Game 6 musings

Well, that wasn't very fun.

Game 6, with the Celtics on the verge of their 18th NBA championship, certainly didn't turn out the way they wanted it to. The Lakers dominated from start to finish in a 22-point victory. Kobe Bryant played like a man possessed, and he finally got the help he desperately needed, especially from the bench.

Boston played with zero intensity, and that is evident from the rebounding statistics, which favored the Lakers 52-39. That means that, through six games, the team that owns the boards gets the desired result. Celtics coach Doc Rivers talks plenty about the 50-50 game, and L.A. definitely outworked the opposition in that category.

Before leaving for the West Coast, Paul Pierce talked about how his team had two chances to win one game. But personally, that really was a silly statement. What kind of a mindset is that? Why put that kind of pressure on yourself? Conspiracy theorists - aka idiotic fans - will say the fix is in, and that the NBA needed this game to go seven games to get the ratings, but that's a bunch of bull.

Boston shot 33 percent and couldn't knock down an open jumper. Pierce got away from what he was doing in the Game 5 win, and Rajon Rondo struggled from the field. Ray Allen scored a game-high 19, but it was a quiet 19. I thought the only player to play well was KG, although his 12-point, six-rebound night won't blow you away.

Even more bad news entering Thursday's Game 7 is the status of center Kendrick Perkins, who injured his right knee early going after a rebound. Personally, I think he won't suit up for Game 7, although a Willis Reed-type moment would be nice. That being said, Rasheed Wallace and Glen Davis will have to increase their roles significantly.

The key, as it has been throughout these playoffs, is Rondo. He needs to penetrate, get that defense to shift, and the Celtics need to move the ball. That's the first part. The second part, obviously, is hitting the open shots.

Defensively, they have to play with grit. Let Kobe score his 30 or 40 points and let him keep shooting. He'll slow down eventually. Boston also must keep L.A. off the offensive glass and limit the Lakers to one shot.

Losing by 22 can only bode well for the Celtics. It's much better than losing on a last-second shot, only because a loss of that caliber won't sit well with the boys in green.