Posted by Kevin Arnovitz
Eyeballs can be tough to come by for the NBA on Christmas Day, but the league has to be licking its chops in anticipation of this year's marquee match-up between the Celtics and the Lakers. Boston's franchise-best 19th consecutive win last night enhances the intrigue of the 2008 Finals rematch, as the Garden faithful chanted "Beat L.A.!" in the waning moments of the C's blowout over Philadelphia.
Coming into last night's game at New Orleans, the Lakers had been lethargic on their southern road swing. The old rap about the Lakers' lack of defensive intensity had resurfaced. They suffered losses at Orlando and Miami, and were outplayed in Memphis until they scored on their last 10 possessions to surge past the Grizz in the game's final four minutes. If the Lakers were going to get the full jump-start they needed coming into Christmas Day, it would have to happen in New Orleans.
Last night at the Hive, the frenetic Lakers defense from November -- the one that allowed just a hair over 90 points per 100 possession at the beginning of the season -- was out in force. The Lakers unleashed traps each time the Hornets touched the ball. They strangled the Hornets in the half-court by cutting off the weak side on every possession. They gave Chris Paul zero space to work with. The Hornets never made it a close game, and the Lakers departed New Orleans revived.
For their part, the Celtics have been downplaying the meeting at Staples. Asked about it after the game last night, Paul Pierce turned the tables on the Boston Herald. "If we beat the Lakers, do we get anything for it? Do we get another championship?" Celtics coach Doc Rivers even downplayed the downplaying to the Boston Globe. "I'm not downplaying it. I know it's great and all that stuff. But we didn't get our hands in and say, 'Hip, hip hooray,' or anything. Nobody even mentioned it."
In contrast to it's-just-another-pixel-block-on-the-schedule, Lakers coach Phil Jackson was in full hype mode speaking with the Orange County Register. "It's one of 82, but we only see the Celtics twice. If we can stop their streak, that's a significant thing." Meanwhile, Sasha Vujacic still won't wear green until the Lakers avenge their loss to the Celtics in the Finals. So far as tomorrow's game, Vujacic told the OC Register's Kevin Ding, "We've got to show them it's our time."
What to make of the contrast in hype? Is this a case where the Lakers have everything to lose, and the Celtics have nothing to gain? Has Phil Jackson calculated that a little public expectation can fuel his team? Are the two clubs that temperamentally different?
