Celtics-Lakers, Game Three, First Half: Good God, That's Kobe Bryant's Music!

In an outcome as unexpected as when a guy who is getting battered in a pro wrestling match suddenly starts fighting back, the Lakers came out fast in their first home game of the Finals. The first half was more noteworthy for who didn't play well (KG, Pierce, Gasol, Odom) than who did, and despite Bryant getting to the line (7 of 12, with both teams missing a lot), the Lake Show is only up 6 at the half, with 10 missed free throws looming if things are close late.

Both teams have looked sloppy, and the key strategic point -- putting Bryant on Rondo defensively, so that he can roam for steals and stop the penetration -- should really have been done in either of the first two games in the Finals, but it's hard to fault the Lakers for caring more about Paul Pierce or Ray Allen.

If you're a Celtics fan, you're really loving any road game in which KG and Pierce both stink and you're still in it. In the Free Throw Watch, it's Lakers 12 for 22, and the Celtics 5 for 7. When will the Association do something about the incredible disparity of home and road officiating? (Oh, and in a related note, Tim Donaghy just confirmed everything that every NBA cynic has ever thought about the league, though taking that scum's word on anything is a bit of a reach.)

Oh, and a nice pre-halftime interview from Kobe for poor Michelle Tafoya. At what point do the networks cry uncle and stop having their employees humiliated by this nonsense?