// BEGIN editorial data var i = 0; var spt_NBA_playoffs_08 = new Array(); spt_NBA_playoffs_08.ID = "spt_NBA_playoffs_08"; spt_NBA_playoffs_08.ID_WB = 24167576; spt_NBA_playoffs_08.sPubDate = "6/16/2008 5:19:41 AM GMT"; spt_NBA_playoffs_08.navsectionID = "3032846" spt_NBA_playoffs_08.appFmt = 9; spt_NBA_playoffs_08.itemsPerPage = 1; spt_NBA_playoffs_08.appWidth = 624; spt_NBA_playoffs_08.appHeader = "NBA Finals matchups"; spt_NBA_playoffs_08.sTitle = "NBA Finals matchups"; spt_NBA_playoffs_08.appFooter = "By Michael Ventre, NBCSports.com contributor"; spt_NBA_playoffs_08.rowSpacer = "
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Celtics lead series 3-2
All times Eastern
Game 1: Boston 98, Los Angeles 88
Game 2: Boston 108, Los Angeles 102
Game 3: Los Angeles 87, Boston 81
Game 4: Boston 97, Los Angeles 91
Game 5: Los Angeles 103, Boston 98
Game 6: Los Angeles at Boston, June 17, 9 p.m. (ABC)
Game 7: Los Angeles at Boston, if necessary, June 19, 9 p.m. (ABC)"; spt_NBA_playoffs_08[i++] = new Array("","Statistics","","","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); spt_NBA_playoffs_08[i-1].body = "Key stats

SEASON RECORDS
Celtics: 66-16 (1st in Atlantic Division)
Lakers: 57-25 (1st in Pacific Division)

SEASON SERIES
Celtics won, 2-0
Nov. 23: at Celtics 107, Lakers 94
Dec. 30: Celtics 110, at Lakers 91

HEAD TO HEAD PLAYOFF HISTORY
1987: Lakers won, 4-2 (NBA Finals)
1985: Lakers won, 4-2 (NBA Finals)
1984: Celtics won, 4-3 (NBA Finals)
1969: Celtics won, 4-3 (NBA Finals)
1968: Celtics won, 4-2 (NBA Finals)
1966: Celtics won, 4-3 (NBA Finals)
1965: Celtics won, 4-1 (NBA Finals)
1963: Celtics won, 4-2 (NBA Finals)
1962: Celtics won, 4-3 (NBA Finals)
1959: Celtics won, 4-0 (NBA Finals)

KEY INJURIES
Celtics: No significant injuries.
Lakers: No significant injuries.

VEGAS ODDS TO WIN NBA TITLE
Celtics: EVEN
Lakers: 6-5

OFFENSE/DEFENSE NBA RANKING
Celtics: 11/2
Lakers: 4/20

CELTICS STARTING LINEUP

  • F Kevin Garnett: 19.0 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 1.23 bpg, .540 FG%, .801 FT%
  • F Paul Pierce: 19.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 4.6 apg, .464 FG%, .843 FT%
  • C Kendrick Perkins: 7.0 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.47 bpg, .616 FG%, .624 FT%
  • G Ray Allen: 17.6 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.1 apg, .446 FG%, .907 FT%
  • G Rajon Rondo: 10.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 5.1 apg, .492 FG%, .611 FT%

    LAKERS STARTING LINEUP

  • F Vladimir Radmanovic: 8.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.9 apg, .453 FG%, .800
  • F Lamar Odom: 14.2 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 3.5 apg, .525 FG%, .698 FT%
  • C Pau Gasol: 18.9 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 3.2 apg, .534 FG%, .807 FT%
  • G Kobe Bryant: 28.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 5.4 apg, .459 FG%, .840 FT%
  • G Derek Fisher: 11.7 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 2.9 apg, .436 FG%, .883 FT%

    TOP BENCH PLAYERS
    CELTICS:

  • F James Posey: 7.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.5 apg, .418 FG%, .809 FT%
  • F P.J. Brown: 2.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg, .341 FG%, .688 FT

    LAKERS:

  • G Jordan Farmar: 9.1 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 2.7 apg, .461 FG%, .679 FT%
  • F Luke Walton: 7.2 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1.38 bpg, .450 FG%, .706 FT%

    COACHES
    Celtics: Glenn “Doc” Rivers (338-328 overall; 16-19 playoffs)
    Lakers: Phil Jackson (976-418 overall; 191-80 playoffs)"; spt_NBA_playoffs_08[i++] = new Array("","Players to watch/intangibles","","","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); spt_NBA_playoffs_08[i-1].body = "Players to watch/intangibles

    CELTICS: Paul Pierce.

    He is a native of Inglewood and grew up rooting for the Lakers. Now he’s back in Southern California, but wearing the colors of the enemy, the dreaded Gang Green. His ability to hit big buckets is critical to the Celtics’ success, but it will be interesting to see how he responds to the emotions of playing back on his home turf, and to the pressure of performing in his very first NBA Finals.


    LAKERS: Lamar Odom.

    This is Odom’s first NBA Finals as well. He has been much maligned throughout his career for not living up to his talent. This year, that criticism virtually disappeared because Bryant and Gasol took a lot of the scoring burden off him, which freed him up to play looser and more aggressively. Yet the Finals are a new proving ground altogether. The Lakers need Odom not only to play as well as he has been in this postseason, but to even raise his game higher against an outstanding opponent.


    INTANGIBLES

    CELTICS: Well, this is it. When the team acquired Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, Celtics fans were thinking Finals almost immediately. The plan that was put into motion before the season has now almost come to fruition. But on a team with three vets who are aching for a championship, the expectations will be through the roof. It can be argued that the teams the Celtics vanquished to this point were inferior -- even the Atlanta Braves, er, Pistons. So will the Celtics be able to man up on a world stage against a team perceived to be their equal?


    LAKERS: The Lakers will have the benefits of championship experience from Bryant, Jackson and Derek Fisher. But that’s it. The other players are newbies. Even Gasol, while an excellent player, has never faced a challenge this big. The Lakers have to pray that their young players can continue to be as effective in the Finals as they have been in previous series."; spt_NBA_playoffs_08[i++] = new Array("","Outlook/prediction","","","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); spt_NBA_playoffs_08[i-1].body = "Outlook/prediction

    I’m sure there’s great disappointment out there that the Pistons won’t be playing the Spurs, or even that the Cavs couldn’t make that dream matchup happen with the Jazz. So I guess the world will have to settle for the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers.

    This is ideal for so many reasons. Let’s start with star power. The Celtics have Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. The Lakers counter with Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom.

    Then there are the coaches. No, not Doc Rivers and Phil Jackson, but rather the late Red Auerbach and his nine NBA titles as a head coach versus Jackson, with whom he is currently tied.

    Then there are the general managers. Both Boston’s Danny Ainge and L.A.’s Mitch Kupchak did miraculous jobs of turning these clubs around.

    But it all comes down to what occurs on the court. Can the Lakers continue to impose their will on opponents? Have the Celtics ironed out their erratic ways – great at home, limp on the road – just in time for the ultimate series?

    The Celtics have been the better defensive team throughout the year, but the Lakers have been clamping down on opponents splendidly in these playoffs. Plus, Boston will likely be without injured guard Tony Allen, who did a good job guarding Bryant in two games this season.

    What this will come down to, however, is how well the role players from each team play. The stars likely will shine. It’s how the Sasha Vujacics and Rajon Rondos of the world perform that will likely make the difference.

    Whatever the outcome, you can be sure David Stern is having trouble sleeping because he’s too busy dancing around.

    PREDICTION: While the home court is a serious advantage, the pick here is Lakers, in six."; spt_NBA_playoffs_08[i++] = new Array("spt_08050_Lakers_Celts_winner","Vote: Who will win?","","","","", "lv2", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); // END editorial data