Who: Boston Celtics at L.A. Lakers
What: Game Three the NBA Finals
Where: Staples Center- Los Angeles, California
When: 9pm (ABC)
Why: So Jeff Van Gundy has a forum for his set of rule changes/or for the NBA Championship
Spread: Lakers -9, O/U 196

The fun gets underway around eight something, but feel free to leave your free throw over/unders in the comments beforehand. I'm might be a tad bit late, but I'll be here as soon as possible.
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Okay here we go. Was ready about 30 minutes ago but T-storms kicked the power out. Hopefully we're up and running for good. Let me know what I missed in the comments.

20-20 after one.

God Bless ESPN2 programming that showed the WNBA game to REALLLY get me primed for Game 3! (Via Rob In Wi)

Wait until July my friend...that's all you'll see.

OK, I know this isn't grammatically or ridiculously stupid. But Jeff Van Gundy keeps harping on the Rondo - Kobe matchup. He said "I don't think Rondo is used to guarding Kobe on consecutive possessions." Fact was he still hadn't. Again not stupid, just unobservant. (Via Anon)

Yeah it's almost as if he's not even watching the game. He's just staring off into space.

Hey Bill Walton is there! Good stuff.

"Terrible shot Luke!"- Jeff Van Gundy in his best Walton voice

Are Bennett Salvatore AND Joey Crawford refs for Game 3? This is like the 7th circle of referee hell.

"It's your turn Mark, do a Bill Walton impression."- Mike Breen
"A Bill Walton impression? No thank you. You guys are better than that."- Mark Jackson

Ooooh fight! PJ Brown vs. Jordan Farmar. Both looked ready to go at it before PJ rolled his eyes at the young buck. Good stuff. It's nice to see the Lakers show some fire.

29-22 Lakers

Luke Walton airballs a shot and I think he and Cassell both need to be banned from shooting the rest of the Finals. Garnett fouled and that was a bail out. Allen hits a three to cut it to four. Garnett now 0-7 and Kobe makes a beautiful layup....he's got 17. Joey Crawford with a questionable offensive foul call on the Celts and with Posey on Bryant he's going for 20 this quarter. Farmar for three and the lead is up to nine. Another Celts turnover and they're reeling now.

OOP TO GARNETT! Nice pass from Allen and Phil Jackson takes a timeout. 7 point lead with six minutes left.

"The bank is open for Kobe!"- Mark Jackson

I'm googling images of Chris Mihm, to remember what he looks like playing. he has not played a single minute in the playoffs. even DJ has played. (Via Nabucodonozor)

Hahaha nice. I forgot he was on the team until the Game One intros. Okay Wall*E the robot cartoon is there?!?!?! Good lord....


Cheap foul called on Garnett and he turns to Salvatore and says, "Bulls**t call." Bryant is on fire. No two ways about it and Pierce airballs a three.

I want whatever Dustin Hoffman's smoking. (Via Jeff)

The foul shots are 18-2 in favor of the Lakers but I have to agree with Mark Jackson that both teams when they're down in FTs are taking only jumpers.

Which would you rather do AA: listen to an Endless supply of Boston/LA Theme Songs, listen to 3 Doors Down, or grab a pitchfork and stick it in your eye? (Via Steve)

That's really tough. I don't mind Boston or the L.A. We Love It song, but endless would drive me insane. I would probably choose 3 Doors Down unfortunately.

10 point Laker lead and ANOTHER technical on Kobe Bryant for arguing a call. He seems to be playing pissed and like Flight and Willie in White Men Can't Jump....they don't play good when they're angry. Posey gets to the line on the other end. Here comes the "Boston Sucks" chants.

"Which in effect are saying Boston is not very good."- Mike Breen
"Is that the Mike Breen remix?"- Mark Jackson

Is "sucks" really that bad of a word? Man The Machine isn't missing either tonight...the lead is 10. Ray Allen misses another throw after a Fisher foul, but Posey gets a steal. Travel on Garnett who looks afraid to shoot. 1 minute to go....

Ray Allen hits a three and the Lakers will get the last shot. Huge shot for the Celtics, but Kobe is fouled and will get two. 6.3 left. Miss. Miss. Six point game at the Half and the Celtics are in a good position still after terrible first half.

"Get up Bitch!"- Kobe Bryant after his 2nd missed free throw

43-37 Lakers at the half

Clearly Kendrick Perkins was stung in the face by a bunch of bees. (Via Ivan)

"Sucks" has become Taboo since people started getting fuel syphoned from their cars. (Via Monty)

Good to know. I know announcers usually shy away from it but it's not really that bad of a word.

Alrighty, after yet another PR piece on Kobe Bryant and a weird Tim Donaghy and Jeff Van Gundy moment on Yao Ming....we're ready to go! Seriously though, I don't know what I've seen more. Kobe Bryant stories about he loves his family or ABC movie promos.

Another quick question....Does Michele Tafoya ever tell us something we don't already know? I remember seeing her run back with the Pierce injury thinking she was going to do find out something groundbreaking, but she reported that Pierce was back on the court after he was on the court for over a minute.

Rondo gets hurt and Mike Breen jokes that the fans were calling for a wheelchair. Good one. Bryant with a nice running layup and the lead is eight. House misses and Kobe follows with one of his own. Allen for two. Kobe for two and the lead is still eight.

"You want a term for indefensible? Right there."- Jeff Van Gundy

How about indefensible Jeff?

Perkins gets an and one but misses the throw. Lakers turnover and Ray Allen gets another layup. Kobe is blocked by Perkins and then fouled by Perkins. Hey Michele is at the locker rooms!!! You're reading ESPN aren't you?

Joey Crawford to Bennett Salvatore: "Salvatore, I served with Tim Donaghy. I knew Tim Donaghy. Tim Donaghy was a friend of mine. Salvatore, you're no Tim Donaghy." (Via Heef)

And now a "Get Smart" preview involving the NBA!?!?! Enough already. Oh and now back to the Hancock one. Come on. That's three different ones this game!!! Anywho, four point game.....that six...Trevor Ariza hits?!?! Wow....Garnett just tried to destroy the rim and misses, but he's fouled.

Good hustle by the Celts to get an O-reb and Eddie House hits a three. Garnett hits a hook a few possessions later and we're tied! Steal by Allen....and Garnett puts the Celts up with a jumper on the baseline. Pierce fouls Bryant and he's got four! That hurts.

Kobe misses another free throw and cuts it to one. 5 minutes left. Allen for three and Jackson calls timeout! Wasn't expecting that 15-3 run at all.

I think I'd rather have Kwame Brown back right now. S... o... f... t. That's how you spell Gasol. (Via Mike T)

Odom hits to cut it to two and Garnett misses. Ariza bricks a three and Perkins hits a nice hook shot after backing down Odom. Lead back to four. House bricks and Ariza gets a bunny on the other end. Garnett is just draining jumpers now...he's missed one out of his last five. Odom again and now we're playing.

Kobe fouls Ray Allen badly on a three and decides to argue some more with the refs. Allen hits all three and the lead is back to five. Two minutes to go. Brilliant move by Kobe for the runner. Garnett travels on a Dream Shake but no call...offensive rebound and PJ Brown goes to the line. Timeout with 1 minute left in the quarter.

Great shot of the Staples Center through the LA Smog. (Via Rob in Wi)

"Who's your favorite celebrity you saw?- Mike Breen
"Alyssa Milano."- Jeff Van Gundy

PJ Brown misses one and the lead is four. Gasol spins for two and gets his first FG of the game. Brown misses a layup, but the Lakers botch the break. Eddie House and The Machine go at it in the middle of the play and PJ Brown misses yet again to close out the quarter.

62-60 Celtics.

MACHINE HIT THREE, LAKERS BY ONE! ALLEN HIT THREE, CELTICS UP TWO!!! Great start to the fourth. Farmar and Eddie House miss threes (don't think I want them shooting) and Pierce is coming back into the game. He misses his first and he's only taking jumpers tonight. Offensive foul on Odom and that's his fourth.

Powe gets to the line and hits one of two. Kobe fouled on the other end and I have a feeling this is going to be a long quarter. Bryant misses ANOTHER free throw.

"Maybe they've gotta go to the hack-a-Bryant."- Jeff Van Gundy

Charge on Pierce and that's five.

Doc Rivers' new game plan: when the game is close, someone "sprain" something...come back a couple of minutes later and inspire the team to victory...and make David Stern very happy. (Via Samuel)

Vujacic hits and Machine is happy. Tie game again. Posey gets fouled on a nice drive and he'll shoot two. 8 minutes left. Make. Make. Boston up two.

"Do you know how many hustle plays Posey has had tonight? It's not going to show in the scorecard besides him being a gutsy player."- Jeff Van Gundy

That was very Morgan-like of JVG. Kobe for three! Lakers by one. Fisher hits two and the Laker lead is three with 6 minutes to go. Another Celtics turnover and Bryant is fouled on the drive. He makes both. Rondo makes a nice two in the lane after an o-reb and the lead is three. Odom misses but Gasol gets a tip in and the Lakers look in control....an Allen miss and we're under five.

Paul Pierce tried to take on the whole Lakers team on a break and get his shot blocked...might have been a foul but ABC won't show a replay.

If the lakers lose tonight, i'll shoot my mother. (Via Nabucodonozor)

I don't want no blood on my hands. 75-70 Lakers with 4 minutes or so left....

Gasol cleans up an Odom miss and the lead is seven. Pierce AND ONE! Great drive with people hanging all over him. Huge shot....but he misses the throw! Fisher misses but is there for the rebound as no one goes for it. Gasol is fouled and he goes to the line. Miss. Make. Six point game...3:30 left....

Pierce is fouled and Kobe gets called for his fourth. Looks pretty obvious on the replay. Timeout. Pierce hits the first....and hits the second. Four point game with 3 minutes left. Hahahahah. Gasol just threw it over the backboard. Oh wait he was definitely fouled with no call. Garnett hits. 2 point game....

The Machine inexplicably jacks up a three and bricks it. House misses on the other end. Two minutes. MACHINE HITS THREE! He doesn't even care. 5 point lead. Celts miss again and Fisher is fouled at the other end. Crazy sequence. Good. Good. Seven point lead for the Lakers and 1:33 left.

Great inbounds play as Garnett gets a dunk. Five point game. Kobe nails a jumper but House hits a three to make it a four point game! KOBE AGAIN!!! Great up and under and that pushes the lead to six with 38 seconds left.

OFFENSIVE FOUL ON GARNETT! That'll do it. Great win by the Lakers....Wait. Nevermind. It's over. Odom committed a dumb offensive foul but it didn't matter. Lakers win. Great win for them and a victory like that gives them even more confidence.

87-81 Los Angeles