NBA Finals: Game 2

SI Staff | Jun 12, 2008

NBA Finals: Game 2 /

NBA Finals: Game 2

Paul Pierce scored a team-high 28 points and made all four of his three-point attempts in the Celtics' 108-102 victory in Game 2. Boston improved to 12-1 at home in the postseason.

Coaching in his first NBA Finals, Doc Rivers has guided the Celtics to a 2-0 series lead.

Kobe Bryant scored 13 of his game-high 30 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Lakers on a furious comeback. The Lakers trailed 95-71 with 7:55 remaining but closed to 104-102 with 38 seconds left before coming up short.

Celtics forward Leon Powe came off the bench to score 21 points in only 15 minutes. He attempted more free throws (13) than the entire Lakers team (10).

Point guard Rajon Rondo handed out 16 assists and committed only two turnovers in 42 minutes. Rondo collected 23 assists against just four turnovers in the first two games of the Finals.

Kobe Bryant is aggressive defending Rajon Rondo here, but the Celtics had their way much of the night. Boston shot 52.9 percent from the field and cracked the 100-point barrier for only the fourth time in 22 playoff games.

Kevin Garnett struggled with his shooting for the second game in a row, but he still finished with 17 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.

Ray Allen appears to have busted out of his shooting slump: He made 6-of-11 shots in Game 2 and hit three of the Celtics' nine three-pointers.

Leon Powe had scored 18 points in his previous 11 games before erupting for 21 in Game 2.

The Celtics have the Lakers on the ropes: Only three teams have overcome a 2-0 deficit to win a championship. One of those teams was the 2006 Heat (against the Mavs), a club that included current Celtics forward James Posey (far right) as a key reserve.

Published Jun 12, 2008

SI STAFF