If, at the beginning of the season, we were told that a Slam Dunk champion would have a huge impact on the NBA Finals – I would have put all of my money on that player being #12 from the Orlando Magic.

But in our wildest imagination, we would not have concurred that the player would “Krypto” Nate Robinson.

As the playoffs have continued, Robinson’s minutes and impact on the Celtics’ success has increased.  And tonight, along with his other bench-mates, Robinson’s contribution directly accounted for evening up the NBA Finals between his team and the Los Angeles Lakers, 2-2.

Let’s look at the events as they unfolded:

First Quarter:

Both teams got out to a very slow start offensively, each shooting under 40%.

Lakers: 

Pau Gasol comes out aggressive – ending with eight points in the quarter. 

The Lakers couldn’t get into a rhythm.  Kobe Bryant only took 4 shots in the opening stanza.

Celtics: 

Paul Pierce attacked the Laker defense early and often.  He’ll need to stay focused and aggressive all night, unlike his tendencies in Games 1-3.  Pierce is the most vital player to the Celtics’ success.  If he plays well, Boston’s chances at a Game 4 victory increase exponentially. 

Nate Robinson canned a huge three to close the quarter.

End of 1st Quarter Score: Los Angeles 16, Boston 19

Second Quarter:

Lakers: 

L.A. is receiving big contributions from Jordan Farmar and Shannon Brown – they’ve combined for eight points in this period. 

With about four minutes left before the half, Bryant buries three consecutive jumpers, including two treys. 

The talented, but inconsistent Lamar Odom has been active thus far tonight. 

Ron Artest needs to make Pierce work on the defensive end of the floor.  He’s been quick to remind us that he was a 20-point scorer who has sacrificed his scoring ability for the good of his new team.  Well, his new team could definitely use some of that old ability.  I’d say that about 75-85% of it would work just fine.

Celtics: 

Nate Robinson connected on another triple early in the second. 

“Big Baby” Davis is taking the ball to the rim, giving us a taste of how important the Boston reserve unit truly is. 

Meanwhile, Rasheed Wallace can’t keep his hands to himself.  Gasol has backed him down several times already in the contest, and the last three times Wallace has either smacked him or hog-tied him.  Well, now ‘Sheed is going to the bench with three personals. 

It was interesting to hear that Rajon Rondo is 4-14 from the foul stripe in the Finals.  If I were the Lakers and I was losing late in the game, I would certainly consider implementing “Hack-A-Rondo”.

Halftime Score: Los Angeles 45, Boston 42

Third Quarter:

Lakers:

Pau Gasol has made ten trips to the free throw line (he’s made nine of them).  His 17 points leads Los Angeles thus far.

Bryant is going nuts from the three-point arc.  After another set of back-to-back triples, he’s now 5-7 from deep. 

Celtics:

Kevin Garnett only has seven points, in large part to the fact that he has missed a few of his automatic mid-range jump shots.  K.G. is 3-10 from the field at that time.  But a couple of easy field goals has the Celtics in the game.

Boston’s defense has kept them in position to make a run in the middle of the period.  Neither team is looking good offensively, and this type of game inherently favors the Celtics.

End of 3rd Quarter Score: Los Angeles 62, Boston 60

Fourth Quarter:

Lakers:

Gasol is still putting Celtic defenders in the washer and them hanging them out to dry.  He up-and-unders Wallace for a deuce.

Celtics:

Glen Davis still has it going.  He puts a spin move on Odom and uses the basket to protect his reverse lay-in.  He uses his strength to come back with another score about a minute later.

Ray Allen is all over the place.  Hitting mid range shots.  Blocking Gasol from behind.  Penetrating and dishin to a cutting Tony Allen (for what should have been a lay-up, but ended up as a bucket for Davis).  He’s playing a multi-dimensional game, and it has given Boston a big boost in the fourth.

The Celtics’ run has put them up by 7 with five and a half minutes left in the contest.

 

Down the stretch:

Odom counters with a tough drive ending with a left-handed floater in the lane. (81-74, Boston)

After a unproductive L.A. possession, Robinson hits a floater in the lane.  The Slam Dunk champ now has a dozen points.  (83-74, Boston)

Glen Davis hits two FTs, but Artest made a strong baseline move on an offensive rebound and is fouled.  He converts the conventional three-point play.  (85-77, Boston)

After being fouled on the perimeter, Bryant nails two free throws. (85-79, Boston)

Allen misses a quick trey, but Boston secures the offensive board – which leads to a Pierce step-back mid-range jumper.  (87-79, Boston)

Bryant responds with a triple head fake jumper. (87-81, Boston)

Pierce comes back with a tough lay-up and the foul.  Bryant was the foul victim on a bang-bang call by the refs.  But in vintage Kobe form, he’s fouled shooting a three (another close call on a shot contest by Allen) and swishes all three freebies. (90-84, Boston)

With 40 seconds left, Kobe Bryant makes the game-sealing play.  After a series of crossovers fails to gain him an advantage on Ray Allen, a penetrating Bryant sails a bailout pass back out to the perimeter.  But a waiting, baiting and anticipating Rajon Rondo tips it out to mid-court and turns it into an uncontested lay-up that sends the crowd into a frenzy.  (92-84, Boston)

Derek Fisher, Game 3′s hero, drives and hits a lay-up to get the deuce back – but now there’s only 22 ticks left on the regulation clock.  (92-86, Boston)

Garnett is fouled with 17.7 left, and K.G. crushes both free throws.  (94-86, Boston)

Fisher misses, but Bryant tosses up a fade-away trey and it goes down.  (94-89, Boston)

Pierce is fouled with 9.5 left in the game, and he cans both free throws.  (96-89, Boston) 

End of Game Score: Los Angeles 96, Boston 89

The Celtics played tonight’s game with more heart and passion than the Lakers.  Boston’s bench support was just ridiculous.  The home team got 36 points from its bench – including an astounding 21 of them in the finals 12 minutes of the game.

The Boston defense stepped up big once again.  They did a good job of keeping Bryant from dominating the flow of the game – he finished with 33 points, but also accumulated a game-high seven turnovers.  Lakers forward Pau Gasol didn’t have much of an impact late in the contest.  The home team outscored the visitors 36-27 in the fourth, a time usually reserved for the game’s top clutch performer, Kobe.

Instead, it was a total team job by Boston.  After the great bench play, the starting unit returned to the game and closed things out accordingly.

With tonight’s Celtic win, a good series just became great.

Tags: Celtics, Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, Lakers, NBA Finals, Pau Gasol, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen