Previous to the Celtics can make a stand at the NBA Finals; Doc Rivers factually took a stand in the middle of the court with the game still alive and the clock still running. It may have been the most flamboyant break in the final story.
Allen scored 27 of his 32 points in the first half with a record-setting 3-point shooting display; Rondo finished a triple-double down the line and gave the Celtics Los Angeles Lakers their first home loss of the postseason, 103-94 Sunday night in Game 2.
Allen hit a final-record eight three-pointers in a dazzling effort Celtics, including seven before the break. Rondo then took over for Allen cooled, racking up 19 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in his fifth playoff triple-double.
"An entire team effort," Rondo said. "Ray brought us through the first half. The other half, we got in a little crisis, but we stuck with it, were together and had a victory."
Kobe Bryant scored 21 points, while struggling more foul trouble for the Lakers, who could not catch up to Boston, dynamic shifts in Los Angeles' first home playoff loss since last season's Western Conference finals. Pau Gasol had 25 points and eight rebounds for the Lakers and Andrew Bynum added 21 points and six rebounds.
Game 3 is Tuesday night in Boston.
The teams exchanged the lead throughout the period, but Rondo's layup put the Celtics ahead intoxicating 91-90 with 3:21 to play. The play was vintage Rondo, as he scooted in to collect the ball and score after Pau Gasol blocked a shot.
Kevin Garnett then hit a jumper, and after a possession of a suffocating defense, beating Rondo the other jumper, celebrates with a swing arm in the most quiet Staples Center.
Rondo has grown to perhaps Celtics' biggest offensive threat in the playoffs, but his 10-point fourth quarter looms among his greatest achievements.
After the Lakers' whistle-plagued 102-89 victory in the opener, both teams again struggled under the weight of bad problems. Garnett and Bryant both spent extra time on the bench, with Bryant picking up his fifth error early in the fourth.
Garnett had just six points and Paul Pierce never got going, scoring 10 on 2-of-11 shooting. The Celtics also fought against the Lakers' low-post game.
With Allen and Rondo play spectacular basketball, none of their errors meant a lot.
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