Coming out of the West with a sterling 12-3 record and deposing the defending champs in short order, the Lakers came into the Finals living large. After two games in Boston, the West playoffs seem like a fading dream awaked by the new reality of Celtic team that has had every answer against them in four straight games now.

In the blink of an eye Los Angeles has gone from living large to living in oblivion and the realization that the team that ran away with a 66 win season was no mirage or eastern faker but the best team in basketball. If they didn’t believe it before, the force fed humiliation tonight makes sure the Lakers know exactly where they stand at this point in the 2008 NBA finals.

Unlike the first game, the Lakers did not run out to the early lead, but after playing give and take they did eventually take a seven point lead. They crashed the boards much better and seemed determined to send a message the softness of game one would not be repeated. Phil showed has hand with a new move by inserting Ariza in early. At the end of one we had a two point lead yet signs of trouble were already starting to surface. Kobe was 1 for 4 with two fouls and the Celts were shooting 51%.

It was in the second that the complexion of the game, and now maybe the series was irrevocably changed. With a two point lead, Phil went exclusively with the Bench Mob. Given the recent history of their play, one has to wonder why he did this, without having at least one of the big three in to lend a helping hand. The result was as ugly as it was predictable. Six turnovers in nine possessions. Some of the lowlights included Luke throwing a bad pass that got picked off, Farmar driving to the hole and throwing up a prayer. By now the Celtics were attacking the basket, once again showing themselves to a much more aggressive team than Los Angeles. A 15-1 free throw margin signaled the difference between the mindset of both teams, and was a foreshadow of the humiliation to come. By the time the Bench Mob was done with their “contribution”, a two point lead had turned to a nine point deficit.

The Lakers last gasp came with the reinsertion of the starters. Playing some good, tough, consistent ball, the starters pulled the team within four. But like in every case, in every game against us the Celtics had an easy answer for all our hard work. Pierce and Allen hit two threes and the lead we had worked so hard to cut down to four was expanded to ten again.

That they could do this so easy, when it took us so much effort to get back in the game was a fitting metaphor for the whole series:

For us everything is too hard- from Kobe’s inability to score, for the Bench Mobs dismal play, our lack of rebounding, our inability to defend he big three or stop the Celtics from attacking the basket with impunity or shoot threes. For Boston every thing is too easy- They go to the basket at will, they make it so hard for Kobe, their big three seem to score when the want, the attack the boards like they are going against timid children and get open threes when the want to.

The third quarter showed both teams and the country exactly how much of a difference there is in the match up between these two teams this year. As Laker determination and toughness faded under relentless Boston pressure, bad passes and lack of rebounding turned into a seemingly endless procession of Boston fast breaks and dunks. The Lakers didn’t look like the proud and efficient Western Champs but more like a weak, confused team that suddenly realized they were playing a team who can reach a level and a gear they cannot achieve. At this point, one could see that the Lakers flaws that were masked by a great offense and the incandesant play of Kobe Bryant in the West playoffs will not be hidden from this Celtic team, but will be more and more attacked and exposed. The similarity between this game and the two regular season games was startling and not coincidental.

The Lakers came back in the fourth to threaten, but only the Celtic blowout made this possible. As happens so many times, the team who was way ahead simply could not keep up the intensity in game they knew they had won. The Laker comeback, aided and abetted by Boston’s letdown was admirable and will look good in the morning papers, but it was fools gold. When the game was on the line the Lakers were taken apart and humiliated in no uncertain terms. Anyone who took comfort in the “comeback” is deceiving himself. The Lakers have problems against this team that were not solved in the last few minutes of fourth, but were exploited even further throughout the first three quarters and eight minutes.

The litany of problems was long and now becoming very familiar with each loss to this team: The Bench is completely ineffective. Their defense harasses us into mistakes and turnovers. Our defense really doesn’t force them out of their comfort zone. They rebound better than we do. They attack the basket, we shoot jumpers. Raja Rondo is suddenly making Derek fisher look very old. Kobe is forced to work for every point. His effectiveness is limited way below what he usually does to an oppossing team. Lamar and Pau again stumble. Lamars offense is gone, he looks confused, and Pau had three boards at the half. Lamar had eight total boards. What happened to the guy who would get 12-18 boards with regularity?

I think what this team is doing to Kobe and Lamar and our whole team is tribute to Boston. I think the Lakers are getting a good lesson in just how good, just how intense you have to be to win 66 games.

When looking at a way to turn this around, the Lakers are already trapped inexorably by two factors: Numbers and team match up problems.

NUMBERS: The Lakers have now lost four straight games to Boston this year with no wins. The Finals math is simple. We have five games at left at most. Three games are in LA and two in Boston. To win this series we now have to beat this team four out of five. That means sweeping them in LA and winning one of two in Boston.

To achieve this unlikely numbers turnaround we have to find a recipe to win. When one looks at how Boston has dominated us this year the task becomes even more daunting than winning four of five.

These are the advantages Boston has shown so far against us this year which will have to be reversed at home in order for us to make the precarious numbers game work out for us.

MATCHUPS:

The Bench: Their bench has outplayed the Bench Mob. For fans who have been watching the Mob closely this is not a big surprise. They have been fading more and more as the playoffs have gone on. When one looks at what the mob really is, its not really so impressive. Sasha is the only consistent scorer. Luke and Ronny pose no offensive threat what so ever. Neither of them can rebound nor play defense to any degree that can bother an opponent. Jordan is just too young and inexperienced to give the team a lot in this kind of situation, especially on the road. Trevor is coming off a broken foot and long layoff.

Physicality and Aggression: The Celtics have shown that they just are the more physical and naturally aggressive team. They attack the basket and set screens to free up players for shots. The do this with relish. They like this style of play, we don’t.

Rebounding: Even with our concerted effort to even this up tonight, in the end the Celtics prevailed in this department again. They simply have players better physically equipped mentally ready to attack the boards for four quarters.

Defence: They play a better, more cohesive brand of defense. The Lakers defense has been shaky all year, and it’s telling in this series. They just can’t cover the Celtics big three nor their role players. Even Kobe can’t follow Allen around the screens and picks he is using to free himself up with. When our best defender can’t shut down even one of their big three, it’s a big problem.

Weapons: The Celtics, because of the difference between their defense and ours also have the better offense. The Celtics score easier than we do. This is devastating for team that relies on its offense like we do. Not only can’t we stop the big three but now Rajon Rondo is becoming an increasingly alarming problem.

The Best Player: No, I’m not suggesting for a second Paul Pierce is as good as Kobe Bryant. But because Boston can cause Kobe so much trouble with its defense, and make him less effective than he normally is and Pierce can pretty much do as he wishes against the Lakers, Pierce in fact becomes the most effective player in the series.

Kobe is our ultimate edge. When the most effective and dangerous player in series is not Kobe Bryant, and in fact plays for the other team, we have a huge problem.

Coaching: Before the series started, we all heard the smug slams against Doc. You know, “While Phil is strategizing us to victory; Doc will be giving pep talks.” Seemed funny then, doesn’t see so amusing now though. When Phil put in the complete Bench Mob in the second quarter with a two point lead without even one starter for them to rely on, did any of you think we would hold the lead for long? Phil couldn’t have pitched Boston a bigger softball or given the Celtics a nicer jump start on their road to victory. With a team that has the best player in basketball and enough talent to go 12-3 in the rugged west playoffs, The Zen Masters bag of tricks has been totally blank against “Pep talk Doc Rivers”, in four games where as Doc has had all the answers for the challenges the Lakers pose. Suddenly that vaunted coaching edge seems to be riding on the Green bench, not the Purple and Gold one.

Now the series shifts back the friendly confines of Staples along with concomitant hopes for a Laker victory and perhaps a way to get back in a series threatening to get ugly.

What can we expect back in LA? Can the Lakers actually turn the tide and reverse all the unhappy trends that we are seeing?

At home the Lakers offense will look better; the Celtics defense a little slower, perhaps enough to get Kobe more effective space. We may even rebound better than we did at the east coast. More of our shots will fall and less of theirs will. Our bench should play better, theirs worse.

Will it be enough to win three in a row? It better because right now this Lakers team is living in oblivion and one loss at home will end this series, if not on paper then surely in fact.