The Lakers didn’t lose a Game 1 while cruising through the Western Conference, but this was different, in case the hauntingly familiar “Beat L.A.” chants and loud green-clad crowd didn’t drive home the distinction.
Kobe Bryant had a dreadful shooting night, making only nine of 26 shots on the way to a quiet 24 points, with little help from teammates.
The Celtics hammered the Lakers on the boards, 46-33, and held the top-shooting team in the playoffs to only 41.6% shooting. They were held to 15 points in the fourth quarter as the game got away.
