Defense wins championships
After allowing the Lakers to shoot nearly 50 percent in the first half, the Celtics held Los Angeles to 33 percent shooting in the second half.
“We didn’t play any [defense] in the first half,” said Celtics coach Doc Rivers. “We didn’t get back in the first half. We gambled in the first half. We gave them uncontested shots in the first half.
“In the second half we did our jobs. We got back on defense for the most part, we contested shots. I mean, that’s how we have to play — I really thought we got away with something in the first half because we didn’t have the defensive energy that we’ve played with all year. Who knows why, but we didn’t. In the second half, we did. We didn’t make any adjustments, and that’s how we have to play.”
Lakers coach Phil Jackson said he wasn’t happy with his team’s play in the second half.
“What did we have, 14 assists the first half, and seven in the second?” said Jackson. “That was the difference.”
Ray Allen diagnosed the changes the Celtics made in the second half.
“There were a couple of miscues that we had underneath the basket,” said Allen. “We talked about it at halftime, and we just made sure that we were more aware of their back cuts and their big guys flashing under the basket and kind of pushing further away. It took them a little bit more out of their comfort zone, I think.”
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