THE TRUTH GETS HURT, THEN HURTS THE LAKERS

The Celtics beat the Lakers last night 98-88 behind a legendary Curt Schilling-esque performance by Paul Pierce. In the 3rd quarter, the Lakers appeared to be starting a run, when Pierce fell awkwardly on the baseline. It appeared that teammate Kendrick Perkins stepped back into Pierce's leg, causing it to turn in an unconventional way. With the help of a wheelchair, Pierce was taken back to the locker room. It seemed certain that Pierce was out for the game, and perhaps the series.



But a few minutes later, he came back through the tunnel, pumping up the crowd along with the Celtics. He went back into the game, and entered Boston Celtic history.

Pierce started the game 1 for 4 in the 1st half, with three points, three fouls and a couple of turnovers. He didn't miss a shot in the 2nd half, going 6 for his last 6 and tallying 19 points. He was 3 for 3 from behind the 3 point arc in the 2nd half, and 3 of 4 in the game. His consecutive 3 pointers at the end of the 3rd quarter gave the Celtics a 75-71 lead. A lead they would not relinquish.

Who knows what Paul Pierce's knee will do between now and game 2 on Sunday. But despite having that bad wheel, he still put this team on his back and carried them on to victory.

But Pierce wasn't alone. KG had 24 points and 13 rebounds in his NBA Finals debut. Garnett's monster slam in the 4th was the extremely loud death knell for the Lakers.



However, the slam was Garnett's first field goal of the 4th quarter. He looked uneasy in the final frame, making passes when he should have shot. Making shots when he should have passed. These weren't tough decisions either, these were no-brainers.

Ray Allen had himself another good night. He had 19 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists. Rajon Rondo had 15 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds.



Sam Cassell came off the bench strong, nailing some tough shots. But that might have been the worst thing to happen to the Celtics. If Cassell starts thinking it's okay for him to shoot when he's not given a clear look, and guys like KG, Allen and Pierce are on the floor; he will shoot. And it will be and ugly shot more often than not. Almost as ugly as him.

The Celtics turned the ball over in numerous silly ways. Bad passes, dribbling into one's own foot, and so on. They gave LA the ball 13 times, which helped keep the game close whenever the C's were on the verge of pulling away. They need to stop doing this and I mean now.

The defense was outstanding. They held one of the best offenses in basketball to 88 points. They held the NBA MVP to 9 of 26 from the field with 24 points. That's called containment, folks. Covering Kobe was handed off between Allen, Pierce, and Posey. But it was mostly Pierce, and he did a great job of making life difficult for Kobe Bryant. The Celtics didn't give Kobe an inch, knowing he's good enough to turn that inch into a yard in a split second.



The big question over the weekend will be Paul Pierce's health. Game 2 is Sunday night.



Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credits:
Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty Images
Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images
Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty Images

CELTICS/LAKERS PREVIEW

This is the matchup everybody wanted. The NBA must have wet its pants when LA made it this far and the Celtics were able to overcome the Pistons. The best rivalry in NBA history has been renewed as the Celtics and Lakers meet in the NBA Finals for the 11th time. Not to mention two major TV markets and teams with national fanbases.



If you've been watching ESPN or FSN, or listening to sports radio; you know the storylines already. Jackson vs. Auerbach. Is Kobe better than Jordan? Will KG get that elusive ring? I won't bore you by rehashing those worn out talking points.

It's a classic battle between offense and defense. It's also a clash between a team that plays as a team, and a team centered around an individual. The Celtics beat the Lakers twice this year, once in Boston and once in LA. But the Lakers didn't have Paul Gasol for either of those contests, and both times they scored more than 90 points. In the post-season, the Celtics are 2-7 when allowing 90+ points.

The big question everyone seems to be asking is "Can the Celtics stop Kobe Bryant?" The quick answer is "No." Kobe is a freak of nature, and will lead both teams in scoring this series. But the Celtics can stop the rest of the Lakers. If they do this AND stay consistent on offense, they'll come away with the title.



Remember, LeBron James put up lots of points as the Cleveland series came to a close, including 45 in game 7, but it wasn't enough. Kobe might very well average 35 points a game this series, but that isn't the end of the world for the C's.

The margin for error in this series is slimmer than it was against Detroit, Cleveland, or Atlanta. Rajon Rondo will have to play like he knows what he's doing all the time. Ray Allen will have to remain hot. KG will have to shoot the ball in the 4th quarter. Paul Pierce will have to stay on his game on both sides of the court. The bench will have to contribute some offense.

But unlike the "experts" (9 of ESPN.com's 10 experts picked the Lakers), I think this is the Celtics' series to lose. They've got home court advantage. They've got depth. They've got the defense.

Celtics in 6.



Photo Credits:
AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File
AP Photo/Mike Kullen, File
AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File

SCHILLING PITCHES OFF MOUND

Curt Schilling took another big step toward returning to the Majors. He threw 25 pitches off a mound, all fastballs. Tomorrow he's scheduled to throw 35 pitches. This is part of the strengthening phase of his rehab, which was a point of contention before the season started. The Red Sox wanted to go down this path, but Schilling wanted surgery. It's still early, but so far the Sox look like they were right.

If pitching off a mount continues to go well, Schilling will start facing live batters in simulated games, batting practice, and minor league rehab outings. Don't expect him to be pitching at Fenway anytime soon, but keep a dugout seat reserved for him.

Source:
Boston Herald

SOX RETAKE FIRST PLACE BY BEATING RAYS

A decent start by Beckett, 3 scoreless innings of relief, and some timely hitting propelled the Red Sox to a 5-1 victory last night, and into first place in the division.

JD Drew once again had the big night at the plate. He went 2 for 3 with an RBI double, 2 runs, a walk, and a stolen base. He hit 3rd, replacing David Ortiz. And at least for one game, he did a good job at it.

Dustin Pedroia continues to struggle. He went 0 for 3 and left a couple men on base. He's 3 for his last 25 (.120 average). Since May 22nd, his average has dropped more than .030 points. He's gone 7 for 54 in that stretch (.130), with only 3 RBI. Even with Ortiz out of the lineup, I wouldn't mind seeing a switch with Youkilis moving into the 2 spot. Or maybe even Drew hitting 2nd with Youkilis 3rd.

Coco Crisp seems to be hitting again, going 2 for 2 with a run and an RBI sac-fly, but he also jammed his finger trying to steal 2nd in the 6th. Rays' short-stop Jason Bartlett blocked the bag with his knee, and Crisp ran into it. He's day-to-day, and his thumb was wrapped in ice after last night's game, which he did not leave early.

The Sox look to sweep the Rays tonight. Remember, the game starts at 6 due to the Celtics/Lakers game. Jon Lester opposes James Shields. The Sox might miss Ortiz a great deal tonight, as Papi is 7 for 14 in his career against Shields with 4 doubles and 2 homers.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Charles Krupa

JOBA CHAMBERLAIN IS GARBAGE, PEDRO MARTINEZ IS GOD

Joba Chamberlain made his long awaited first start for the New York Yankees Tuesday night, and things didn't go so well. I'll be honest, I don't actually think Joba is garbage. He's a talented young pitcher who could wind up being a great starter or reliever some day. But he's been overblown and overrated by the Yankees, their fans, and the media. But what do you expect? The Yankees are having an all-out knockdown brawl with .500 and are so far on the losing end of the fight. Their fans need to make shit up in order to reassure themselves that their team isn't the worst team money can buy.

The Yankees decided to make things even harder on Chamberlain, putting him on the mound in Yankee Stadium, with an opponent by the name of Roy Halladay. The young RELIEVER baseball expert Adam Sandler compares to Roger Clemens only went 2.1 innings, allowing 2 runs (1 earned), off 4 walks, 1 hit, and 3 strikeouts. He threw 63 pitches to get his 7 outs. Oh yeah, he also balked. The Yankees wound up losing 9-3.

Meanwhile, in San Francisco, Pedro Martinez returned to the mound for the Mets. He went 6 innings, allowing 3 earned runs off 7 hits, 3 walks, and 3 strikeouts. Not an amazing start, especially for a living god, but still good. But the best part of his night came at the plate. He was 2 for 3 with an RBI single, and a run scored.



That's career RBI #14 for Pedro. And win #210 as the Mets beat the Giants 9-6.

Sources:
ESPN.com
Baseball-Reference.com

Photo Credits:
AP Photo/Kathy Willens
AP Photo/Eric Risberg

ORTIZLESS SOX STILL ABLE TO PUT UP RUNS

As we all know, David Ortiz is out for at least a month due to a tendon tear in his left wrist. But the Red Sox were able to produce some runs last night and beat the (Devil) Rays 7-4.

Five different Sox had RBIs, and 5 different Sox scored runs. JD Drew had a big night, going 2 for 3 with a double and a solo homerun. Mike Lowell also homered. With Ortiz out of the lineup, these two guys will be under the most pressure to produce runs.

Although Justin Masterson allowed 4 runs in his 6 innings, he pitched well for the most part. He's now 2-0, and has looked good in all of his starts. He might just prove to be a secret weapon down the stretch. And despite the struggles of Javier Lopez, the bullpen was great.

With Ortiz out, each win the Sox can amass is even more impressive and meaningful. Losing Ortiz sucks, obviously, but it isn't the end of the world. If the Sox can stay in the race while Papi is missing, then they'll have the ammunition to win it in the late summer and early fall.

I really would like to get the entire story of this guy's evening:



He started off the night donning a Larry Bird jersey, and pulling his black socks up. He ended it in jail. I think the middle act of that story is probably a fascinating one.

Josh Beckett vs. Edwin Jackson Wednesday night.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credits:
Photo by Elsa/Getty Images

BEAT L.A.

One of the greatest chants in sports history, not because of what the chant says, but because of who the chant was directed at.

Game 7, 1982 Eastern Conference Finals. In Boston, the 76ers are on the verge of beating the Celtics. The Boston fans in the Garden chant a request to the 76ers to beat the hated Los Angeles Lakers.



Of course, the 76ers didn't do what Boston fans asked them to, because Philadelphia sucks at everything.

MANNY NOT DONE YET, AND NEITHER IS COLON

The inconsistent Sox are apparently back on a winning tear. A solid start from Colon, more good work from the bullpen, and 9 runs of offense this afternoon in Baltimore.

Manny hit #501 in the 4th. He also had an RBI double earlier in the game. Mike Lowell followed Manny's shot with a homer of his own. Lowell was 2 for 4 with 2 RBI. JD Drew went 2 for 3 with a homerun and 3 RBI.

The big story was Colon. He went 6+ innings, scattered 7 hits and 2 walks, allowed 4 runs, and earned his 3rd win of the season. He's no Ace, but he's turning out to be a solid back end of the rotation guy.



The 3 scoreless innings pitched by Lopez, Hansen, and Delcarmen to end the game extend the bullpen's scoreless streak. Red Sox relievers haven't allowed an earned run in their last 14 innings of work.

As expected, David Ortiz did not start due to his sprained left wrist. No official word yet on if he'll be in the lineup on Monday, but he did say he had to get an MRI.

The Sox go for the 4 game sweep Monday night. Tim Wakefield vs. Jeremy Guthrie.

Sources:
ESPN.com
Associated Press

Photo Credits:
AP Photo/Gail Burton