Paul Pierce wanted to make a statement about the Boston Celtics’ ability to dominate as a team. Shortly before the end of Game 2 of the NBA Finals, Pierce suggested that the Cetics would win three straight games in Boston by telling Lakers fans, “We ain’t coming back to L.A.” But after the Lakers defeated the Celtics in Game 3 by a score of 91 to 84, Pierce’s bold remarks now seem like a silly act of bravado.
The Lakers led for the majority of the game and were able to pull away from the Celtics in the final seconds with the help of Derek Fisher. Fisher scored 11 points in the fourth quarter and played aggressive defense against Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen, who was 0 for 13 from the field. The Lakers now lead the best of 7 series 2 games to 1.
But Pierce’s inaccurate prediction in Game 3 was not as embarrassing as his overall performance. He shot 5 for 12 from the field and finished with only 15 points. Now that the Lakers have regained control of the series, Pierce and the Celtics can only hope that they return to Los Angeles. –a.r.
