Celtics (33-18) vs Lakers (42-13)
Game time: 10:30pm, Staples Center, Los Angeles. TV – CSN, TNT. Radio – WEEI-AM (850).
Team Leaders
Scoring
Bos: Pierce – 18.6 Lakers: Kobe Bryant – 28.0
Rebounding
Bos: Perkins – 8.0 Lakers: Pau Gasol – 11.2
Assists
Bos: Rondo – 9.6 Lakers: Bryant – 4.7
Who'll go off: Rajon Rondo. He torched LA for 21 pts, 12 assists in the Lakers 90-89 victory in Boston and there's no reason to think he won't do the same.
Who needs to be stopped: Pau Gasol. With Kobe Bryant out of the lineup, Gasol becomes the Lakers top offensive threat. The Celtics did a solid job containing him in the first game (11 points, 11 rebounds).
The C's will lose if… Kendrick Perkins continues to play like horse-bleep. He's got to stay out of foul trouble while guarding Andrew Bynum and rebound the ball. A double-double might be necessary for a win. And is it possible for Pierce and Ray to both play well on the same night?
Miscellaneous: Shannon Brown had 27 points, 10 rebounds starting in place of Bryant on Monday night. In the four games Bryant has missed, the Lakers are 4-0, holding opponents to 86.5 ppg. Ron Artest is 12-for-36 from the field in his last three games.
Prediction: Celtics 102 – Lakers 99
After the jump, the Lakers Girls.
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