Even at 2-0, Series Still Steeped in Uncertainty

I guess it’s one of those half-full, half-empty deals: Who exactly comes away from that game feeling good about themselves?↵
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↵The Celtics got the win, so that’s cool. But they’re supposed to. And given the way these playoffs have worked, home court advantage is especially precious. The Lakers failed to pull off the biggest comeback in playoff history, but they came darn close. That despite being suffocated by the Boston defense, and facing some controversial officiating. Kobe finally looked like Kobe again, and so they head back to Staples with a little bit of hope.↵
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↵Let’s put it this way: Certainly, the Lakers can’t feel disappointed with their valiance down the stretch, or, for that matter, have really expected to pull it off. It was a nice way of salvaging what otherwise might’ve plunged their collective morale past the point of recovery. Boston, on the other hand, folded, and may have only won because time ran out. There’s some pressure on them to perform on the road, even if they’re up 2-0.↵
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↵Los Angeles can’t be happy with 0-2, but throughout these playoff, the Celtics have allowed themselves little room for error. Meanwhile, the Lakers have been dominant. Whether the end of tonight’s game signaled a sea change, a cracking of the code, or just a temporary lapse for Boston, it did break dramatically from the three halves that had preceded it. That has to be frustrating for both teams, and only add to the uncertainty surrounding a series that, at 2-0, should be feeling a little closer to settled.↵