Lakers claimed NBA Finals game 1 against Celtics
The L.A. Lakers beat the Boston Celtics 102-89 in the first match of the NBA finals in Los Angeles on Thursday night, as they attempt to defend the title they won last year.
The Lakers crushed the Celtics just about every which way you can beat a team in a 48-minute basketball game. They outrebounded that supposedly Teflon-tough Boston front line of Kevin Garnett, Kendrick Perkins, Glen Davis and Rasheed Wallace by 12, outscored them in the paint by 18 and held an unreal 16-0 advantage in second-chance points, that stat alone accounting for more than the final margin.
L.A.’s star guard Kobe Bryant–who is aiming to win the NBA title for the fifth time in his career– scored 30 points to take his side to victory over their east-coast rivals.
The Lakers led from the start and had a five point lead after the first quarter, which they increased to 20 points with just 10 minutes left to play.
The match marked their 12th consecutive win at home in the post-season and they will now host the second game of the best-of seven match series on Sunday 6 June, before play moves to Boston.
Spanish center Pau Gasol played a key role in the first-match for the west-coast team, scoring 23 points.
“Pau played a big game tonight. His movement and his activity was important,” Lakers head coach Phil Jackson told the team’s official Web site.
Andrew Bynum–who despite suffering with a right knee injury prior to the match which threatened his place in the team–also contributed to the Lakers win, finishing with 10 points.
