The Lakers discovered last night what Cleveland discovered a few weeks ago: Rajon Rondo can bring it when necessary, and be a difference-maker down the stretch. Rondo's triple-double, backed by Ray Allen's Finals record eight 3-pointers and 32 points, led the Celtics to a 103-94 victory in Game Two of the NBA championship series in Los Angeles.
The series now shifts to Boston for the next three games, Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday nights.
The Celtics' individual heroics were still almost not enough, as Los Angeles wiped out a double-digit first half deficit and led with 3 and-a-half minutes to go. But a Rondo make off of an offensive rebound gave Boston the lead for good, and, despite some shaky free throw shooting in the final minutes, the Celtics were able to prevail when the Lakers fell into a mode familiar to Cavaliers' fans: isolate your star too much and hope/expect him to make the big plays to win.
With Kobe Bryant, that often works. Last night, with Boston clamping down on defense against Bryant as the game wound down, it did not work, and so the Celtics get home court advantage and force L.A. to win at least one game in Boston.