BOSTON (AP)—Derek Fisher(notes) broke down the court after yet another miss by Ray Allen(notes). Nothing between him and the basket, and nothing—not even three hard-charging Celtics—was going to keep the Los Angeles Lakers guard from finishing off a Game 3 victory.
“He saw the opening and went and made a very bold play. … It was imperative that it goes in for us to win,” Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. “When he’s got an opportunity to hit a key shot, it seems like he’s always there and ready.”Fisher drove for a layup at the other end that made it a three-point game then scored four of the Lakers’ next five baskets to give them a five-point lead with about 4 1/2 minutes left. He scored another with 49 seconds left before being flattened by Davis, among others, then added the free throw to make it a three-possession game.
Allen and Paul Pierce(notes) combined to go 1 for 13 from the field as Boston went nearly 6 minutes without a field goal in the first half. Pierce finished with 15 points, including 3 for 4 from 3-point range, but Allen never snapped out of it.
He missed all eight 3-pointers, all five 2-pointers and got to the line just twice. He was spared of matching the worst shooting performance in NBA finals history when Garnett was called for an offensive foul away from the ball in the final minute while Allen clanged another shot off the rim.
“The job that Fish did on Allen was terrific,” Jackson said.
Baltimore’s Chip Reiser missed all 14 shots in a 1948 finals game against Philadelphia, and Dennis Johnson was 0 for 14 for Seattle against Washington in 1978.
Garnett, who scored only six points in 24 foul-plagued minutes in Game 2, had that many in the first 75 seconds of Game 3. Rondo had Boston’s next three baskets, and the Celtics were quickly up 12-5.
But the Lakers ran off eight straight points to go ahead, scoring 32 of the next 40 points to open a 37-20 lead with 9:10 left in the half.
Rondo, who had a triple-double in Game 3, finished with 11 points, eight assists and three rebounds.
NOTES: Boston missed half of its 12 free throws in the first half and was 2 for 12 from 3-point range at the break. … New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady sat courtside. … Tony Allen(notes) went to the floor in the fourth quarter claiming he was kicked in the throat by Bryant.
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