It's crystal clear who the favorites are in this series. It's so clear it would put ProActiv out of business. 38-10 free throw disparity! What?! Unbelievable!! Ludicrous!!! No f'n way!!!! There are so many adjectives to explain the refereeing in last night's game I had to pull out a thesaurus just to count how many there actually were. But wait Boston fans and Laker haters.... just before you even think that  I am going to blame the zebras for this one, you should already know me better. No excuses, baby. The Lakers are getting roughed up like a Mexican fighter going heads up with Manny Pacquiao.

Put simply, the Lakers' mentals are not into this series.... yet, and this is why they dropped the first two games. Boston has played with a purpose to win at all costs, while L.A. is standing around waiting for something to happen. This better change. The Lakers need to forget about the refs and limit Vladimir Radmanovic to about 15 minutes a game and use him stirctly for game situations in which you desperately need threes. Like only when they're down 20 points. As far as I'm concerned, Coach Phil Jackson needs to insert Trevor Ariza into the starting lineup (he did during the regular season so why not now?) immediately for the Lakers to have a chance to gain any semblance of momentun in this series.

The Celtics have a great mix of players. But it's they're toughness, both mentally and physically, and their resolve is what allows them to be dominant. It doesn't surprise me one bit. In fact, it shouldn't surprise anybody. They've been doing this all season long.

Two of their starters, Kendrick Perkins and Rajon Rondo are talented young players who are key components to what they're trying to build. They are playing exceptional in these playoffs and what allows them to play at a higher level than most second-year players is the constant leadership and guidance they are receiving from the Big Three while being out there on the floor. The finished product that we are witnessing now are two sophomores with unbelievable composure. That's why Rondo's held his own against Derek Fisher, and that's why Perkins doesn't seem to be bothered by either Pau Gasol or Lamar Odom.

And when you bring into the game poised veterans like James Posey, Sam Cassell, and P.J. Brown, you better believe that more often than not the team will maintain its execution and level of play. On the other hand, my Lakers' famed Bench Mob has not lived up to the hype, obviously playing in slow motion as they continue to shows signs of being intimidated and their inactivity has caused them to be extremely tentative.

On the other hand, the relentless Leon Powe scored at will and did major damage to the Lakers' interior defense with his wide array of post moves and athletic ability to get out in transition, run the lane and finish. Sam Cassell was, well, Sam. Brown has been stready in two games, hitting the open midrange shot when it's there and constantly positioning himself to get offensive rebounds to help his team get second chances. Posey is playing solid defense on anyone he's assigned to guard, including Bryant, and he's coming through and hitting timely three-pointers. All in all, it's an all-out Celtic demolition.

The combination of athleticism, depth, and versatility that the Celtics have shown in these two games is the same balance the Lakers exhibited all year and allowed them to win the west. The Celtics are giving the Lakers a taste of their own medicine. In fact, one might even speculate and think that the reason Pierce pulled off his acting stunt was to take a shot at Bryant who, in the Utah series, appeared to hurt his back only to recover so quickly. Of course, Bryant and the Lakers lost that game in overtime as Kobe seemed to lose track at the end there a little bit. But with Pierce, Boston won. I don't know... I was just thinkin.'

And in Game Two, with all those highlight reel plays, it almost looked as if Showtime was wearing Celtic green. I never thought I would see it but,  the Celtics were running the Lakers to the ground like Magic, Kareem, and Worthy used to do to their opponents. Boston did their job and now the Lakers have to answer back.

Now the Lakers are in trouble. Just kidding. Not even panic time yet. Not even close. For those Celtic fans thinking sweep... if a series were two games long, the Boston Red Sox don't beat the Yankees. And if they stopped after two games, the New England Patriots would have won the Super Bowl. This thing is far from over folks. It's Boston's turn to be on the road and deal with all that hoopla, the hype, and all the possible distractions brought on by what we know as Hollywood.

Although most people in the East Coast are now probably talkin' sweep, it's probably best that they refrain from being too overconfident. The Lakers haven't played their game yet. Whether or not it's the result of the stifling Celtics defense or Kobe Bryant's reluctance to get off to fast starts or the absence of certain role players stepping up, I really can't pinpoint  the exact answer. You be the judge. But I do know this, the problem involves all three of those issues. And the only way for the Lakers to get back in the series is for them to bring their heads into the game if you know what I mean.

Time for the Lakers to solve the riddle that is the Celtics' defense

A lot of people are convinced about the supposed eternal greatness of this Celtics' defense and rightfully so. But I'm not. Not yet at least. Yes, they're tough, solid, determined, and confident but it's not like the Lakers are playing the Bad Boys, folks. It's not like it's Bird, Parish, and McHale out there on the floor with DJ and Danny. The Lakers have to assert their will and stop worrying about the officials. They have to play physical man-to-man defense off the ball as Rick Fox mentioned. They have to stop reaching in on defense and move their feet. They need to beat their opponents to the ball on the boards and make the hustle plays. They need to force the contact as opposed to trying to draw the contact. Most of all, they have to develop their identity against Boston and establish themselves. They have to do all of these things in Game Three because it is in their absolute benefit to do so. We all know zebras, er officials, have a way with turning the tide and influencing the dramatic aspect of the series.

For two games the Lakers tried to solve their defense to no avail. And after two games, the Lakers now have a chance to really assess the situation. What will L.A. have to do to penetrate that defense and establish themselves?

Kobe needs to be setting the pace from the getgo. And the only way for him to do this is play like he's the best damn basketball player on the planet period. It's as simple as that. Assert yourself early Mr. Bryant, stop looking at the refs, attack the boards even more, and dunk on some fools. Attack, attack, and attack the teeth of that defense. With absolutely NO REGARD FOR HUMAN LIFE. Seriously. Dunk on all of 'em. Take it to the rack. Jump over people. Fly through the lane. Do what's gotta be done because after all, isn't that what Kobe is supposed to do?

With this mindset, Kobe doesn't have to worry about the shots because they will go down eventually. His teammates, like they have all season, will follow his lead and slowly develop confidence and a killer instinct mindset. It's all psychological, because the talent on both teams is so good. In a series like this, it's the mental aspect of the game that separates the winner from the loser. It's the ability to play through adversity and the will to overcome the toughest of challenges that separates first place from second. And for the Lakers, it starts with Kobe and it better start now.

Another adjustment the Lakers can make is in their defense, obviously. It was clear in the Detroit series that there were spurts in which the Celtics had a difficult time handling the Pistons' half court trap defense. The Lakers employed some of this in the fourth quarter of Game Two and it seemed to bother Boston a little bit. It was instrumental in their comeback, and the Lakers can certainly take some positive signs out of this heading into Tuesday's game.

The reason the Celtics have effectively disrupted and interrupted the triange offense and the Lakers' ball movement is because Lakers' players are taking to long to read and react. The Celtics' defenders are just as long and agile as the Lakers' players and its causing the Lakers to appear as if they're running the offense in slow motion. They can't seem to get anything going, as far as inside-out play is concerned. Above all, they're doing a phenomenal job harrassing and confusing Kobe by sending a variety of defenders at him from all directions. So what can L.A. do to break this down?

Although it all starts with Kobe, the player who's got to get it going big time is Lamar Odom. Phil said he looked "confused" but added "we'll get it together." The way he's going to do this is to involve him in set plays down in the post early on. Lamar has to be ready to be in attack mode at all times, a characteristic he hasn't always brought consistently.  

And then there's Pau, and the big question as to how on God's green earth is he going to neutralize Kevin Garnett. Boston fans will say it's impossible. I say Kobe and Pau go pick-n-roll 75% of the time on offense and make KG have to think about where Gasol is on the floor. The idea here is to have the Lakers' two best offensive players in action at the forefront and have everything else develop from it. At the same time, if Pierce is guarding Kobe and Pau is being guarded by KG, there's more of a chance that the Celtics' two best defenders may be in foul trouble. The Lakers cannot get away from their weapons. Right now, the Celtics are comfortable defending the Lakers. Screen-n-roll plays with Kobe/Pau and Kobe/Odom extends the floor for the Lakers on offense and brings the Celtics' big men out of the paint. Once L.A. get some momentum from this adjustment, it will open up opportunities for shooters like Vujacic, Farmar, Fisher, and the space cadet to inflict damage and make the Celtics pay. The Lakers already know that Kobe will be doubled no matter what. Now they have to use this to their advantage.

A major reason why Boston has felt so comfortable playing against the Lakers and why they're 10 points better than L.A. is point guard Rajon Rondo, who is outplaying Derek Fisher so far. Rondo's ability to get into the lane to create havoc and make defenders think is opening up his teammates for easier opportunities. Offensively, he spreads the floor with his quickness, and Fisher's ineffectiveness on offense has allowed Rondo to roam freely defensively and intercept passing lanes while playing solid help defense all at the same time. Rondo has performed the job of floor general quite well as he is spearheading the Celtics' attack, so it may be time for Kobe to guard him and frustrate him a little bit.  

It doesn't take much to get back into a fight. The Lakers just have to bring more passion, more energy, and more balls of courage to the battle. This ain't no joke and I'm sure first-timers like Ronny, Sasha, Jordan, Pau, and Lamar have found out. You gotta bring it; as if your life depended on it. You get socked up a little bit, you weather the storm, and you get back up and counter. The Celtics jabbed and hooked, bobbed and weaved, and knocked the Lakers down twice with a couple of blows to the ribcage.

 Don't be suprised to see a good dose of DJ Mbenga in the next three games, the one player off the bench the Lakers have who could likely ignite the team with his length, ability to body up on guys, shot blocking, and physical strength. Although he won't put up major numbers, he could potentially provide something for the psyche of this team. And I guarantee you that Mbenga would have fouled Powe real hard on that play in which Leon dribbled the length of the court and dunked it when no Laker player stepped up to stop the ball. Like Powe, DJ also has his own story about overcoming adversity when pitted against all odds. It's your turn to shine Mbenga, so you better be ready when Phil calls your number.

Now the series is at Staples Center for the first time. I expect an advantage on home court. I expect the fans to bring their die-hard attitude. I want to see passion. I want to hear heckling. I want to smell killer instinct from the Lakers. So far the ASSAULT is being done on us, Lakers fans. There will be blood before all of this is over.

Prediction for Game Three

Lakers 116, Celtics 101

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS LISA H's BLOG ON GAME 3

Last night the Boston Celtics showed the Los Angeles Lakers what their defense is all about. They suffocate you, rush and collapse at you, they taunt you, and best of all, they protect the paint. All the while, the Boston Three Party threw a party of their own. And the Lakers' couldn't crash it after building momentum with a halftime lead. Good job, Celtics.

But this party is just beginning. It's not quite over. Far from it. This party is so big that even the world's best actors are taking part in the game. Literally. Talk about a Hollywood script.

Paul Pierce, in a desperate attempt to gain some elite recognition in this league, takes full advantage of the festivites and does his best Willis Reed impersonation. With one glaring difference. Reed was actually hurt. A trained NSA/CIA/FBI agent or anyone with a psychology degree will tell you based on Pierce's post game comments that his apparently serious knee injury was all an act. Talk about overstating what happened. The Eagles would say that "you can't hide those lyin' eyes."

Who are you fooling Paul? I've strained my left medial meniscus (cartilage) during a game before and partially tore it and you don't just get up after three minutes and return to the game, score 11 more points, and run on a bike during timeouts. When you hear a "pop" after injuring your cartilage from landing awkwardly, your knee locks up and you can't run let alone jump. That's all I have to say about that. 

For this, he has been nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role in the 2009 Academy Awards. The Boston Celtics operations crew, meanwhile, has also been nominated for Best Film Score in a Drama for their outstanding work. I've never heard the theme from Rocky resonate like it did Thursday night.

Now back to the game. In summary, the Celtics were much more physical than the Lakers. In the second half, the boys in green pushed L.A. around like a bunch of chumps. They outmuscled them, outrebounded them, outhustled them, and outshined them. Boston not only dominated the boards, they fed off the crowd in the third quarter as the Lakers seemingly were on the verge of extending their five point lead before Pierce took over.

As I mentioned before the series started, the key to the series for the Lakers is their forward play. Lamar Odom and Vladimir Radmanovic were severely outgamed by Pierce and Kevin Garnett, being outscored 56-19. This cannot happen. Although it's virtually impossible to outplay two potential Hall-of-Famers, Odom and Radmanovic still have to give a better effort both on offense and defense. They almost played as if they were intimidated by the Celtics. They were not aggressive, they were tentative with the ball, and did not attack the basket. Against the Celtics' frontcourt, they have to force the contact as opposed to hoping to draw the contact. It's a mindset that these players have to come with. As Phil Jackson said in his pregame locker room speech, "You have to play with a purpose." These two Laker forwards did not do this.

The difference in the game

There are two obvious differences in the game. The first one is the disadvantage of the Lakers at the forward position. The Lakers have to find a way to score inside and get to the line if they hope to establish some kind of momentum.

Another difference was the Celtics' advantage on the boards. They saw how Utah used this to their benefit and applied it to the game. The ferocity that KG brings uplifts his other teammates. He is a Defensive Player of the Year but is an MVP at the same time. KG's dominance inside, his two monstrous dunks, and his attitude seemed to lift teammates PJ Brown, Sam Cassell, and even Leon Powe. They were quicker than the Lakers to react to the ball and the tone was set by KG. It seemed like for much of the game, the Lakers were moving in slow motion.

What the Celtics need to do to keep homecourt

1. Keep doing what they're doing. Rajon Rondo played well and matched Derek Fisher's output, and Ray Allen kept Boston in the game in the first half with his outside shooting.

2. Maintain the defensive intensity. Again, it starts with KG. So I don't have any reason to believe the Celtics will lose their focus over the next two days. The Celtics did a commendable job on transition defense last night and they've done an even better job of slowing the Lakers down to a halt, forcing L.A. to run their half court offense, which plays right into Boston's hands. The reason they are 3-0 versus L.A. so far this year is because of their defense and because they seem to know how to guard Kobe. It's up to Mamba to make an adjustment on offense so his teammates can follow the lead.

3. Treatment for Kendrick Perkins' ankle. I don't believe it's a serious sprain, maybe just a slight tweak. Nevertheless, ankle injuries are extremely tender. Although PJ Brown has played exceptional in his backup role, Perkins will be needed for the duration of the series. I believe he will be at least 90% for game two, but you know how they do it in Boston nowadays. They like to make you believe one thing and they go out and do something else. With that said, I guarantee Perkins will start and be 100% come Sunday.

4. Finally, Boston will need to think of another script to implement for Game Two. Because it's so obvious they're trying their hardest.

What the Lakers WILL DO to win Game Two

1. Execute a much different game plan. Kobe and his teammates will run, run, run. They will be more aggressive on both sides of the ball. They will attack the rim with more vigor. They will get Radmanovic involved early. Pau Gasol will be all over the paint, blocking shots, and throwing down dunks. After having watched the film, he will know how KG approaches rebounding position and be ready to match him and box out. Odom will rebound and lead fast breaks. The young Bench Mob will have shaken off the jitters and will be ready to attack. Kobe will be Kobe.  All in all, the Lakers will be forced to bring Showtime back.

2. Attack the glass. This starts with the Lakers' "soft" frontcourt. After they watch film and dissect how they lost, they will play with a purpose. This starts by being physical with the Celtics. If the Lakers successfully match the Celtics' physicality, all of a sudden they will see that more of the Celtics' players will be in foul trouble and this opens everything up for the Lakers and Kobe Bryant to run-n-gun and operate the triangle with precision. One way for L.A. to get things started and establish themselves is to commit some hard fouls early on and put some Celtics on the ground so as to send a message.

3. Kobe Bryant will watch film and make the appropriate adjustments. As I speak, the Lakers are in an enclosed room dissecting the game tape. And Bryant is noticing that there was one sole reason as to why he was limited to midrange shot attempts and wasn't able to get to the rim with accuracy. The Celtics played him smart. They didn't double Kobe right away. They waited for Kobe to make his move and then when Kobe was getting ready to commit himself, they would converge on him with an extra defender or two. This would usually happen after Kobe would take a few dribbles or attempt to penetrate, but every time he drove the lane, another defender would come at him from the blindside catching him off guard. And that's why we saw a lot of fallaway jumpers and plenty of contested shots from Kobe.

This is how Detroit's Bad Boys used to frustrate Michael Jordan in the eighties. The only difference is the Jordan Rules, in which the Pistons would literally hit MJ every time he drove to the basket. If today's NBA would only let them play as physical as they did back then and refrain from eject ing a player from doing those things, there would be the Kobe rules.

As intelligent a player Kobe is and as exceptional a coach Jackson is at making adjustments, don't be surprised if the Lakers start the half court offense by getting Bryant the ball at the pinch post position in the triangle immediately. Kobe will be more patient reading the defense, and when the double team comes, there will be a plethora of cutters for Kobe to feed the ball to.

4. Knock those Celtics to the ground. Boston came in with a mindset and implemented it. Just like the eighties Celtic teams, they forced their physical style of play and succeeded. It has temporarily frustrated the Lakers. But those great Lakers teams never backed down. They got physical too and responded. They didn't shy away from contact and weren't afraid to knock some enemies upside the head. The Lakers will undoubtedly come with a much tougher mindset on Sunday. In the same way role players such as Kurt Rambis, A.C. Green, Bob McAdoo, and the skinny Michael Cooper responded to the Celtics' constant taunting, bullying, and trash talking, this version led by Derek Fisher, Ronny Turiaf, Sasha Vujacic, Luke Walton and Jordan Farmar has just received its wake up call and now it's time to show what they're made of.

5. Trevor Ariza. Because Luke Walton cannot guard Pierce, it's time for Coach Jackson to utilize his best kept secret weapon, who's been in hibernation since snow last fell in the city of Los Angeles. We've got The Machine on offense. Well... we've also got "The Specialist" on defense. Ariza's been ready to run-n-gun. He's waiting for an assignment. Why don't we go ahead and have him stick the actor.

Prediction for Game Two

Lakers 109, Celtics 103

Click here to read Lisa H's blog on Game 2

Click here to read J-Dizzle's blog on Game 1

As Lisa H mentioned, "the gauntlet has been thrown down" and her game face is on. I like that.

This right here is of epic proportions. It's bigger than Mt. Rushmore, stronger than HGH. It's massive like Kimbo Slice, more entertaining than Girls Gone Wild.

All of this pre-Finals hype is only getting better. What could be better than Lakers-Celtics? You guessed it. Lakers fans versus Celtics fans.

The NBA FINALS: Where LakersCeltics happens. Let's get it on.

Lakers take Game One.

L.A. lost twice in the regular season to the Celtics, and they remember. The Lakers lost their last three NBA Finals games back in 2004, and they remember that one too. When Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson are on a mission, they respond like no other. The Celtics are in for a rude awakening once they find out how much different the Lakers are with Pau Gasol.

How the Lakers will do it.

Kobe makes his presence felt immediately, whether it's getting his teammates involved or getting to the foul line. We won't see any of this 1-4, 2-point first halves for Kobe like he displayed against San Antonio. This is the NBA Finals. Kobe lives for these games. He will be involved in just about every play and the much-publicized Celtics defense better brace themselves because the Triangle Offense will be operating on all cylinders. The bottom line is the Lakers will be focused from the start because they are meditating and summoning the power of the force as we speak.

Expect these trends to develop from the outset: Long distance threat Vladimir Radmanovic will get his shot off early and make an immediate impact. As a result, the Lakers spread the floor even more for other shooters such as Jordan Farmar, Sasha Vujacic, and of course, Bryant. Refs will allow physical play because the game is in Boston. The refs will call fouls against the Lakers, perhaps putting Lamar Odom in foul trouble. And the Celtics will try to body up on the Lakers. However, what Boston will undersestimate is the Lakers' balance. They, too, can b@ng with the best of 'em. And if Boston allows L.A. to get out in transition and put the pressure on their defense, look out. Lastly, the Celtics' offense will be surprised at how quickly Lakers defenders rotate to the ball and how tough Ronny Turiaf is on defense.

The Lakers will throw many different looks defensively in order to confuse and disrupt the Celtics. They will play KG straight up. They will double on occasion. Pierce will also get double teams on occasion. Defensive specialist Trevor Ariza may see significant minutes guarding Pierce as well. Ray Allen will have his hands full with Kobe so I don't see him getting off like he did against the Pistons in games five and six. Some may think that the Celtics' will be able to force L.A. to keep taking outside shots, but we all know that Kobe and Phil are smarter than that. Because of Gasol, Odom will have lanes to penetrate. Kobe can also drive the lane at will, or penetrate and kick. Meanwhile, Gasol is moving without the ball the whole time and can also be a threat in the high post set of the triangle offense. Simply way too many options for the Lakers to attack the Celtics' defense and by the end of the game, Coach Doc Rivers won't know what hit him.

Let these stats marinate in your brain, LISAH!

We all know how dominant the Celtics were in the regular season so I don't even see a need to explain. Their regular season statistics speak for themselves.

But this is the postseason baby. It's a different brand of basketball that's being played here folks. It's a different tempo that's being played and different adjustments being utilized. What I'm saying is, regular season numbers don't even matter one bit. Just ask the 2006 and 2007 Phoenix Suns and the 2007 Dallas Mavericks. 

If you want to get an accurate depiction on how each team is doing, one need only look at the last 20-25 games. Games that were played in late April and May. Games in which the great teams supposedly peak. Games that count and mean something. And games in which the two teams in the Finals have their rosters intact. Let's take a look at some critical statistics from the last two months, and while we're at it,  why don't we go ahead and throw away all those stats from November to March.

LAKERS: In their last 19 games (4 regular season and 15 playoffs), Los Angeles has averaged 106.8 pts per game while giving up 97.9, an 8.9 point differential, while compiling an impressive record of 16-3 against the likes of Denver (4-0), Utah (4-2), San Antonio (5-1), New Orleans (1-0), Sacramento (1-0), and the Clippers (1-0). During this time, the Lakers peaked and got better as the regular season wound down and the playoffs progressed.

They scored a high of 128 against Denver, showing us that they can run-n-shoot when necessary. They gave up a low of 71 against the defending champs, proving they can clamp down defensively when the stakes are high. They scored over 100 points in 15 of the 19 games, and have given up less than 100 in five of the last six games they played the defending champions, who is no stranger to scoring a ton a points. Just ask Phoenix.  

The Lakers' regular season average of 108.6 ppg went down a tad bit to 106.8 so this is not much of a difference. The glaring difference was their defense. While the Lakers gave up 101.3 ppg in the regular season, they improved in their last 19 games, giving up only 97.9, a 3.4 point difference. Nothing but positive trends here for the Lakers. I will prove the negative Celtic trends shortly.

All in all, the Lakers point differential versus their opponents has gone up from the regular season which suggests that they are nothing like the team Boston faced in 2007. And this is all because of Kobe and Pau Gasol.

Celtics fans can think that beating Detroit was such a huge accomplishment since Detroit is so good defensively but the Celtics never beat the champions. The Lakers did. The bottom line is that the Lakers have proven they can play ANY style of ball in order to secure victories. The Celtics, meanwhile, have been one-dimensional all postseason long.

CELTICS: In their last 20 games, Boston has averaged 91.6, down 8.9 points from their regular season average of 100.5 ppg! You be the judge as to what this suggests. All I know that it's a negative trend for the boys in green.

Although Boston has only given up 87.2 ppg in their last 20 games (better than their regular season opponent average of 90.3), their point differential is down over this span. Their point differential over their opponents is only 4.4, way down from their 10-point differential in the regular season!! Another negative trend for the hopeful Celtics fans. While the Lakers' point differential has gone up in the playoffs, the Celtics' have gone down. And isn't playoff competition supposed to be when teams are at their best? You be the judge.

Game One Prediction

Lakers 107, Celtics 98

Click here to read LISA H's blog on Game 1