Disappointing, but not wholly unexpected ...

There's a reason that the Lakers have made it up to this point, as they haven't lost a game at home since March 28th ... That includes a perfect 9-0 during the postseason, as the Not Ready for Kobe Bryant Players took care of business in their return to the Staples Center and defeated the Celtics, 81 to 87 (sports.yahoo.com).

The Black Mamba finally contributed an MVP-type performance (36 PTS, 12-20 FG, 7 REB), including - surprise surprise - getting to the free throw line 18 times, eleven more than he had in Game Two (but he did miss seven of those freebies) ... Meanwhile, Garnett (13 PTS, 6-21 FG, 12 REB) and Pierce (6 PTS, 2-14 FG, 0-4 3PTers) did not exactly play the best games of their respective careers, and - as if we needed another injury - Rajon Rondo appeared to sprain his left ankle early in the third quarter and was largely ineffective (22 MIN, 8 PTS, 4-8 FG, 4 AST, 2 TO).

If you put all of those factors together, and combine it with the fact that the Lakers were simply the more aggressive team (despite my previous statments about Kobe at the line, I'm not going to pull a Phil Jackson and blame this loss on the officiating), then you wind up with LA getting themselves back into this series ... A shame too, as I must admit that I had visions dancing in my head of the C's starting these Finals up three games to none, thus erasing any doubt about who's going to wind up hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy in the end.

Still, if Eddie House had knocked down that jumper with about two and a half minutes left in the game, that would have tied the score at 78 apiece (and those visions might have turned into a reality) ... Instead, his attempt rimmed out, while at the other end the C's (suffering a confouding defensive breakdown) allowed Sasha Vujacic to have a wide-open three-point shot; it really turns my stomach to think about all these open looks that the Lakers have been getting behind the three-point line, and this one was no different, as Sasha knocked it down to give LA the lead for good (76-81 1:53).

So, I guess my hopes of a sweep were a tad unrealistic. However, it's not all doom and gloom from me in this blog post ... As aggressive as Kobe was taking the ball to the basket, if we saw the best that his supporting cast has to muster (Pau "Wipe My" Gasol and Victor Von Odom combined for just 13 points on 5-for-18 shooting) then Lakers fans should have no reason to believe that their team can win three straight at home.

Hey, I think the Pistons series proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that the C's can take care of business on the road ... all that's left now is to start showing that on Thursday!

Despite what transpired last night, the goal remains the same: Two down. Two to go.