Battle tested, battle proven...for now.

Boston, MA

Wow, nothing more exciting than a showdown between the top two teams in NBA history. On a wicked cold night in Boston, outside temperatures were hovering beneath the radar at 14* before tip-off, the Celtics hosted their most hated rival, the Los Angeles Lakers. There was more than just an air of excitement in the Boston Garden for this matchup. This one had the feel of a playoff game. The famed "Beat LA" chants started about 40 minutes prior to the tip. Right away it was evident there was no way Kobe Bryant would be getting any MVP chants in this Garden. The tip was done twice due to an infraction from Boston's Kevin Garnett. A second attempt led to Lakers control and the beginning of a great game. It was the second meeting of the two franchises, the first one a Lakers win on Christmas day. This was however, the first game back in Boston since the Lakers lost in a horrendous showing in game six of the NBA Finals last June. So much importance rode on the outcome of this game. The story lines were laid out; LA vs. Boston, the Big Three vs. the Dynamic Duo, league MVP vs. Finals MVP, and maybe most importantly, home court advantage should these two teams meet again in the Finals. 

On the parquet floor, named after the late coach Red Auerbach, Boston jumped out to an early lead on a Paul Pierce three and then a Kevin Garnett put back slam following a Rondo missed layup. After that, the rest of the first was a lot of back and forth. Both teams played a little sloppy, with the Lakers winning the quarter 23-20. The Celtics shots weren't falling and KG looked gassed early (he missed the previous two games with a flu). The second period was just as tight with each team jockeying for position and trying to impose their will on the other. Eddie House came off the bench riding his hot hand and scored 8 points quickly. It is the Lakers that are regarded as having one of the deepest benches in the league but it was the C's House and Leon Powe that added the extra punch in this one early. They finished the night with 26 points between them, the Lakers Bench Mob only 22. Just before halftime, Boston shooter Ray Allen missed a three that would have added to the momentum swing. Celtics led 52-51 and Allen had a laugh with eccentric reporter Craig Sager about never missing two in a row. He promptly made his first three point shot a minute and a half into the third.

If this game wasn't up to the billing yet, it was by the way, it sure stepped up in the second half. The third quarter alone saw the physicality reach new heights, even landing Kobe and Rajon Rondo matching double technicals after a Rondo shove and a shouting match. As the intensity grew so did the output of Lakers forward Lamar Odom. He mixed it up with Garnett on a few possessions and really got going. Having only 2 points in the first half, coach Phil Jackson challenged LO to step up his game. He did in a big way scoring 18 points to close out the game. Kobe did his part too, sinking three 3-pointers in the final frame, his last a highly contested shot over Pierce to give the Lakers a 101-100 lead with only 1:30 to go. That was the Lakers first lead of the second half. Lamar then came up clutch hitting his final two over-time free throws with 16 seconds left that gave the Lakers a 110-109 advantage. That was an advantage LA would not relinquish. Odom had shot poorly from the stripe, just 5 of 9 prior to those two tries.

"I wish we would have come here last year with this kind of attitude," said Pau Gasol, after a 24 point 14 rebound effort in the win over Boston. "Nobody backed down," he added. "We were as physical as anybody."

Physical might have been in understatement in this one. Both teams got room to play from the officials for most of the night, all the way to the end of overtime when Ray Allen got an arm from Derek Fisher as he attempted the game winner. Instead it was Pau Gasol lending the 'Spaniard Swat' on the ball ending the game and giving the Lakers the season sweep over Boston. Ray Allen then watched the Lakers celebrate from his back. Garnett, who fouled out with 4:22 left in regulation, was really missed in the extra period. Bryant finished with 26 points and 10 rebounds said this after the game,

"Coming down the streets, staying at the same hotel, I was up last night thinking about the game - wondering how my teammates would respond. It all came back," he said. "Enough is enough. We were able to match their physical play."

This was the second time this season the Lakers ended a Boston double-digit win streak. The Celtics were winners of their last 12, on Christmas day they brought a franchise record 19 game win streak to Los Angeles. Kobe Bryant will try and lead the team through Cleveland and a perfect 6-0 on their road trip Sunday. Lebron James followed Kobe's 61 point show at MSG with a 52 point triple-double of his own. The Cavaliers are a perfect 23-0 at home this season, the only team in the NBA to still be unbeaten at home. Speaking of 23, Kobe Bryant needs only 33 points to reach 23,000 in his career. If he reaches the milestone before the All-Star break, Kobe (30 years, 166 days) will be the youngest player to the mark. Wilt Chamberlain (30 years, 176 days) is the record holder now.