NBA Finals Game 3 Live-Blog: The Lakers Respond In A Big Way, Lead By Nine After One Quarter

Pro Basketball Talk puts it best: “ The Lakers need to make baskets to slow down the Celtics in transition. Which is the exact opposite of the 1980s.”

Apparently, Derek Fisher can’t shoot pull-up jumpers off one foot. Who knew?

Jeff Van Gundy chastises Paul Pierce for not helping off Luke Walton in the short corner. He says that normally, helping off the short corner guy is a bad play, but not for Kobe. He’s right. Problem is, it’s hard to tell players to go against their instincts like that.

Kendrick Perkins gets called for a moving screen, even though that time he didn’t move. There’s nothing I hate more than when Derek Fisher coils his body as if he got shot. I would have said “stabbed,” but Paul Pierce would have gotten mad at me.

It appears Jeff Van Gundy is going off topic again. Sigh.

As much as I keep harping on Boston’s ability to take advantage of crossmatches in transition, the Lakers have an equally good chance of doing that if they get stops. In a way, that’s what makes this series have so much potential. Both teams play great defense, and both teams can potentially run off those misses. Whichever team gets more stops wins. Who needs analysis when all you need is that?

You have to love Kevin Garnett’s aggression tonight. Something tells me he watched tapes of Amare Stoudemire’s Game 3 performance in the Western Conference Finals.

Lamar Odom banked in a three-pointer. Apparently, he got inspired by Tauntr handing out 5,000 Khloe Kardashain masks. I would overshoot my shots if I saw those too.

Jeff Van Gundy asks if Kobe is allowed to chew his jersey. He forgets how Rip Hamilton used to do that all the time when he used to play for the Wizards. I’m pretty sure Michael Jordan made fun of it at some point.

The Lakers withstood Boston’s initial push, which is what they had to do during this stretch. Mission accomplished. I have a feeling we’re going to have a good one. This is how great games tend to begin.

I don’t doubt that Pau Gasol is much stronger in 2010 than he is in 2008, but don’t you think mentioning this fact after he used his length, which was always there, to block a Ray Allen three-point attempt is an odd time to bring this up?

The Celtics have hit the side of the backboard twice this quarter. I’m pretty sure that is bad. Maybe they got distracted by the Khloe masks.

The Lakers have 20 points, and KG and Rondo have combined for 16 points. Too bad this isn’t NBA Jam. Speaking of, if it was NBA Jam, which two Celtics would you choose? I’d probably have to leave off Rondo because he isn’t a good shooter, so does that mean you go with Allen and Pierce? Or do you get Garnett in there to have a big man?

Van Gundy just said the Celtics should be concerned that the Lakers are in the penalty. I’m concerned too. I’ve decided to express my concern to the referees, though, not the Celtics.

Lamar Odom lays it in on the fast break, and the Lakers end the quarter up 26-17. The crowd is silent. They were so loud earlier. If I was Mike Bibby, I’d make a comment about how Celtics fans are fairweather fans. Luckily, I’m not Mike Bibby.

This first quarter continues to prove how this series will be decided in transition. Whichever team can string together a series of stops can really make some great runs. Don’t be surprised if the Celtics make a run in the second.