By MARC BERMAN
June 6, 2008
BOSTON - While hobbled Paul Pierce provided the points and inspiration for Game 1, Lakers' counterpart Kobe Bryant, the experienced finalist, looked overwhelmed.
Bryant appeared too pumped by the crazed atmosphere inside the new Boston Garden, missed six of his first seven shots. Many of his attempts were forced and too hard, clanging off the back iron. Bryant's not going to win his fourth ring this way.
"Those mid-range jumpers, I've got to knock them down," Bryant said after his 9-of-26, 24-point, four-turnover dud led to the Lakers' 98-88 demise. "I just missed some bunnies. I had good looks that didn't stay down for me. I'll be thinking about them tonight."
Bryant said Boston's physical defense disrupted the Lakers' fluid attack. They shot just 41.6 percent, 3-of-14 from 3-point land.
"We got a little stagnant, our rhythm wasn't there," Bryant said after the Lakers scored 37 second-half points. "They played a lot more physical than we did."
Bryant, averaging 31.9 points in the playoffs, went to the free-throw line just six times, had few driving attempts and scored just four fourth-quarter points when the Celtics took control. He did notch six assists, mostly on gives to Pau Gasol (15 points).
Pierce felt Boston confused the league MVP, the Celts living up to their rep as the NBA's best defensive club.
"I just wanted to make him work," Pierce said. "We threw numerous defenders at him, (James) Posey, Ray (Allen), myself. We just wanted to give him a different look. We're all different type of defenders. And the help was there when we needed it."
