Ryan looks ahead to Game 4

Celtics will win unless the refs HAND THE LAKERS THE SERIES ON A SILVER PLATTER JUST LIKE THEY DID IN 2002!

I wonder how many series the Lakers legitimately won this decade?

Kobe would have NO RINGS if the REFS DIDN'T HAND THE LAKERS THEIR TITLES ON A SILVER PLATTER!

Celtics win game 4 by at least 10 points!

How can anyone take these games seriously, the league, starting with Stern, mandates how many games a series will go. Who wants to watch a 5 on 8? The Celtics may as well pack their bags and go home to Boston for games 6 and 7, because Stern and his gang of crooks won't allow the Celtics to win on the road, as it will shorten the series to 5 or 6 games.

Oh yeah, hey Phil, you only have 8 titles buddy, put an asterick next to 2002, you ass clown.

I've always believed that the 2002 title was stolen from the Kings by the zebras. That Western Conference Final was perhaps the worst-officiated series in North American sports history, and every call seemed to benefit L.A.

Sacramento clearly was the better team in that series, and it's a joke that they weren't allowed to win it.

However, I don't buy into much of Donaghy's conspiracy theory. Remember, this guy is a convicted felon and he's willing to say anything now.....Pats' fans didn't take too much of what Matt Walsh had to say about Spygate seriously, and NBA fans would be well-advised to apply a huge grain of salt to whatever Donaghy spews over the next few days or weeks.

I just think the officiating in the NBA is lousy, and that refs are all too "human", if you will. That is, they develop bonds with certain teams, coaches and players, and perhaps develop animosity with others. This impacts how they officiate games.

For whatever reason, the Lakers got every single call in 2002, and the Kings got jobbed out of a world title.

I also thought that Dallas was completely robbed by the officials in the 2006 NBA Finals too.

But I'm not ready to go so far as to call anything like that a conspiracy handed down by the league office.

One loss and Boston fans turn to Tim Donaghy?? Weren't we supposed to have more class than L.A. fans. For those of you bringing up Donaghy's ridiculous conspiracy theories, the game in question against the Kings was a 1st round game that made the series go 7 game. The Lakers still had to beat 3 more teams to win that championship.

Many fans of football say the same about all of the Patriots championships because of the spygate incidents. Is it fair for our Pats accomplishments to be in question after a few videotapes? I don't think so. Why are you doing the same to the Lakers over allegation about 1, 1st round game in 2002?

Kind of hypocritical if you ask me.

LOL! You idiots! That also means the refs handed you games 1 & 2! Or are you guys to stupid to notice! What morons. They make sure it goes to seven games and yes it is absurd! Don't you think they want this to go seven games! They would've made sure it happened with the Lakers vs Celtics especially if this whole thing hadn't come to light! Now you should know that if Boston wins it'll only be because the refs handed them the first two games. So don't point fingers until you assess the situation. Dumb asses! Do you think Boston won all those championships fairly? HAHAHA! Especially the Bird era! When race was a huge issue and of course the country wanted a WHITE star to win. Hey, I'm white myself but I'm not blind!!!!! MORONS! If this corruption is true than EVERYTHING is tainted! Not just the Lakers! Real basketball fans see the entire picture because they love the game!

Lakers will take Game 4. This is what I predict:

1. Rondo will not recover mentally or physically. Either case he will be the weak link. Cassel will blow it as his replacement. I feel like Cassel does not care and is too trigger happy.

2. Garnet or Kendrick or maybe both will get into foul trouble. That is because they will over do physically and get called for offensive fouls, loose ball fouls, over the back, and frustration fouls. Other reason will be that Lakers will flock them because ball won't be moving that well.

3. Lakers will hit 3 pointers. Fisher is due for a break out game and Sasha will continue. Kobe will shoot on Allen even on 3's now.

4. Lakers or should I say PHILLUP has figured out matchups and Boston Celtics. Phillup knows no one can play Kobe when Kobe gets the after 2nd or 3rd pass (when Kobe is on the run). He has the formula when to switch Kobe on Pierce, Allen, or Rondo. Switching cause Allen to defend him but go against another player like sasha on offense. Allen won't have rhythm in that case. Rondo can't make Kobe pay each time and so Kobe switch up will win each time. Another one Phillup has figured out is going small which make the Celtics run which they are not capable of. Tired are what Celtics look in both game 2 & 3.

5. PHILLUP has also figured out Paul Pierce. Pierce should try picking up defensively on Kobe now. That is where he should contribute and not on offense. Lakers know that pierce is going to the basket with the shake and bake but he is not quick nor he has the lift to deliver when 2 guys are hounding him. In game 3 he had no lift on a layup.

6. Lakers will let Allen go to the basket and though they will gaurd him on the 3 point line they will still gaurd him closely. PHILLUP I am sure has figured out that DOC is apt enough to let Allen shoot more than 15 times.

With That Said there is hope for Celtics. If Allen shoots like game#3 8-13 (25pts) and Kendrick 4-5. Then mathematically he will win games like game #3. Give Allen 3 more shots in that game and Celtics tie LA. Give him 4 more and he wins that game. If I were the coach I tell all team mates to set up Allen and ride him. Imagine 20 shots would get him 36 points which is same as Kobe who everyone is making as Superman. Allen shot 5 3's on 7 shots and thats over 70%. When the whole Celtics team is shooting 30% (21/70) and Allen shooting 60% (3pt 70%) I would let the man shoot at will. At that time Pierce, Garnett, and Rondo (if not hobbling) to look for Allen is option 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Unless there is a layup do not tell anyone else to heap anything.

Game #4. If Doc wants to win Allen should be shooting at will in quarter 1. Get him going and look to only score from the paint. Any mid range jumper should be banned for all of them especially Garnett. Garnett should be told that you are 7 feet tall and if you want to score then dunk it or lay it in. Earn it! Pierce to be playmaker and look for your option. My friend Allen can win this series for you. The one stopping that is not Phillup, Kobe, Radmanovic, sasha, but his own buddies. You want the title let go of your ego Garnett and Paul. More importantly Doc needs to stand up to say Allen is not the #3 of the big 3 but #1 of the big 3. Shooters like Allen don't get hot so often but when they do you let them take over.

If Allen shoots 25-28 shots and hits 50% you are looking at 45 pts or more and especially 3 pointers. Other half should be from point blank dunks and in paint. Simple game plan. Play similar defense and you got the series. Its so much like letting a Rush Attack or ground game setting up play action of NFL.

Good luck! I hope Doc is listening and I wish him the best. I will be drinking Rum regardless Celtics win or loose!

All of you are just jealous that Lakers have won 3 Chamionships while your Celtics have sucked for all these years. Lakers in 6.

Honestly, it's a pleasure to listen to Bob Ryan these days. He's always been a basketball guy first and foremost. I'm not sure whether it's me or him, but I feel like he's woken up from a long nap now that the Celtics are good again.

Also, I saw Bob and Bill Plaschke on ESPN before the game yesterday, and I'm pretty sure Plaschke was completely terrified of him after Ryan criticized that absolutely moronic piece that Bill wrote about Paul Pierce after Game I.

Won't really matter. Celtics aren't winning a game at Staples even if they figure out a way to get better looks than they got in Game 3.

We'll be back in Boston next week to see if L.A. can take 1 more game in two tries.

I cannot really stomach the idea of how the NBA allowed the Lakers to get so many more calls than the Celtics in last nights game. There were clearly fouls below the basket on Powe, Perkins, and Garnett and the refs swallowed the whistle.

The reason why "Zen Master" Phil complained so much was to guarantee that the Lakers would win and get the calls. He and Pat Riley have been doing it for 20 years plus!

I can say though that Pierce and KG could not have played worse than they did last night and we only lost by 6...Gasol and Odom have not shown up in this series and Vujacic saved the Lakers last night from being swept.

If I were Doc Rivers I would tell my guys that game 4 is a must win, they need to break the Lakers spirits in LA to ensure taking home Championship # 17 in Boston for game 6.

Jackson got his way...if you complain enough and have 9 rings the refs will do anything for you....Hell Tim Donaghy agrees with me!!!

The Lakers have actually won 5 NBA Championships since Boston last won theirs.

"..the game in question against the Kings was a 1st round game that made the series go 7 game. The Lakers still had to beat 3 more teams to win that championship."
Posted by GoCelts! June

LOL! Get your facts straight buddy. The game in question was Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals, with the Lakers on the brink of elimination. Whoever won that series basically won the championship because the Eastern team was a joke..I think it was the Nets.

Next time think before you go on a rant full of incorrect statements.

Hey Jack thanks for the column, NOT. The Celtics will win game 4 going away. Its obvious Odom and Gasol don't have the stomach for playing under the hoop. The celtic bigs are completely dominating them. Close out better on the perimeter defense and the C's will hold the Fakers to 70pts. Garnett and Pierce will not repeat poor shooting performances and the Big 3 should combine for 60+.

Hey Tony from post #4, the 2002 game referred to by Donaghy was not the first round, it was the Western Conf. Final. If you watch clips from the game you can see he has a point.

Kobe's Mom: I said it was the Western Conference Finals, in post #3.

But in the end, those were the two best teams in the league that year and neither of them was going to lose to anyone else in the NBA besides each other.

Sacramento got robbed, and not just in Game 6 either. In Game 4 the refs blew several huge calls in a 1-point Lakers win at the buzzer (Robert Horry 3-pointer). Without the refs' involvement, Sacramento wins that series in 5.

But I still don't think Donaghy is a legitimate source when he talks about conspiracies.

I just think the NBA has a serious officiating problem, and it's had that problem for a long time now.

I guess Pierce's knee must've been bothering him last night. Of course, it probably didn't help when he went tumbling into the fans. You'd think with such an injury to his knee, that he'd come up limping, wincing in pain, something. No, not Pierce. He da man, huh? I mean you wouldn't even thought his knee was injured!

The big question regarding Pirce is weather her just had an off night or maybe the Mamaba has his # on defense.
If this is the case, it is going to be a very long series for the C's.

Too bad people like Bob Ryan were so busy crucifying Bill Belicheck for videotaping a bunch of fat Defensive coordinaters ( dishing out fake signals ) that he missed the biggest cheating story in all of sports.

The media know has an idea what the idiot fans like me have known for a long long time.

The NBA is FIXED -

Hi Brian (brian215).. I hope you are right and I am wrong.

However, one thing you should note Odom and Gasol were soft and yet Doc did not use it to his advantage. Instead he chose to play into the hands of Lakers and had Garnett shooting jump shots instead of going to the rack. Doc played Powe for less than 6 minutes and brought Kendrick in like half way into 4rth quarter. It seemed like Doc was more interested in stretching the floor than pounding the ball like Van Gundy.

I agree those two are soft and Celtics can get 2 points whenever they want on them. But does Doc realize that? or Garnett? Do they have the personel on the floor to take advantage of that? Can PJ Brown and Garnett taking outside (wasted shots) realize it especially late in the game? Can we get an encore of LEON POWE POW-POW the lakers???

My hope .. use Cassel no more than 5 minutes. PJ 10 max. KENDRICK, Garnett, and POWE stick it to them whether it works or not! why? because you slow the game down, no long rebounds (no transition 3's, no transition so no sasha or fisher factor, Kobe plays defense and has to bang, and girly boys of LA start crying. I say Pound the ball. That kind of game also makes Garnett, Kendrick, and Powe play hard defense. That kind of ball revitalizes the kind of defense you want to play.

I really hope they play like that and close the chapter on Phillup and the 10th ring!

kolby's a cry baby all he does is cry about all the calls the ref's call against him he bitches at his other teammates when they foul or miss a basket. Celtics in 5 or 6 hopefully 6 so they win it in boston so then kolby can go home crying he can't do shit without Shaq.

You guys are funny. You complain about the refs in game 3 but no word about it in game 2. If your gonna post be honest you homers. Oh by the way Lakers in 6.

You guys are funny, but I hate to break it to you. The Celtics won their last game of the season. Can't wait to see you guys gripping in game 6 . When KOBE blows up for 50 and wills the Lakers to victory. You guys are discounting the fact that Kobe is the best closer in the game. And Gasol and Lamar (don't get me started on them) will come up big in game 4, & %. Mark my words.

LAKERS IN 6.

3 IN A ROW AGAINST BOSTON.

Anybody notice that the ABC commentators seem more enthused about the Lakers.....and it appears to me they are tilting their coverage to them.

Hey Jack, I agree with everything you say, especially the Ray Allen comments. Ray is a scoring machine, I mean the guy scored 54 points in a game once, and the guy is clutch, and I think Doc has been holding him back, which is hurting his game. Obviously he can't take 20-plus shots a game with PP and KG, but when he's gots it going on, you need to ride him. Especially if PP and KG are struggling. During that G3 I was like "Why the hell aren't they going to Allen more". Come on Celts, put your faith in Jesus! And they should let Ray bring the ball up in the late minutes and have Posey as off gaurd that will make the Lakes play honest defense. To many times, they have Ray just standing in a corner, pretty much doing nothing, while they double off Rondo. You have 3 hall of famers Doc, please use them!!!!

To all of you Celtic fans crying after one loss; (as pointed out by "Bulls will rise").

And as he most aptly pointed out as well, "That also means the refs handed you games 1 & 2!. They make sure it goes to seven games and yes it is absurd! Don't you think they want this to go seven games!"

And again, as "Go Celts" most appropriately pointed out, "...the game in question against the Kings was a 1st round game that made the series go 7 game. The Lakers still had to beat 3 more teams to win that championship...Many fans of football say the same about all of the Patriots championships because of the spygate incidents. Is it fair for our Pats accomplishments to be in question after a few videotapes? I don't think so. Why are you doing the same to the Lakers over allegation about 1, 1st round game in 2002? Kind of hypocritical if you ask me"

Very well stated "GO CELTS." These were simply certain aspects i was going to draw attention to, but these gentlemen beat me to it. Well done.

Basing your assertions on the testimony of one person; and a crminal, no less. Is not what any clear thinking fan wants to base his claims upon. Even IF his allegations were true, the question we all must face is are my teams championships tainted ALSO????? After all, how many MORE cases on this do we have? Or are all of you who are blindly believing this former ref, NAIVE as well???

I am a life long lakers fan and in the past 15 years witnessed NUMEROUS play-off games involving the Lakers where it was clear to me that the league did not want the Lakers to advance. The 2004 Finals to mention one. Space does not permit to list the numerous examples.

And finally, just nut it up and quit crying. We ALL suffer to dismal consequences of NBA officiating. Unfortunately, for some of us, it is to a greater degree than others.

Da Man in L,A.

Listen up Celtic fan,

An admittedly liar and felon is saying that HE was the only straight one amongst two OTHER crooked refs in 2002. HELLO?!

As for the Celts not getting the calls in game 3: Someone, ANYONE, tell me the difference between games 1&2 from Game 3 only the teams that got the calls switched. Yea, I didn't think so......

Hilarious how homers cqn be so blinded by loyalty....WHATEVER, GO LAKERS!!!

All the idiots talking about 2002 WCF didn't watch all 7 games.
There were bad calls every game going both ways. Lakers should have won game 5 but refs questionable 4th quarter calls let Kings back into game. Game 7 would not have gone to overtime if it weren't for ref calls for Kings.
Better team won period.
Just like Lakers will dismantle overrated Celts this year.

Hey Celtic fans quit crying about the "refs" in game 3, the Celts got handed game 2, 38 fouls to 10 remember?? You Boston fans are so jealous of the LAKERS success, 5 titles since your last one in 1986. By the way, the LAKERS are going to win banner number 15 this year and we are going to tie your asses with banner #16 next year. Lakers in six.

All of you crying about game 6 2002, go back and look at game 5 in the last minute. No call on the moving screen for Bibby's jumper.........Kings' ball after Webber kicked it out of bounds.

The best team always wins, be it the Lakers, Celtics or Queens.

Lakers fans are morons and bandwagon jumpers. I started being a celtic fan in '90 nothing but sucky teams since then, lakers fans only show up when they can be on TV.
The refs where definetly calling the game for the gay lakers, since that chump Jackson bitched about it after game 2. the lakers deserved i would say 80% of those calls because they where the aggressive team, gay laker fans cry bout game 2, but the Celtics killed the lakers in aggresion in that game. Blame the refs for Powe taking it full court for a dunk?!
Also Kobe is a great player, but hes an A Hole, always crying and bittching bout phantom fouls! shut the hell up and play! i wish Vladimir gets tired of hit bitchin and knocks him accross his face. The celtics should also invite as a special guest with courtside seats right next to the lakers bench, that girl Kobe raped, would love to see his face then. Its funny how Laker fans cheer for a guy who pays someone of out of court and buys his a 4 million dollar "im sorry" ring. Lakers fans make me sick... Celtics in 5 chumps!

Wow Celticsuck,
We are going to lose 4 in a row to the Lakers? I wish I understood why you are so optimistic. . I honestly can not see why Game 3 would give Laker fan ANY hope. They barely won with two of the big three not doing anything, Kendrick Perkins being less than 100% on his ankle, more trips to the line and Doc Rivers doing his "I am required to play Sam Cassell for way too long" bonehead move in the second and you STILL only won by 6. Truly the Lakers only hope is that Doc Rivers keeps on screwing with his lineup like he has started to do again. Cs will win in 5...maybe 6. PS Is it too late to release Sam Cassell and add Reggie Miller? If so, I will trade Sam Cassell for a box of Twinkies..even if they are beyond the expiration date.

I've lived in LA my whole adult life so I was at the game last night.

Luckily I didn't get into any altercations although I did get "BOO!!!!" screamed loudly at me on several occasions as I walked around and in Staples Center. There weren't a whole lot of us wearing Celtic green there so we were easy targets.

I sat high up mid-court and amongst the Lakers season ticket holders. You wouldn't even know their team was up by several points the way they talked. Bitch, bitch, bitch. Complain complain. Every time Gasou got the ball - "Shoot, shoot it you idiot!". "Play some damn defense!" You get the idea.

And oh, by the way, they were bitching about the officiating up there, too. At the end of the video Bob Ryan said the officiating was fine, but he obviously didn't talk to any long-term Lakers fans. You would've thought it was as bad as Game 2 the way they were talking.

It wasn't a very good game (and I paid wayyyyyy too much money for the ticket), but we almost snuck away with it anyway. Luckily for them Vujacic played the Rowe role last night.

Madcoil. Good Points and Celtics still have the Edge. Celtics need to with 2 out of 4 and basically be a .500 team. Lakers need to be a .750 team to win. Odds still favor Celtics but every game Lakers win it will be that much harder for Celtics to win the next game. I think Game #3 will turn out to be the easiest game that Celtics could have won out of the last 5 games. Totally winnable because all Doc needed to do was let Allan shoot 5 more shots.

We don't think it is possible to loose 4 straight or 4 out 5 but it can happen. There is a chance and we don't have to go very far in history. Miami did it against league best Dallas Record (somewhere in 60 games). And I don't have to remind you about the record shattering NFL team which those pathetic disfuntional Giants beat. I say 99 times out of 100 Patriots beat the Giants but for that one game they blew it. Yeah it hurt but then I got over it. When there is a thunderstorn there is lightining. And what are the chances that it will strike you. Get real! right? But tell that to a guy who got bolted.

I hate to say it and admit it but PHILLIP has those 9 rings for a reason. Phillip unlike Doc served his time in CBA as a coach and Assistant Coach for 9 years before he was handed out the keys to a Ferrari (MJ). This is Docs' 9th year as a NBA Headcoach and only made 5 playoffs, exited 4 playoffs in 1st round, and just made it to his first final. Doc is the perfect candidate to blow a 2 game lead. He is the perfect candidate to be the next Avery.

What does phil has to do with the ref, the ref did that on their own! Secondly the Celtics will win tonight, and dont be dumb founded if they win game 5 the celtics do not want this series coming back to Boston, until one of the two games next season we all know that. And thirdly the celtics are a far better team then the Lakers. Playing they F game and still has a shoot to win the game wow. Celtics but 20 in game 4. 106 to 86

Let the men play and play hard call only obvious fouls. LA has titles from Minnesota were the lakes plenty and the name fits . LA lakers? LA Smogs is more like it so how many titles ahve the Smogs won in LA/

3pt FG %.. is the stat to watch.

BOSTON:
Paul 38% (39%)
Ray 37% (40%)
Posey 36% (39%)
Eddy 36% (39%)
Cassel 23% (41%)

FOR LA:
fish 50% (41%)
Sasha 43% (44%)
Rad 37% (41%)
Farm 36% (37%)
Kobe 29% (37%)

In finals Paul is 7/12, Ray is 10/19, and Eddy 2/3. However, in LA Paul is 0/4, Ray is 5/7, and Eddy 2/3. Clearly you know who should be shooting the 3's.

Sasha is shooting 6/11 3's in the finals. Rad is 5/13. Kobe and Fish are still fishing for their shots (both are 2/8). So I would put a lid on Sasha and keep a tab on Rad, Fish, Farmer, and Kobe. I would even take a risk in letting Kobe shoot 3's instead of driving to the basket in first 3 quarters.

If Ray, Paul, and Eddy put up 20 3's and hit 50% you are looking at 30 pts right there. I would do what Rockets did to Utah in 95 Round 1. When Rockets coaching realized that Clyde and Kenny were shooting at 75% though they only took 4 shots they jacked up 28 shots the next game and hit 19! That is 67% shooting. Kenny hit 7/8, Clyde 3/5, Horry 3/6, and Ellie 3/4. Guess what.. Sammy (Cassel) watched!

However, for that to happen you have to bring the ball to the post.

The Celtics will win in 5 and I predict a big win tonight.

Paul and Kevin were not scoring in Tuesdays game and Paul was in foul trouble. This won't happen again tonight.

The Lakers are overmatched and the the Celtics are just too big up front for them. Gasol is a decent player but lacks weight in the trenches and has shown a kind of soft girley defensive play. Garnett and Pierce show up in game 4 which puts allot of pressure on the Lakers and their foul troubled team. Shasha Vula-chick is a streak shooter and when he cools off he becomes a broken down machine. Rondo will play and the ankle bruise will be a non factor,,, the Celtics roll the Lakers in this one. Lakers will get the win in game 5 but it all come to a end in Boston in game 6......Los Angeles area Celtics Fan.

C's take it in Five!

That's right, y'all. I said it. Come back here and check it after the C's take the next two at the Staples Center. Kobe and his subpar, timid gang played their best game of the series on Tuesday against a C's team playing well beneath their averages, and just barely eked out a win. Face it, LA fans... the Celts are dismantling your team even more easily that they did Detroit.

But, oh yeah, lets all keep talking about the refs...

Good luck, guys!

It was totally ridiculous to see Phil whine like he did after the last game in Boston.The refs are taking the game out of the players hands.They are trying to give the Lakers another undeserved championship.Not to say that they don't have talent but they should have to use that talent.Right now the refs have had tunnel vision and it is all purple and gold.It was so bad in the last game the refs did all but wear a Lakers uniform.Phil's whining after the last game in Boston definitely affected the refs.Phil might have some rings but it all ends sometime.Why are you even reading the Boston Globe you should be sitting in you purple and gold pajamas reading the L.A Times!

I won 9 titles by whining and crying about the refs. It's the only way I can win. I'm the biggest fraud since Milli Vanilli.

I may not have won an NBA title in 17 years but you want to know anything about the NBA Lottery I'm your man!

All you guys saying the Lakers cry and the refs give them Championships are out of your minds, wait even better, just about as jealous as anyone can get. I'm a long time Boston fan and have really enjoyed the first 3 games, and yes there are going to be some bad calls especially against the visiting team, thats nothing new, and besides if you want to use that as the reason the Lakers are going to win, then maybe you should do the math first and realize that Boston has more home games than the Lakers. Doesn't make much sens to use that reason as the Lakers excuse when Boston will have more of that in their favor. Its a good serious guys, and we are lucky to have these two teams in it, just enjoy the games and give credit to the winner no matter who it is. Seriously people

My predictions for tonite's game:

- KB will pick up where he left off in game 3: dropping 40 on you tonite.
- The rest of LA crew will rise and play to their potentials.
- KG will continue his disappearing acts in big games.
- KB will once again put the clamps on PP.
- Schilling will turn everyone in the building into Yankees fans.
- LA will win in a blow out.