NBA Playoffs: Lakers Finally Down Nuggets, Celtics Win Game 1

The Nuggets had some issues to resolve in the second half to execute a comeback and win Game 7. Not only did they fail to make positive adjustments in the first few minutes of the third, but they regressed in other areas.

As of right now, the Lakers are on a 18-4 run to open the third. It’s getting ugly fast.

For more on the Lakers, visit Silver Screen And Roll and SB Nation Los Angeles. For more on the Nuggets, visit Denver Stiffs and SB Nation Denver.

1. Stop setting up JaVale McGee in the block. He is 0-4. His offensive impact should be limited to the offensive glass, dives on the pick and roll and the fast break.

2. Give Danilo Gallinari a few screens.

Mr. McGee, how do you feel about Mr. Mozgov blowing your bucket in the fashion that you have executed so, so many times this season?

American Champion.

Pau Gasol is not only having a heckuva Game 7 for the Lakers, but he’s also engaging in romantic endeavors.

Kevin Garnett likes to beat up the stanchion. Pau Gasol likes to hold it gently. If this is not a perfect contrast of the players, than I know not what it is.

Steve Blake is 3-3 on three-pointers in the first half. If you’re looking for improbable, unsustainable performances, we have our first candidate.

This morning, we wrote about what impact Metta World Peace could have in his Game 7 return to the Lakers. In particular, we focused on Danilo Gallinari’s poor shooting in the series, and Matt Barnes’s defense.

The Nuggets are in the game, but need to get something out of Gallo.

Jordan Hill fouled Andre Miller on a pretty silly play at the end of the first quarter, when the clock would have otherwise expired without another Denver opportunity.

Mike Brown reacted with … scorn? Confusion? Dismay? Brain freeze?

Andrew Bynum, who has taken incredible heat for perceived lazy play in Games 5 and 6, has three blocks in the first quarter. It would appear that some sense has been smacked into him.

Pau Gasol is hot early and Andrew Bynum looks engaged (fancy that!). But on the other end, the Nuggets’ starting backcourt, Ty Lawson and Arron Afflalo, are scorching L.A. Through eight minutes, Lawson has hit four out of five shots for nine early points. (He shot 13-18 in Denver’s Game 6 win.) Afflalo is 2-2, and has smoked Kobe Bryant off of the bounce in the halfcourt twice. (Kobe will still be named to the All-Defensive team next week. Book it.)

If the Lakers lose with all of this happening, will Pau and Bynum say mean things about Kobe and Ramon Sessions?

Pau Gasol had one field goal in Game 6. He has two field goals in the first 90 seconds of Game 7. Uh oh.

A hero’s welcome for a man who has been gone because he … threw a nasty elbow at an opponent’s dome. Sports are weird.

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The Boston Celtics led by three with just seconds left. The Philadelphia 76ers picked up a defensive rebound and Jrue Holiday sprinted downcourt with the ball. Rajon Rondo, a top-notch defender and, frankly, smart as heck player, made a canny play: He fouled Holiday in the open court.

That’s simply a brilliant play, made with nary a fraction of a second to spare. (Holiday should have dropped it off to Spencer Hawes anyway.)

We warned at halftime that the Sixers’ offense might not last, given the team’s struggles over the last couple of months on that end and Boston’s killer defense. We were right to worry. Philadelphia has been forced into tough shot after tough shot in the fourth quarter. Avery Bradley, in particular, has been all over Lou Williams, and Andre Iguodala has taken more fadeaways than any mediocre shooter should ever take.

This does not bode well for the rest of the series.

Rajon Rondo had 15 assists and 10 rebounds before he got to 10 points to cinch up another postseason triple-double. (He now has eight, tied with Oscar Robertson and ahead of LeBron James.) He got the two buckets he needed late in the fourth. The lay-up that took him to 11 points also happened to give Boston an 83-82 lead.

This is one heckuva game.

Lavoy Allen was a punchline in the first half, but man, the kid has had himself a game. He scored two quick buckets in the fourth quarter and has 12 on the game (more than Paul Pierce) to go with five rebounds. He’s giving Boston trouble as the Celtics play small lineups with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Mickael Pietrus in the frontcourt.

George Karl spoke to reporters before the Nuggets’ Game 7 against the Lakers, and was asked about Magic Johnson’s comment about Mike Brown’s future should L.A. be eliminated on Saturday.

I think it’s time to get to the game.

We’re eight minutes into the third quarter, and Rajon Rondo has 12 assists on the game. That’s 12 assists … on 23 Boston field goals. Some teams don’t reach a 1:2 assist to field goal ratio, but Rondo is a rare, rare passer.

He also has home scorers in Game 1. One Rondo assist involved the point guard forcing a pass into a well-covered Paul Pierce, who jabbed, spun and faded away over the course of roughly 13 seconds to get a bucket.

But wait — I thought these gritty, determined Celtics were full of heart and experience? What gives? Too soft and lily-livered for comebacks, eh?

Within two game minutes of the 1-22 trivia, Boston took its first lead of the game. Welp.

In the first round of the playoffs against the Bulls, an excellent defensive team, the Sixers shot 40.7 percent from the floor and 24.7 percent on three-pointers. Philly doesn’t have an amazing offense, so those numbers aren’t too surprising.

Like the Bulls, the Celtics have an incredible defense. It was the best in the league this season, edging Chicago and Philly (No. 3). Despite that, the Sixers shot 46 percent from the floor in the first half of Game 1, and hit half of their threes.

For more on the Celtics, check out Celtics Blog and SB Nation Boston. For more on the 76ers, head over to Liberty Ballers and SB Nation Philly.

The story of the first half for the Boston Celtics’ offense is that only two of the team’s players are doing anything. Well, anything good. I see you, Ryan Hollins.

Kevin Garnett has 14 points on 6-9 shooting in the first half, and Ray Allen is 3-5 for eight points off of the bench. The rest of the roster: 7-26. Paul Pierce himself is 1-6.

UPDATE, 8:54 ET: Thaddeus Young returned to the game late in the second quarter. He does not appear to be wearing extra tape.

Thaddeus Young limped off the court midway through the second quarter of Game 1 between the Philadelphia Sixers and Boston Celtics on Saturday. He had played nine minutes off the bench before stepping on a cameraman’s foot on the Sixers’ baseline and apparently turning his left ankle.