National Basketball Association

Gasol clearly superior to KG this time

Published Jun. 4, 2010 8:26 a.m. ET

foxsports

Rematches like this between the Lakers and the Celtics transforms the press into an army of provocateurs, making instigators of inquisitors, turning commentators into matchmakers. Hence, the other day, Pau Gasol was asked about Kevin Garnett’s pre-fight tactics.

"I don’t feel like he talks that much to me,” said Gasol, whose lack of physicality embodied the Lakers’ failure in the 2008 Finals. “That’s his game to certain guys. He likes to intimidate you like that verbally and physically. But I haven’t felt that.”

More accurately, Gasol hasn’t felt that for a while: “You know, to be honest, I don’t really pay a lot of attention to that. If anything, I try for that to motivate me and actually to get me pissed, pissed off and really attack him.”

Gasol was going to attack Garnett? Really? It sounded pretty good on Wednesday. Still, you knew the game was to be played on Thursday, and two years later, the burden of proof remained squarely with Gasol. Would Garnett punk him again?

Well, if Game 1 of the 2010 Finals falls short of a definitive answer, it’s certainly the beginning of one. As it happened, Gasol-Garnett was the evening’s critical matchup. But their famous first act yielded no clues. This time, it was Gasol who had his way. Little wonder the famously voluble Garnett has finally stopped talking trash to the Spaniard.

You want the game in numbers? After three quarters, Gasol had 18 points to Garnett’s 12. He had three blocks. Garnett, long alleged to be among the game’s most intimidating defenders, had none. Gasol had 10 rebounds. Garnett had one. One. A single rebound in almost 26 minutes.

Not coincidentally, the game was already over. The score was 84-64. The plus-nine rebounding advantage that Gasol enjoyed over Boston’s seven-footer was reflected in the astounding differential between the teams. The Celtics were being out-rebounded 34 to 17.

I couldn’t help but wonder if Doc Rivers – who fashioned a decidedly tough championship squad – could recall being out-rebounded like that.

“I don’t know if I recall one,” he said. “But I know if there was, we lost that game, too. I can guarantee you that.”

You don’t rebound; you don’t win. What’s true during the regular season holds even truer now.

“They killed us on the glass,” said Rivers.

In fact, the Lakers killed the Celtics in just about every facet of the game. The Lakers tallied 18 more points in the paint. As it pertains to second-chance points, Boston was 0-7 – including two gimme follows (an attempted dunk and a blown layup) that Garnett managed to miss. L.A. had 16 second-chance points.

“They attacked us the entire night,” said Rivers. “I didn’t think we handled it very well…They were by far the more physical team.”

So what do you do about that? he was asked.

“We’ll watch it on film and fix it.”

I was tempted to laugh. Then again, I was tempted to laugh just four months ago when Rivers’ team arrived here the night of the trading deadline. The aged, struggling Celtics had just acquired the inestimable Nate Robinson, five-eight. The Cavaliers, with the best record in basketball, had landed Antawn Jamison, a six-nine two-time all-star.

“We’ll see when the playoffs start,” said Rivers. “We’ll see if age is a factor. Or if age” – experience, he meant – “is good. I think in the long run, it will be good for us.”

Guess it was. And Rivers deserves the bulk of the credit – for fine coaching and great faith, for a team that beat clear favorites in Cleveland and Orlando.

Still, I’m not sure the Lakers are something even a great coach can solve by looking at film. It’s worth noting that Los Angeles won without much from Lamar Odom. What’s going to happen when he starts putting up numbers? In the meantime, Rivers can scrutinize Kobe Bryant being Kobe Bryant, with 30 points and just the kind of defense that slowed Rajon Rondo. More problematic than that, though, is the sore-kneed Kevin Garnett, who, at 34, has started just two more NBA games than the 31-year-old Bryant.

At last, Gasol is showing him he can’t get by on just a scowl. Gasol finished with 23 points, 15 boards, three assists, three blocks. There was a fastbreak dunk that should make the highlight reel. But a baseline move and the put-back layup – both over Garnett – were more significant.

“I was ready,” said Gasol.

He was pissed off. As well he should be. He’s had two years to think about it.