kobe - not the long 2.

DR. JACK RAMSAY: Once again, Kobe Bryant is barely even pretending to guard Rajon Rondo.

DAVID THORPE: Has Odom recovered a loose ball in this series?

DR. JACK RAMSAY: Kobe is a one-man zone.

MIKE MOREAU: Boston was able to bump Kobe off of the high ball screen in Game 4, just like they did there.  But, the screen is so low it jams up the middle.

DAVID THORPE: Gasol still plays too casually  with the ball for this defense.

DAVID THORPE: Who's more clutch that Tiger Woods, by the way?  Did Henry see the putt on 18?

DAVID THORPE: Better job by LA of offering mild help and recovering quickly to shooters.

MIKE MOREAU: Lakers pushed it after the make - that's their ticket.

DAVID THORPE: Gasol is not posting low enough.

DAVID THORPE: Radmanovic is mostly a waste of space.  Lost and lazy.

MIKE MOREAU: Lakers played great defense for 4 minutes - what was that in transition?

HENRY ABBOTT: Rajon Rondo is valuable in large part for his aggression. We're starting to see that now. I have a feeling that if he's not going to be feisty, he's going to be watching Eddie House much of the night.

MIKE MOREAU: Was that a primal scream by Pau after the basket?

DAVID THORPE: PG in front of the rim-like a hockey player in front of the goal, is a difference maker waiting to happen.

HENRY ABBOTT: L.A. leads mean half as much as they would have before Game 4.

MIKE MOREAU: Celtics lose Powe's value as an energy guy coming off the bench because everyone has energy at the start of a game.  

DR. JACK RAMSAY: Three turnovers for Boston. No turnovers for the Lakers, who have five points off the Celtics' turnovers in the early going. Looks like Game 4.

HENRY ABBOTT: David, Dr. Jack and I watched the end of the golf on a small monitor during Laker introductions. That was a serious clutch performance. When it rolled around and fell in, Dr. Jack elbowed me pretty hard in excitement. If I'm typing a little slow tonight, you'll know why.

DAVID THORPE: House needs to play more than RR.

MIKE MOREAU: I want to see Tiger make a putt with a defender in his face.

HENRY ABBOTT: Can't believe they took out Leon Powe without posting him up. He's so so on D. Why play him if he's not going to be able to do his thing?

DAVID THORPE: Vlad killing LA on d.

DAVID THORPE: His technique and footwork on helpside is amateur at best.

MIKE MOREAU: The Lakers are good on the first close out or rotation -- they get worse with each pass.

DAVID THORPE: I like that Doc is calling timeouts.  Coaching to win tonight and not bank on going home.

DR. JACK RAMSAY: Eerily similar to Game 4. Lakers have made 12 of 19 shots, including five of seven three-pointers. Kobe Bryant has as many points as the Celtics.

DAVID THORPE: The difference is that in this game, Kobe is carrying things for LA.

HENRY ABBOTT: Phil Jackson's first substitutions: Walton, Vujacic, and Farmar join Gasol and Bryant.

MIKE MOREAU: The Lakers should pick up House fullcourt on every possession.

HENRY ABBOTT: Dick Bavetta is under the microscope tonight. He hasn't made a call in ages, but did call that soft foul on Luke Walton.

DAVID THORPE: Do not be swayed by this Laker quarter.  They have scored 41 and 35 points in two other quarters, and lost both those games.

DAVID THORPE: Henry-can you ask Professor Hollinger if a team has ever had 3 quarters in 3 diffferent games like LA has in the Finals, and lost all 3 games.

HENRY ABBOTT: Everybody on your feet! Hilarious and amazing. Half the arena is up and going to get a drink, or go to the bathroom. It's not like this place is basketball crazy. Up 39-22 in the Finals, and people are ambling out for pretzels.

DR. JACK RAMSAY: Looks like Chris Mihm is coming in the game, instead of Ronny Turiaf.

MIKE MOREAU: Boston is so confide
nt that their defense will get better as the game goes on.  LA better push and push so they don't get strangled in the halfcourt.

MIKE MOREAU: Farmar switching to Pierce is not a sound defensive strategy.

DAVID THORPE: mmmm, pretzels.

DAVID THORPE: I always think of 30 as the magic number for first round leads that can't be overcome.

MIKE MOREAU: The Lakers defensive energy and effort is good, but they are so technically poor.  

DAVID THORPE: SO LA is a ways away from that.

DR. JACK RAMSAY: Paul Pierce has blown by Luke Walton several times. I just saw Tex Winter leaning forward and saying something to Phil. I bet it's about that.

MIKE MOREAU: Celtics have a Hall of Famer attacking a second unit on every possession.  

DR. JACK RAMSAY: And now here's Trevor Ariza for Walton, and he'll play Pierce.

MIKE MOREAU: The game is settling in to Boston's pace.  All of the emotion has settled, and all of their good players are on the bench.

HENRY ABBOTT: James Posey just crushed a photographer. The guy was a little slow getting back in the game, but had the help of several concerned Laker Girls.

DAVID THORPE: Phil Jackson is outsmarting himself.  Mihm?  Preposterous.

MIKE MOREAU: Clarification: The Lakers best player's are on the bench

MIKE MOREAU: They don't need different combinations - they need better play and defensive effort from their best players.  Doc just sent Phil a thank you note for that 8-0 run.

DR. JACK RAMSAY: The Celtics keep giving the ball to Paul Pierce, and he's effective getting to the  hole and free throw line. Cris Mihm hasn't really done anything, except shoot an airball. He committed a bad personal foul.

MIKE MOREAU: We'll take advantage of Perkins being out by hitting them with our secret weapon:  Mihm.  They haven't scouted him.

HENRY ABBOTT: Turiaf is for Mihm, and Kobe is back. Celtics, I just tallied, are 22-67 in their last three first quarters. Slow starters.

MIKE MOREAU: Odom can't muscle Posey in the post.  Get the cape ready, Coach Thorpe!

HENRY ABBOTT: Laker fans don't like that Turiaf charge, called by Bavetta, but it looked pretty good to me.

MIKE MOREAU: Kobe needs to stop the bleeding

DR. JACK RAMSAY: That's a good play -- to go right back to Gasol against KG.

MIKE MOREAU: KG can't take that chance with 2 fouls

MIKE MOREAU: LA defense is non existent

HENRY ABBOTT: John Hollinger points out: On a per-48 minute basis, Chris Mihm's +/- is a -128.

MIKE MOREAU: Allen had 16 points against the Lakers in the regular season starting for Rondo

HENRY ABBOTT: Paul Pierce is playing for a Finals MVP award.

MIKE MOREAU: This Laker collapse is all on Phil Jackson.  If your bench can't play, you don't play your bench.   Didn't Ray Allen play all 48 minutes the other night?

HENRY ABBOTT: This would be a good start if you wanted a Kobe Bryant vs. Paul Pierce duel. Pierce has 18 on 10 shots. Bryant has 15 on nine shots.

DAVID THORPE: LA's guys keep taking bad shots.  Unlike them, but typical of the series.

MIKE MOREAU: Anybody want to revisit the Eastern Conference - Western Conference argument?  If Utah and San Antonio could not take advantage of LA's wretched defense, then maybe those teams weren't so good.

DR. JACK RAMSAY: Tony Allen is the latest player to contribute after Doc Rivers has plucked them off the bench.

DAVID THORPE: Mike Moreau always asks our players to make two plays.  LO is the King of making just one when 2 is what's needed.

HENRY ABBOTT: Worth nothing that this is Game 5 of the NBA Finals, and there is not an All-Star big man on the floor.

MIKE MOREAU: Posey puts Gasol on the deck with the box out -- Pau pushes him in the back.  Soft is as soft does.

DAVID THORPE: I'm a big Gasol fan.  But if Odom is Batgirl, Gasol is Alfred.  Tall yes, smart too.  But he is not doing any of the dirty work.

MIKE MOREAU: That high low off the Gasol / Bryant ballscreen is what Boston had trouble with in the first half of Game 4.  Kendrick Perkins was a big part of Boston shutting it down in the second half Thursday night.

MIKE MOREAU: Heart and toughness will overcome skills and athleticism.  Phil better stop telling them to trust the triangle and tell them to knock somebody down.

DAVID THORPE: Vlad is losing value by the minute.

HENRY ABBOTT: Still tracking Bavetta calls. That was  solid call when James Posey threw down Lamar Odom.

HENRY ABBOTT: Another Bavetta call. I didn't see Ray Allen foul Pau Gasol, but apparently Bavetta did.

MIKE MOREAU: Instead of chesting up to Posey, Radmanovic cried to the ref.  He wants no part of Posey.

MIKE MOREAU: Pau plays too straight up. Needs a wider base on his moves inside.

HENRY ABBOTT: That was pretty cool. Farmar airballs a 3, and then on the next play Kobe sets him up to try again.

MIKE MOREAU: Radmanovic and Walton should never play again.  Farmar has more heart and toughness than both of them.

HENRY ABBOTT: Bavetta also called this most recent call on Fisher -- before the technicals. They were both grabbing each other.

DAVID THORPE: LA projecting some frustration to the refs instead of at Boston.

MIKE MOREAU: This is the Lakers best lineup.

MIKE MOREAU: We had this lineup pegged in our Game 5 preview, Coach Thorpe.

DAVID THORPE: This game shaping up nicely for Boston.

MIKE MOREAU: Lakers good help, bad rotation.

HENRY ABBOTT: Celtics building a big finish to the half. It's six right now. Let's see if they can get it to two or three.

HENRY ABBOTT: Three it is.

DR. JACK RAMSAY: Paul Pierce! 21 points, four rebounds, four assists. No fouls. The Celtics were 11 of 19 in the second period. That's 58%

DR. JACK RAMSAY: I think this is good for the Lakers. They know they are in the game. But they are not trying to protect a big lead, so they won't have to get tentative.
They know they have to go right at them in the second half. They should be motivated. The only problem is: that's some performance by Paul Pierce.

HENRY ABBOTT: Tony Allen is three of four from the field in 11 minutes. And check this out from ESPN research: Kobe shooting vs. Celtic Defenders VS. Ray Allen   4-6VS. Rajon Rondo 1-2VS. Tony Allen  0-4

DR. JACK RAMSAY: Until this game, Tony Allen had played two total minutes in this series. He played a total of 48 minutes in 13 of their 24 playoff games. That's 3.7 minutes per game played. During the season, Doc was criticized for not using guys like Eddie House and Leon Powe more, but he's doing so effectively now. Every game of the Finals, somebody has come off that bench to put on a solid performance.

DR. JACK RAMSAY: You hate that. Both teams with turnovers to start the half.

MIKE MOREAU: Phil is asking the Lakers to trust their offense -- Doc is telling the Celtics to trust their defense.  Which one wins championships?

MIKE MOREAU: How about the right hand finish from LO, Coach Thorpe?

MIKE MOREAU: Just trust the triangle...

HENRY ABBOTT: Last time Pierce had few fouls to start the second half, he started sticking Kobe. This time, Ray Allen is on Kobe duty.

MIKE MOREAU: Look at the Laker energy and body language.  

DR. JACK RAMSAY: Celtics have had two easy buckets on baseline out-of-bounds plays. Tony Allen and Ray Allen. That should never happen.

HENRY ABBOTT: When the Celtics tied this game at 57, there was a surprisingly loud cheer from hundreds of Celtic fans around the arena who had not been evident earlier.

MIKE MOREAU: Vlad and Gasol -- soft and softer.

MIKE MOREAU: KG is much better from the left block than from the right.  Allows him to see the middle on his attack and pass with his strong hand.

HENRY ABBOTT: Rondo eager to shoot that one. Good to see if you're a Boston fan.

HENRY ABBOTT: Kobe didn't roam that time, sticking fairly close to Rondo who had just hit a shot.

DAVID THORPE: PG can be so good when he's assertive and aggressive.

MIKE MOREAU: KG never touched him.

DAVID THORPE: Vlad is unplayable.  Literally.

MIKE MOREAU: Pau should keep going right to the rim.  Radmanovic should keep going right to the bench.

HENRY ABBOTT: They changed that last foul to P.J. Brown. I'm not sure, but it appeared that switch came as a result of James Posey watching the replay, and reporting what he saw to Ken Mauer, who then alerted the scorer.

DAVID THORPE: Vlad is not even trying on d.

DR. JACK RAMSAY: The Lakers had one turnover in the first period. They now have eleven.

DR. JACK RAMSAY: They have four in the first five-and-a-half minutes of the third quarter.

MIKE MOREAU: Lakers have no enforcer to put Pierce on the deck.  Took it right through Gasol and Odom.  

HENRY ABBOTT: Somebody should spend a season charting how much game time most coaches spend talking or telling to the referees compared to their players. I bet the ratio is about 3/2.

HENRY ABBOTT: James Posey strikes again, drawing the charge.

MIKE MOREAU: Posey - straight heart and toughness!

DR. JACK RAMSAY: Great defensive play by Rondo.

HENRY ABBOTT: Derek Fisher had no business winning that jumpball. And then he hits the shot while getting creamed. That could turn out to be a big play. Followed by a Vlad three, this whole arena just got caffeinated.

MIKE MOREAU: The Celtics can live with those fouls -- they contest so hard that they will get one or two of those a game.

HENRY ABBOTT: Ball movement for the Lakers is like jogging for most people: They do it occasionally, and it makes them happy. Then they go back to not doing it.

HENRY ABBOTT: Eddie in the House!

MIKE MOREAU: Fans need to chant Rotation...Rotation...

HENRY ABBOTT: The Celtics are very upset about that Bavetta call on Eddie House.

MIKE MOREAU: Where is the full court pressure on Eddie House - he isn't a point.

HENRY ABBOTT: A while ago I wrote Bryant has 15 on nine shots. Now he has 18 points on 15 shots. Bad trend for Lakers.

HENRY ABBOTT: Sam Cassell just got up and walked into the game without waiting for Doc to even look at him.

DAVID THORPE: Here's he problem with the + - stat; Vlad leads the game at +20.

MIKE MOREAU: Pressure on Cassell or House in the backcourt makes both less effective in the frontcourt.

HENRY ABBOTT: Scott Foster called that Paul Pierce foul, while Bavetta -- who was right on top of the play -- didn't make a peep. Conspiracy theorists will be expecting Bavetta to call this game in favor of the Lakers.

DAVID THORPE: Once again-PG in front of the rim leads to points.

MIKE MOREAU: A big guy should always go with a two hand dunk over a smaller guy. That should have been a three point play for Pau.

HENRY ABBOTT: Doc leaves Garnett in with four fouls. Dr. Jack approves.

DAVID THORPE: Posey tougher than Kobe and LO on that.

MIKE MOREAU: Doc should get KG out to avoid fifth foul

DR. JACK RAMSAY: James Posey is playing like a man possessed. He hasn't scored yet, but he has made about a half-dozen great defensive plays.

MIKE MOREAU: Gotta love the contest of Fisher's corrner three by the Celtic bench!

HENRY ABBOTT: Suddenly this is a battle. The scrap-o-meter went from a three to an eight.

MIKE MOREAU: Eddie House is not a point guard.  Pressure will lead to passes like that.

HENRY ABBOTT: KG sits.

HENRY ABBOTT: Paul Pierce is very happy to find himself guarded by Luke Walton.

DR. JACK RAMSAY: It'll be interesting to see how Phil Jackson manages the minutes. I'd think he has got to get Kobe Bryant some rest.

MIKE MOREAU: Farmar in to pressure House in the backcourt - turn him, turn him, turn him!

HENRY ABBOTT: The plus/minus numbers are terrible for the Celtic starters right now. KG and Ray Allen are the worst in the game.

DR. JACK RAMSAY: Odom has attem
pted ten three-pointers in the playoffs, and hit three. This is his first attempt of the series. Big three-pointer. I felt I knew Bryant and Fisher would play well in a pressure situation. I didn't know about Odom, Gasol, and Radmanovic. Odom has 18 and nine. Gasol has 17 and nine, with five assists.

DR. JACK RAMSAY: Paul Pierce has not been out of the game yet.

MIKE MOREAU: Small lineup vs. small lineup

HENRY ABBOTT: Remember Leon Powe? He played five minutes, and has never returned.

DAVID THORPE: Paul Pierce playing so many minutes may impact game 6, if it happens.

DAVID THORPE: He may get pulled soon.

MIKE MOREAU: Lakers came with the double once KG started his move and the rotation got there to deflect the pass.

DAVID THORPE: Celts about to make a run.  Better defend Posey.

MIKE MOREAU: Cassell gets a yellow card

HENRY ABBOTT: Sam Cassell stuck a jumper at one end, and Sasha Vujacic at the other.

HENRY ABBOTT: Whoever would have thought the NBA Finals would come down to a Jordan Farmar vs. Sam Cassell duel.

MIKE MOREAU: Sell the shot fake - ball up and eyes up.

DAVID THORPE: Sasha plays with more arrogance than confidence.

HENRY ABBOTT: The trick with Cassell is to get  him to stop shooting before he's ice cold.

DAVID THORPE: Left handed baselinhe hooks in the 4th?

MIKE MOREAU: Lakers are finally getting help on KG inside.

HENRY ABBOTT: Shame on Garnett. He stopped playing with a live ball, praying for a call. I hate that.

HENRY ABBOTT: Kobe Bryant put his hand on James Posey's hip about eight times during that FTA. And eight times Posey karate chopped it off.

MIKE MOREAU: Good call, Coach Thorpe!

DR. JACK RAMSAY: First field goal of the game for Posey is a three to bring Boston within four.

DR. JACK RAMSAY: Pierce can get a shot whenever he wants. Kobe is struggling to get open. Now we'll see who wants to shoot it for the Lakers.

DAVID THORPE: Fisher avoids contact after the shot fake.  Why?  Odom helps off Fisherr.  Why?

MIKE MOREAU: Who is feeling more pressure right now -- Rocco Mediate or the Lakers?

DR. JACK RAMSAY: Kobe Bryant has six turnovers.

DR. JACK RAMSAY: Pierce is coming off that high screen by KG. Bryant gets lost on the screen. Pierce gets to the basket and gets fouled.

HENRY ABBOTT: Time for me to point out that this is a two-point elimination game of the Finals, with 4:50 left. Good stuff! Memories about to be made.

DR. JACK RAMSAY: Celtics run the same thing again, and get a tie game from a Garnett jumper.

HENRY ABBOTT: Just for a second, Ray Allen was in triple-threat position from about 35 feet, and I thought he was about to rise and fire.

HENRY ABBOTT: If this game gets to overtime, it could be the Ray Allen show -- because Pierce and KG both have five. The Lakers should be going at them. No Tony Allen in the second half, so I guess Ray Allen will defend Kobe Bryant.

HENRY ABBOTT: Only five Celtics have played more than 15 minutes.

MIKE MOREAU: Boston had some trouble with the Pistons halfcourt trap.  The Lakers can't just continue trying to guard Pierce and KG like they are.  Look for a change out of the time out.

DR. JACK RAMSAY: Lakers probably go at KG with Pau. Celtics probably double, to protect him, so Pau will have to find the open man.

MIKE MOREAU: Finger roll finish by Odom -- should have been a bucket and the foul.

DAVID THORPE: It's PP in space up high that create the problems for the Lakers bigs.

DAVID THORPE: Odom marking Posey means he'll have an open look soon.

HENRY ABBOTT: The Dick Bavetta watch: he called that one on Ray Allen, and I didn't see a foul. If he makes the call to foul out KG or Pierce, people will be very upset in Boston.

HENRY ABBOTT: The high screen from KG, for Pierce, working again.

DAVID THORPE: There it is-high ballscreen killing PG.

DR. JACK RAMSAY: Pierce has 35 points and eight assists.

MIKE MOREAU: The definition of defensive insanity  -- keep doing the same thing and expecting a different result.

DAVID THORPE: M. Jackson is wrong.  Lakers were terrific defending the Spurs side pick and roll.

DAVID THORPE: I don't see how LA wins this game.

HENRY ABBOTT: Dick Bavetta's third foul on Gasol was assuredly a soft call.

MIKE MOREAU: Time for The Black Mamba

HENRY ABBOTT: KG will be thinking about those two missed free throws for a long time. 2:31 left in a two-point Finals game?

DAVID THORPE: Posey would crush LO.  

DAVID THORPE: LO would be worried how he looked in the fight, Posey would just be worried about hurting him.

DAVID THORPE: Farmar for 3?

DAVID THORPE: Just horrible execution by LA.

HENRY ABBOTT: NOW we're going to get Tony Allen back in the game? With 1:14 left?

MIKE MOREAU: Lakers need all four other players on the baseline -- keep Odom and the others going to the glass or spotting up.  Stay out of the Mamba's way!

HENRY ABBOTT: Wow. Great steal and run-out by Bryant. I thought James Posey might just tackle him and get called for the clear-path foul. But he held back.

MIKE MOREAU: Pierce is fatigued.  Time for Ray Allen.

DR. JACK RAMSAY: I'd go back to the high screen and roll, with the shooters spread in the corner -- Posey, House, Allen.

DAVID THORPE: No help for LA.  Play 5 on 5.

HENRY ABBOTT: Good call on Ray Allen, Coach Moreau. It almost worked. KG would like to have that tip-in back to try again.

MIKE MOREAU: Farmar's bump on KG's lower body forced the miss on the tip.  

DAVID THORPE: The only way Boston loses game 6 is if PP struggles.  Logging 48 minutes with a full travel day upcoming is risky.

DR. JACK RAMSAY: Paul Pierce is out. I don't understand that.


HENRY ABBOTT: Pierce back in. House miss. Game over but for a miracle. Laker fans heading for the exits.

MIKE MOREAU: Absolutely awful defense by the Lakers on the out of bounds play - that kind of defense will haunt them in Game 6.

MIKE MOREAU: Lakers are very capable of giving up 6 points in 15 seconds.  

HENRY ABBOTT: Boston is out of timeouts.

MIKE MOREAU: House got exactly the same shot.

HENRY ABBOTT: Kobe Bryant's second free throw is suddenly huge. Otherwise it would be a one-possession game right now. And if you're Boston, don't you wish you had a timeout left?

DAVID THORPE: KG missed those 2 ft's a few minutes ago.  Big misses.

HENRY ABBOTT: Both teams playing small.

DAVID THORPE: Not an impressive game by LA.  Should be a wrap on Tuesday.

HENRY ABBOTT: Posey and Rondo -- who was ice cold -- combine for a key turnover. We're headed to Boston.

HENRY ABBOTT: Dr. Jack, Coach Thorpe, Coach Moreau -- huge thanks for once again taking the time. And thanks to everyone for hanging around and reading. See you on Tuesday.