Jackson makes a good point, however. The pressure remains on the Celtics, who have to grind out another road win to take their 18th title back to Boston, and it was a little unsettling for Celtics fans when Paul Pierce said Sunday night that Boston has two games to get one.
That’s not the approach the Celtics should take going into tonight’s game. Each game of this series has been a series of its own, with the winner brimming with momentum and the loser reeling.
Remember when the Celtics were pounded in Game 1 after their listless effort? Or when Ray Allen in Game 2 looked like Reggie Miller circa 1995? Or when Derek Fisher was unstoppable in the fourth quarter of Game 3? Or when Big Baby’s drool was freeze-framed on sports websites after Game 4?
Those plots occurred in the past 12 days and there is potentially two more chapters to play out. This is the most dangerous game for Boston because the Lakers could regain that mental edge by registering a lopsided win.
The Lakers are going to start fast tonight, those much-maligned complements to Kobe Bryant canning open shots. Andrew Bynum is going to move around like Dwight Howard and the hamster in Ron Artest’s brain will be striding to perfection.
Jackson is asking his team to play its best game of the series to set up Game 7, and the Celtics do not want to play a Game 7 in LA with Bryant relishing a chance to cement his legacy as the greatest Laker.
Of the 15 teams that have had a 3-2 series lead in the 2-3-2 format, 13 have won the series, and 12 won Game 6. Although the Lakers are returning home, where they are 9-1 this postseason, they are in disarray. Only Bryant played with passion in Game 5 and there has to be at least a passing thought that the Lakers are cursed against the Celtics.
Yet, the Celtics have not fared well coming off big victories this postseason until Sunday. They had to win Game 5 because there was little chance of winning two straight in Los Angeles to take the series. Although they accomplished that goal, they cannot rest on their laurels just because Game 6, theoretically, is not a must win.
In reality, it is.
