Lakers 102, Celtics 89

LOS ANGELES — This was the type of game Lakers Coach Phil Jackson relishes, in which Kobe Bryant is not employed as an escape valve with the ball in his hands and the outcome on his shoulders. Bryant picked his spots — a free throw here, a layup there, 3-pointers everywhere and even a couple of dunks from his 31-year-old legs — as if he were leisurely leafing through a magazine while his teammates steadily bludgeoned the Boston Celtics, 102-89, in Game 1 of the N.B.A. finals Thursday at Staples Center. In the span of two years and on the heels of one game, the more aggressive team in this matchup was decked in gold, not green, thanks to the addition of Ron Artest, the inclusion of Andrew Bynum and two years of Pau Gasol’s bad memories. Bryant finished with 30 points and emptied 14 of them in the third quarter, as the Lakers outscored the Celtics, 34-23, in that quarter to break the game open. Entering the fourth, the Lakers enjoyed an 84-64 lead and four of their starters had scored in double digits. Derek Fisher, the other starter, had 9 points. “We got it from different places,” Jackson said. “Guys chipped in at different times, helped us out.” Redemption weighed heavily on both teams before momentum swayed strongly in the Lakers’ favor. Even the Hollywood fans got up out of their seats whenever Bryant finished off an alley-oop or Gasol topped off a fast break. “Just being aggressive and tonight I got the benefit of the whistle,” said Bryant, who also had seven rebounds and six assists, while making 9 of 10 free throws. The performance served notice to a Celtics team that had beaten the Lakers in 2008 to win their 17th N.B.A. championship. In those finals, the Lakers never held a series lead. Gasol was deemed soft in the interior against Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins. On Thursday, Gasol amassed 23 points and 14 rebounds. “I knew it was going to be physical, that’s a given,” Gasol said. “This being our third consecutive finals, we understand the nature of the game.” In one telling sequence in the third quarter, Gasol turned around for a hook shot and bumped into Perkins, while the ball careered off the rim. Gasol grabbed the rebound and gained his composure before missing again and scooping up the shot and elegantly laying it in. “If you heard what you couldn’t do for two years, you’re probably going to come in and try to prove that,” Celtics Coach Doc Rivers said. Bynum did not participate in the 2008 finals because of an injury but was effective Thursday, three days after having fluid drained from his right knee. He and Gasol outrebounded Garnett and Perkins, 20-7. CONTINUE READING