He has worked to make sure Doc Rivers returns for one more year as the head coach.

He worked to re-sign Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, all the while maintaining some spending flexibility for the remainder of the offseason and for future seasons.

Ainge locked in Rivers, Pierce, and Allen, all for at least one more year, and kept the core of a championship team together for one more run.  And he did all of this without the need for a one-hour infomercial to glorify himself or any of the players involved.  How about that?

Credit has to be given to all parties involved.  Rivers, who had a sincere desire to spend more time at home watching his children excel in sports, honored the last year of his contract and decided to return.

Ainge was loyal to Rivers in 2006 and ’07, and River was right to reward that trust with one more season.

As for Pierce and Allen, they did what we wish athletes would do more often – they made decisions that appear based on something other than salary.  And both made the correct decisions.

Pierce, who was set to earn $21 million next season, opted out of his contract and in return, he has security for the next four years at roughly $15 million per season.  The four-year deal also likely guarantees that Pierce, who will be 33 by the time next season begins, will retire a Celtic.

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Ray Allen was reportedly recruited by some of those big name free agents we all are tired of hearing about.  He didn’t want to play their waiting game, and chose instead to return to Boston for a two-year deal at $10 million per season, with the second year being a player option.

Allen said all along he wanted to stay in Boston.  But he also made nearly $19 million dollars last season.  With all the money teams have to spare this offseason, and with all the three-pointers Allen has made in his career, it is likely some team out there would have given him more money.

Ray, though, didn’t wait, didn’t drag the process out.  He wanted to be in Boston, was reasonable about his contract demands, and signed to stay a Celtic, with the deal being announced on the first day deals could be signed.

Good job all around.

Then why am I still not sold on the 2010-11 Celtics, and why do I know that Danny Ainge still has a great deal of work to do.

That is because the goal is to win a championship.  Every year, that is the goal for Boston, but it will be particularly so next year.  Rivers, Allen, and Pierce stuck around in part out of loyalty, but in part to make one more run at a championship.

They won one in 2008 and were real close in 2010.  All involved know that 2011 will likely be their last shot.

Even with all Ainge’s moves to bring back the team’s key ingredients, all Ainge has accomplished has been to keep the team relatively even from last year.   Considering the age of Pierce, Allen, and Kevin Garnett, and the injury to Kendrick Perkins, staying even won’t bring a championship to Boston in 2011.

Moving forward, there have been two noted additions.  First, Ainge drafted Avery Bradley out of Texas.  That was a good first step for Ainge this offseason, especially if Bradley proves to be a versatile player and can come in at either point or shooting guard.

ESPN.com Illustration

And earlier today, Ainge made another move official, signing the 31-year old Jermaine O’Neal.  I point out O’Neal’s age because in the playoffs this year, when he was with the Heat, O’Neal looked to be a player much older than that.

Thus, you can see why I am not too excited about that signing.

Best case scenario, O’Neal matches the output Boston got from Rasheed Wallace in the postseason.  If that is the best case, then it is difficult to see how O’Neal brings the Celtics closer to a championship.

I like signing Jermaine O’Neal better than the other rumored options – Shaq or Kwame That, however, clearly is not saying much, and Ainge must continue to work to fill out the bench with players that Rivers can rely on in any situation.

There are two areas that concern me the most.

The first is added front-court depth, even for when Perkins comes back.  I’d like Ainge to find an athletic big man who can run the floor with Rajon Rondo and finish at the rim when Rondo drives and dishes.

The other area that is just as pressing, if not more so, for Boston to fill is finding someone to step into the role played by James Posey in 2008.

Remember that Posey did not put up huge numbers for the Celtics.  But he was someone Rivers felt comfortable playing at any point in any game.  He could defend multiple positions, could knock down open shots, and maybe most importantly, he could give Paul Pierce a rest.

AP Photo/Michael Dwyer

Pierce looked tired at the end of each of the last two postseasons, and not coincidentally, the Celtics have not had anyone on their roster the last two years to really give him a breather.

Ainge did not replace Posey in 2009, and the Marquis Daniels experiment did not work this past season.

Where exactly does Ainge turn?

I am not exactly sure, and I do not for a second pretend to fully understand the various and numerous restrictions and limitations on NBA contracts.  I will just say that Ainge needs to get creative.

Players to keep an eye on could be old friends Ryan Gomes or Leon Powe, former Boston College star Craig Smith, or maybe get on the phone with the Golden State Warriors to discuss Anthony Randolph and Anthony Morrow (especially if the Warriors sign David Lee).

Ainge did his part in bringing Rivers, Pierce, and Allen back. Don’t stop now Danny.  Those three came back for one more run; the fans expect the same.

By any means necessary, do what you have to in order to reward them for coming back.  And also to get the horrid taste out of my mouth the remains from Game Seven.

*******

And if I may offer one comment about the entire LeBron James saga:  no professional athlete of his, or close to his, stature has ever done anything to embarrass himself more, or to turn people against him more, without breaking the law or being involved in other scandalous activity, than LeBron James has done to harm himself in this free agency process.

*POOF* And I'm gone! (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

Other writers have written it much better than I could, but regardless of what he chooses tonight, he has proven, once and for all, that his ego is too big for his own good and that he cares more about attention than he does about basketball.

If he goes with Cleveland, he basically made a team and a city beg to keep him and put them through hell for two years as he made them all fear he would leave.  His actions look even worse in comparison in the wake of Kevin Durant’s quiet, understated resigning yesterday with Oklahoma City.

If he chooses Miami, well then, he has shown he doesn’t believe he has what it takes to lead a team to a title and would rather just rely on other stars.  He wants a title, but doesn’t want to put forth the effort necessary to get one.  He wants a shortcut to a championship, a short cut to a place next to the other all-time greats.

I don’t believe there is such a shortcut to basketball immortality, and all I can say is that from now on, I will certainly be rooting against James in his attempt to get there.

This is true in other sports too, but at least in the NFL, the free agent portion of the offseason occurs before the draft.  Imagine how much different last night’s draft would have been had teams actually known whether they were winners or losers in The Great LeBron and Others Sweepstakes of 2010.

And while the Celtics are not in on that situation, their draft is still difficult to judge right now.  A draft analysis does not make much sense; an offseason analysis certainly does, with the draft being the first part of it.

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty Images

With over a week now gone by since the end of the season (anyone else still not over it?), the Celtics many needs are apparent, but there is much left Boston needs to wait on: is Doc Rivers returning; can they resign Ray Allen; will Paul Pierce opt out and if he does, is it just to make sure he finishes his career in Boston; how serious is Kendrick Perkins’ knee injury.

All of that adds up to a great deal of uncertainty.  There were, however, two areas, that Boston knew it had to address: backup point guard and front-court depth.

With that in mind, Ainge may have done about as well as could be expected, grabbing Avery Bradley, a guard who played one year at Texas.

John Wall was the consensus top pick in the draft and rightfully so, but only a year ago, Bradley was actually ranked ahead of him.  And now, while Wall will have a great deal of pressure to produce right away in Washington, Bradley will have time in Boston to develop as a player.

We all know Rajon Rondo is Boston’s point guard.  That leaves really one of three options for Bradley’s career:

1. He becomes the player many thought he would be when he was ranked ahead of John Wall, earns more playing time, and becomes a tremendous trade chip for the Celtics in the future or insurance if something were to happen to Rondo;
2. He becomes a good NBA player but never quite reaches the potential some saw in him, making him perfectly suited for a top spot coming off the bench;
3. He never develops and is Marcus Banks Part II.

ERICH SCHLEGEL/Special Contributor DallasNews.com

Hearing Bradley talk about his drive to be the best rookie in the league next year, I don’t think the Marcus Banks comparison will ever be needed, leaving just the other two options.  Both would be fine for the future of the Celtics.

What the Celtics love about Bradley is his defense.  That is important, especially if Rivers returns as coach.  To be kind, Rivers has been hesitant to play young players, normally due to perceived defensive deficiencies.  If Bradley can play defense like they say, he should be able to find the court quicker than other Boston rookies did under Rivers.

What I like about Bradley is that he should be able to play either guard position, another reason he is a good fit in Boston.  Bradley might not be ready right now to be a starting point or shooting guard in the NBA.  But, he certainly should be able to do either in a reserve role.

Also, finding a backup for Rondo has not been easy for the Celtics, and the better Rondo has become, the tougher the task because no quality point guard wants to be a backup to a star and be relegated to 10-15 minutes per night. That is why, even before the draft, I did not envision Nate Robinson resigning with Boston.

A combo-guard is exactly what Boston needed coming off the bench.  A quality player who can give Rondo a break, but also be able to play with Rondo, thus playing 20-25 minutes a game, instead of 10-15.  I was thinking a Kirk Hinrich type player.

AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams/McDonald's

Bradley has a different game than Hinrich, but he nonetheless fits the description.

He can float between either guard spot and has lottery-type talent, having been ranked ahead of John Wall only a year ago. He is a great defender on the ball, has a solid mid-range game, and can be explosive around the rim.

He does need to improve his long-range shot, but he and Rondo can work on that together.

Bradley is now the first piece of Boston’s offseason puzzle to be put in place.  Next up will be resolutions of the Doc Rivers and Ray Allen situations.

As far as what I would like to see happen:  Rivers return for one more year; Paul Pierce opt-out and resign, saving the Celtics cap space in 2010-11 and all but ensuring Pierce finishes his career as a Celtic; Ray Allen returns; Ainge can find someone to fill the James Posey role who can reduce the burden on Pierce; and Ainge finds an athletic big man capable of running the floor with Rondo.

Whether Danny can do all of those things will dictate what Boston’s final offseason grade should be.  For now, though, the drafting of Bradley was a good first step.

But if there is one thing I hate, and one thing that always makes me wish that maybe I did not take sports so seriously, it is the day after.

Obviously I am not talking about the day after a big win. Nothing can compare to that.

Staying up all night to see every post-game show you can watch and DVRing the ones you can’t. Waking up early to catch up on what you missed, spending the day talking to everyone you can, calling everyone you can, e-mailing everyone you can.

Hoping that people stop you to ask you about the game or at least ask why you are so happy, just to give you another opportunity to talk about it.

That is the good part of the day after.

What I hate is the complete opposite. It is the day after a terrible loss.

As a Celtics fan, I am having one of those days today.

After the Celtics lost Game Seven to the hated Los Angeles Lakers last night, it began.  The sick feeling in my stomach. The constant barrage of thoughts about what went wrong, what could have been different, what if, what if, what if.

It started very early today after only a couple hours sleep. I woke up around 5 a.m., wide awake, with that sick feeling, only even worse.

Unlike after a win, today I don’t want to turn on my TV, I don’t want to get on the Internet. I keep writing the same e-mails to different friends, going over the same things. Letting out the anger and frustration should help, but it doesn’t.

My mind keeps going back and forth between the same thoughts.

Up three games to two.

Up 13 in the third quarter.

Up four going into the fourth quarter.

Held Kobe Bryant to a Starks-ian 6-24 from the floor.

But it was all for not. The Celtics fell behind by as many as six points in the third quarter, and though they made a great effort at the end to get back into the game  – with three pointers from Ray Allen, Rasheed Wallace, and Rajon Rondo – it was not enough.

Why didn’t the Celtics keep going to Kevin Garnett? Garnett had 17 points last night on 8-13 shooting. The rest of the Celtics shot just 21-58 (36.8 percent).

Paul Pierce had his top scoring game of the series in Game Five, getting many of his best looks at the basket after being put in a pick-and-roll situation. In Game Seven, I remember seeing that happen only once.

Did the Celtics really give up 23 offensive rebounds?

Did the Lakers really go to the free throw line 21 times in the fourth quarter?

AP Photo/Jae C. Hong

Did Ray Allen and Ron Artest both shoot the same from three? Yes they did (2-7).

Was Rajon Rondo really two rebounds shy of a triple-double in Game Seven? He was. I knew he played better last night, but didn’t think he was that close. That doesn’t cheer me up at all though. The Celtics lost.

Game Seven was there for the Celtics to win. It just did not happen.

With a series, the day after can be that much worse, because you also start thinking back over the other games. Where else did it go wrong?

For me, I keep coming back to Game Three. In Boston, the Celtics held Bryant, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, and Artest to a combined 53 points on 19-53 shooting (35.8 percent). And still lost.

That was the game Allen, one game removed from setting an NBA Finals record with eight three-pointers, shot an unthinkable 0-13 from the floor (0-8 from three), finishing with just two points.

It was also the game Derek Fisher scored 16 points, and hit every crunch time shot for the Lakers. Now with Fisher, it is one thing if he scored his points by hitting open threes. In Game Three, however, Fisher scored every big basket down the stretch for the Lakers by beating guys off the dribble and getting into the paint.

Today I am also thinking about Games One and Six. Game One – how did the Celtics come out to start the NBA Finals and play with so little energy? I still can’t really believe it.

And Game Six – did the Celtics think LA would roll over just because that is what happened in Game Six? Or was the team’s emotion drained from seeing Kendrick Perkins go down with a knee injury. If that was the case, it is inexcusable.

Maybe the worst part of the day after is wondering when will this terrible feeling end?

I don’t know.

AP Photo/Jae C. Hong

Usually, how long this terrible feeling lasts depends on some combination of just how much the loss hurt, how important the game was, who the opponent was, and a few other variables. From all of that, you can tell this one is going to be a doozy.

Well, the Celtics lost a Game Seven in the Finals for the first time in their history last night (had been 7-0). They lost a Game Seven to the hated Lakers for the first time in their history (had been 4-0).

The Celtics lost a series after leading 3-2 for only the second time in their history. And oh by the way, the other time was last year.

The loss could have given the Celtics two championships in three years and solidified the legacies of Pierce, Garnett, and Allen. The loss also gives the Lakers back-to-back titles, brings LA within one of Boston’s 17 championships, and enhances the overall standing of Bryant among the game’s all-time greats.

Before I forget, another thing that is eating at my stomach is that by winning the series, Bryant gets let off the hook for his poor showing in Game Seven, arguably the biggest game of his life. Because let’s be clear – although Kobe found other ways to contribute (an impressive 15 rebounds) and made his foul shots when they mattered – he did not play well at all last night, and had the outcome been different, the blame would have been laid directly at his feet. And rightfully so.

Instead, the Lakers won and it can be forgotten. That is sports, but when it happens in a situation that benefits a player you don’t like on a team you were raised to not like, it just stinks. (I’d like to use a stronger word there, or a few stronger words, but I’d like to keep this at least PG-13).

This is similar to Game Seven of the 2003 ALCS, when Roger Clemens was awful and had to be yanked in the fourth inning, but that basically was forgotten because his team won the game.

I remember feeling terrible for a while after the Patriots lost the Super Bowl to the Giants. In fact, the first article I ever wrote for Bleacher Report was about how that was the worse loss I had ever experienced as a Boston sports fan. What finally helped me get over it a little bit – and it still haunts me at times – is that I started to look forward to next season.

That doesn’t work anymore.

First, it didn’t work for the Patriots. They lost the Super Bowl after the ’07 season, and in Week One of the season I was looking forward to, Tom Brady tore up his knee. And then in 2009, New England got blown out at home in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.

Now the Patriots are not even favored to win their own division. Things can change quickly in sports, and if anything that situation taught me to never as a fan take winning or the chance to win for granted.

AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

With the Celtics, a lot was riding on this season. Rondo certainly has a bright future ahead of him, and I have to wonder just how good can he be if he ever develops a consistent jump shot.

But as far as this team, it definitely appears as if the window closed on the Big Three era last night and it was the Lakers who closed it.

Garnett, Allen, and Pierce helped bring excitement back to Boston and they brought us a title in 2008.

For that, I will always be grateful and I still look forward to seeing how their careers will wind up.

But, for right now, all I know for certain is that 2010 did not end with a championship.  It did not end with a celebration or a parade. It ended in Los Angeles with the Lakers celebrating at Boston’s expense.

And today, I hate it. I hate it all.

After the game mercifully came to an end, I looked over the notes that I had taken throughout and sat in front of my laptop just staring blankly.

I had nothing.

I could not come up with one coherent thought.  It was an awful concoction of anger, shock, disappointment, and frustration, mixed with a touch of pure fear of what might now happen in a Game Seven.

Even today, with a night (ok a few hours) to sleep on it, I still am struggling to properly find a way to describe last night’s game.

It is sort of a blur.

Jim Davis/Globe Staff

Ray Allen knocked down a three-pointer early in the first quarter, ending an 0-21 streak he had from beyond the arc.  His trey put Boston ahead 12-10 about five minutes into the game.  So far, so good.

Everything would change in the next two minutes.

The Celtics were not keeping up with the Lakers, on either end of the court.  Kobe Bryant, fully aware, seized the moment.

He tore off six straight points, in the process reclaiming the lead for the Lakers, something they would never relinquish.  Pau Gasol then added another hoop, for an 8-0 run.

All the momentum was fully behind the Lakers at that point.

Then, at the 5:30 mark, Kendrick Perkins went up for a rebound.  Andrew Bynum went over Perkins back, and Perk came down awkwardly.

The big center immediately went to the ground, and before Bryant could even finish complaining to the officials about the foul call, Perkins was already pointing at his knee.

Anyone who has followed the Celtics or Perkins, knew right away, it was not good.

Perk had to be carried off the court, he did not return, and his status for Game Seven is doubtful.

Whether Perkins’ injury impacted the Celtics mentally or not, I do not know. (And if it did, that is still no excuse.  Team’s have to be able to overcome injuries).

I do know, that the game was slowly slipping away before the injury.  After the injury, all that changed was the pace, as the Lakers raced away from the Celtics.

After one quarter, the score was 28-18, with LA finishing the quarter on an 18-6 run.  Boston’s 18 points in the quarter was a horrid offensive showing.  In a sign of just how bad the game went for the Celtics, they would actually score less than that in two of the final three quarters.

A Jordan Farmar dunk after a Paul Pierce turnover put the Lakers ahead 45-25, their first 20-point lead of the game.  The Celtics never came within 17 the rest of the way.

As a fan watching, I kept hoping for any sort of run, something to at least make me think the Celtics could make a game of this.  It never came.

Mark J. Terrill-Pool/Getty Images

At halftime, I tried to keep my spirits up, reminding myself of Boston’s record comeback in Game Four back in 2008, and that the Celtics nearly overcame a 17-point deficit in Game Three this year.

But then came the third quarter that was truly disheartening.

The Celtics actually were outplaying the Lakers, getting stops on defense and coming up with good looks on offense.  But they missed several easy shots, and ultimately, they were unable to make any dent whatsoever in the Laker lead.

The Lakers got the complete team effort that had been missing during the three games in Boston. LA hammered Boston on the boards, outrebounding the Celtics 52-39, came up with 13 steals, and knocked down six three pointers.

Bryant led the way with 26 points and 11 rebounds.  He did it on only 19 shots, his lowest total of the series, more proof that the Lakers are at their best when he is not forced to jack up 25-plus shots (even if he makes most of his attempts).

Pau Gasol nearly notched a triple-double, with 17 points, 13 rebounds, and nine assists.  Gasol’s effort should have been expected.  Against Boston this season, including the regular season, Gasol is averaging 22 points, 11 rebounds and shooting 56-percent from the floor in the games in Los Angeles (compared to 14 points, 9 rebounds, and 44-percent shooting in Boston).

The two Lakers who received the most criticism after the games in Boston, Ron Artest and Lamar Odom, also played well.  Artest hit three three-pointers, finishing with 15 points, and Odom had eight points and 10 rebounds.

For Boston, no one played well.

Offensively in the first half, the Big Three of Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce combined for 29 of the team’s 31 points.  They shot 13-27, but their teammates were a combined 1-14.  For the game, the trio shot 19-42 (45.2 percent) for 44 points.  The rest of the Celtic team was an awful 9-42 (21.4 percent).

Rajon Rondo simply played the worst game he has played maybe all season.  His final stats do not even tell the story (10 points, 6 rebounds, five assists).  He appeared to play the game as if it was a pre-season contest in the Vegas Summer League, rather than Game Six of the Finals.

Rondo led the team with 15 shot attempts, making just five.  Many of his shots were attempts where he was just throwing the ball up towards the hoop, or settling for jump shots early in the shot clock.

Bill Greene/Globe Staff

He had more than a few pass attempts that had me scratching my head as to what was going through his mind. Rondo was out of sorts all night long.

An example came early in the game.  Rondo pushed the ball up the floor, and as the Laker defense collapsed around him, Pierce found an open space behind the three-point line.

When Rondo is going good, this is an easy pass to a shooter in rhythm. Instead, Rondo threw an awkward bounce pass, that threw off the timing of the play.  Pierce still could have made the shot, but it was just indicative of the poor nature of Rondo’s point guard play last night.

All of this of course sets up the do-or-die Game Seven.

Has there ever been a Game Seven in the NBA Finals with more on the line than Thursday night?

It will be a battle for the NBA Championship first and foremost.

It will also be a battle in the greatest franchise of all time debate.  A win gives the Celtics a two-championship lead over the Lakers, and adds to their dominance against LA in the Finals.

A Laker win pulls them within one, and gives LA back-to-back titles and seven championships since 1987 to Boston’s one.

I do not think one game can damage a legacy, unless someone pulls a John Starks-type performance.  But a win will add a great deal to the Hall of Fame resumes of Bryant, Garnett, Allen, and Pierce.

There was talk entering the series that Rajon Rondo may be the best point guard in the NBA.  That argument has taken serious blows throughout this series.  But if Rondo plays well and leads the Celtics to a victory, suddenly his case becomes that much stronger.

If there is a good thing for the Celtics it is that they have bounced back after every bad defeat throughout these playoffs.  After losing by 29 points to the Cavaliers, Boston won Game Four; after losing by 21 in Game Five to Orlando, the Celtics wrapped up the series in Game Six.  And after a poor effort in Game One against the Lakers, losing by 13, Boston won Game Two.

I am clinging to that thought at the moment, because otherwise, I am not feeling too confident about Boston’s chances.

This team completely surprised me with their run in the playoffs.  I hope they have one more surprise left in them.

And it would be this lineup that brought life to a team that was lifeless for much of the game.  And it would be this lineup that carried the Celtics to the 96-89 Game Four victory over the Lakers.

That, however, is exactly what happened.

After consecutive Kobe Bryant three-pointers late in the third quarter, Glen Davis scored to make the score 62-60, L.A., heading into the fourth.

AP Photo/Charles Krupa

Davis, though, was just getting started.  He and Ray Allen each had hoops, sandwiched around a Pau Gasol jumper.  Davis then had a layup off a Robinson assist to put Boston ahead 66-64 with 9:45 to play.  It would be the fourteenth lead change of the game. Thanks largely to Davis, it would be the final lead change as well.

Leading 68-64, Tony Allen missed a layup, but Davis came crashing in for the offensive rebound, made the hoop, and got fouled. He completed the three-point play, extending Boston’s run to 13-2, and the lead to seven, 71-64.

Tony Allen then had a three-point play, Rasheed Wallace knocked down a three, Nate Robinson chipped in four straight points, and then Davis added a pair. All of that equaled an 85-74 Boston lead with less than four minutes to play, and it all occurred with Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Rajon Rondo on the bench

The Lakers attempted to get back in the game.  Ron Artest in a rare offensive showing, had his own three point play and Bryant hit a pair of free throws, cutting the Boston lead to just six, 85-79.

There was still plenty of time, but Paul Pierce would not have it.

Pierce had not played well in the series and had not played well all season against the Lakers.  He came out aggressive, with 10 first quarter points, but then had only two in the second, and did not even attempt a shot in the third.

But Pierce finally shrugged off Artest and had seven points over the final two-plus minutes. He hit a tough jump shot for an 87-79 lead.  Then after a Bryant bucket, Pierce took the ball strong to the hoop, got the advantage of a very close block/charge call, and finished off the three-point play.

On the next possession, Bryant got his own benefit of a questionable call, on a three-pointer.  He made all three free throws, and following a Boston miss, Bryant had the ball back in his hands, trailing 90-84 with 40 seconds to play.

Bryant tried to throw a pass back out to Derek Fisher, but Rajon Rondo picked off the pass, racing in for the game-clinching layup.

The story of the game was the Boston bench that outscored the Lakers bench 36-18. Davis had 18 points on 7-10 shooting, with five rebounds, four of which came on the offensive glass.

AP Photo/Michael Dwyer

Nate Robinson hit Boston’s only two three-pointers of the game, finishing with 12 points.

The Celtics needed every bit of help from their bench too.  Ray Allen had a few important hoops in the fourth quarter, but shot just 4-11 for the game and did not make a three-pointer, amazingly for the third time this series. Kevin Garnett was 5-13 from the floor for 13 points, and Rondo was 5-15.  Worse than Rondo’s shooting, he managed only three assists, his lowest total during this year’s playoffs.

In addition to Boston’s bench, the major key for the Celtics was rebounding.  Boston was hammered on the glass in Game One (42-31), and throughout the series, whichever team had the rebounding advantage won the game.

For Game Four, Boston out-rebounded the Lakers 41-34 and doubled-up L.A. 16-8 in offensive rebounds.

The Lakers were led by Bryant’s 33 points, on 10-22 shooting, 6-11 from three.  As deadly as Bryant can be shooting threes, I would rather see him taking jumpers from beyond the arc than creating havoc (and Boston foul trouble) driving to the hoop.  We saw attacking Kobe in Game One, but since then, he has been mostly a jump shooter.

Bryant shooting jumpers can definitely win a game and the series.  But with as good as he is, you have to pick your poison, and I imagine Boston would prefer to see Kobe taking contested jump shots, then watching him play how he played in Game One.

Pau Gasol had 21 points, but only six rebounds.  Gasol was aggressive in the first half, getting to the line eight times, but managed only two free throws attempts in the second half.

Tons of questions remain for Game Five.  Despite the win, Ray Allen missed all of his three pointers, and outside the first half of Game Two, he is shooting 1-17 from three in the series.  After 25 points in Game Three, the Celtics went away from going to Garnett in the post.  Paul Pierce had his most effective game of the series, but Boston cannot afford to have him disappear for quarters as he did in Game Four at times.

AP Photo/Michael Dwyer

Rondo has looked far from one of the game’s top point guards in three of the four games, and accordingly, the Celtic offense has struggled during those times.  In the fourth quarter of Game Four, Doc Rivers turned the offense over to Nate Robinson, and it got the Celtics going.  Boston had just 60 points through three quarters, but scored 36 in the fourth, most of which came with Robinson at the point.

For the Lakers, the primary question is Andrew Bynum’s health.  Bynum played just 12 minutes after re-injuring his knee.  He tried to give it a go, but was basically unable to.  With Bynum out, a Lakers strength, namely depth in the front court with Odom coming off the bench, becomes a weakness, as it forces Odom and Gasol to basically have to play the entire time.

With the series tied 2-2, the Celtics will get to take advantage of a major benefit of the 2-3-2 format for the lower-seeded team.  Unlike what would have happened in the earlier rounds, Boston will get to play pivotal Game Five on its home court, with the game taking place Sunday night.

Boston would be well-suited to view Sunday night as a must-win, because win or lose, the benefit of 2-3-2 will then shift to the Lakers, as the remainder of the series will then be played in Los Angeles.

After a disappointing Game One, the Celtics got just that in Game Two, beating the Lakers 103-94 to even the series.  The Finals now shift to Boston for the next three games, starting with Game Three on Tuesday night.

AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

Reason number one for the Celtics win was Ray Allen.  He set an NBA Finals record with seven made three pointers in the first half and eight for the game, finishing 8-11 from three for 32 points.

In the first half, Allen carried the Celtics offense, with 27 of Boston’s 54 points.  He got started with 10 points in the first quarter.  Then in the second, Allen knocked down five three pointers, and had 17 of Boston’s 25 points.

For the first half, Allen shot 9-14 (64.2 FG%) while the rest of the Celtics were just 8-25 (32.0 FG%).

Boston would lead by as many as 14 points in the first half, 47-33, with five minutes left.  When Kendrick Perkins made two free throws, Boston led 54-41 with two minutes to play.

The Lakers, though, quickly got back in the game, finishing the half on a 7-0 run, highlighted by Kobe Bryant’s steal and three pointer right before halftime.

In the third, the Lakers picked up where they left off, with a 9-2 run.  Pau Gasol (25 points, 8 rebounds) made a jumper at 10:02 to reclaim the lead for the Lakers, 57-56.

There would be five more lead changes in the third quarter, and the game went into the fourth tied 72-72.

L.A. appeared to be taking control of the game in the quarter too.  Bryant hit a jump shot with a little over five minutes left to put the Lakers on top 90-87.

Now it was time for Boston’s number two star, Rajon Rondo, to step forward.  Boston outscored L.A. from that point on 16-4, with Rondo scoring eight of those points.

He had a drive to bring Boston within one, 90-89.  Then his basket with 3:18 left, the game’s 18th and final lead change, put Boston on top for good 91-90.

Rondo was not finished. After Kevin Garnett had his only made field goal of the second half, Rondo knocked down a jump shot for a five-point lead, 95-90, with less than two minutes to play.

AP Photo/Chris Carlson

Rondo finished the game with his second triple-double of the playoffs, with 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists, scoring 13 of his points in the second half.

Boston in many ways looked like a completely different team in Game Two. The defense was back, limiting the Lakers to 40-percent shooting.

Bryant basically was able to do whatever he wanted in Game One, but the Celtics made him earn everything in Game Two.  He was never able to really get on track, finishing with just 21 points on 8-20 shooting.

After being abused on the boards in Game One by L.A., in particular Gasol, the Celtics out-rebounded L.A. in Game Two 44-39, and 13-10 in offensive rebounds.

Also, Boston had 10 turnovers at halftime, eight in the second quarter alone.  But the Celtics took care of the ball much better in the second half, with only two turnovers.

The unsung hero for the Celtics was the play of Nate Robinson specifically, and the bench play in general.  As the third quarter wound down, Rondo was clearly out of gas, as he had played the entire game to that point.

Robinson started the fourth quarter, and scored seven straight points in a three-minute stretch.  Had Robinson not played well, Doc Rivers would have had to put a tired Rondo back out there quickly.  But due to Robinson’s play, Rondo got enough rest, and was able to carry the Celtics down the stretch.

As for the other bench players, they all contributed at different points (with the exception of Shelden Williams, who we likely will not be seeing again).  Rasheed Wallace had seven points and seven rebounds, Glen Davis had eight points and seven boards, including a pair of important hoops early in the fourth.

Tony Allen only had two points, but gave Boston some good minutes, including a big steal that led to a fast-break layup for Robinson in the fourth quarter.

AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

While Boston did look better in many ways, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce continued not to play well.  Garnett was terrible most of the night, and in foul trouble essentially throughout, and Pierce was actually worse. They shot a combined 4-16 with only eight rebounds.  Garnett noticeably had trouble grabbing any rebound in traffic and Pierce struggled the entire night on offense.

In the third quarter, even with Allen setting shooting records, Pierce forced the offense, shooting just 2-8, while Allen managed only two shots in the third quarter.

Garnett did chip in six assists and had an important basket to put Boston ahead 93-90, and Pierce had a few good moments on defense.  But, they were both rescued by their teammates, and the Celtics will need a better effort from both when the series resumes on Tuesday night.

It went downhill from there.  And fast.

Derek Fisher knocked down a jumper to tie the score and Boston would never regain the lead, as the Lakers coasted to a 102-90 victory.

Boston did tie the score at 18 after a quick 5-0 run.  But L.A. would pull away from there, and with less than a minute to go in the first half, the Lakers had their first double-digit advantage, 48-37.

The Celtics never got within eight points the rest of the way, and trailed by as many as 20 points.  The Lakers put the game away in the third quarter, outscoring the Celtics 34-23.  Kobe Bryant had 14 of his game-high 30 points in the third.

AP Photo/Ronald Martinez, Pool

In addition to Bryant, Pau Gasol powered the Laker attack with 23 points and 14 rebounds.  Most impressive from Gasol were his 8 offensive rebounds, or one more than total combined rebounds between Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins.

The game for Boston was reminiscent of the regular season woes the Celtics displayed.  They were dominated on the glass, out-rebounded 42-31. At one point, L.A. enjoyed a 34-17 rebounding advantage.

The Lakers crashed the boards on every miss and it appeared as if Boston was completely unable of grabbing simple rebounds.

The Celtics also had 13 turnovers, which is not a terribly high number, but the turnovers were mostly the product of careless plays.  There was Rasheed Wallace getting a rebound and basically just throwing the ball out of bounds in a feeble attempt to give the ball to Nate Robinson.

There was also Kevin Garnett trying to throw an outlet pass to Ray Allen at mid-court, but air-mailing it well over Allen’s head into the stands.  Here is some advice for Garnett – when you get a rebounds, give it to #9.  He is pretty good.

The play of Garnett has to worry Celtics fans.  He looked slow and old, a replica of the Garnett that was a non-factor on the boards and on defense too many nights during the regular season.  He did have 16 points on 7-16 shooting, but just four rebounds.

For a perfect snapshot of just how bad things went for the Celtics and Garnett, look to the fourth quarter. Hanging around, Boston was down 13 points with under six minutes to play.  Not quite anything to make the Lakers nervous, but definitely close enough for possibly a late charge.

AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

Rondo found Garnett wide open under the hoop for an easy dunk.  K.G. doesn’t dunk it, however.  He looses control of the ball on his way up and then gets blocked by the underside of the rim – an embarrassing outcome for someone in youth league, let alone the 6’11 Garnett.

It wasn’t over.  Because he was so wide open, he easily collected his own rebound.  Then in Charles Smith-ian fashion, he missed a second shot at point blank range.

The Lakers then raced up court with Lamar Odom making a jumper to officially put an end to any thought of a Celtics let-game comeback.

Garnett was far from the only one who struggled for Boston.

Ray Allen, plagued by foul trouble all night, shot just 3-8 and did not knock down any three pointers.  He made 22 three pointers in the Finals back in 2008.

Paul Pierce came out aggressive early, with nine first quarter points.  He then went silent for the second and third quarters while the Lakers were taking complete control, making just one field over that span.  He did score 13 in the fourth quarter, but by then, it was too little, too late.

Similar to Pierce, Rondo did have his moments (13 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds), but had long stretches where he was a non-factor.

The questions going forward are simple: was this just a bad game from Boston, similar to ones we saw in Game Five against Orlando and Game Three against Cleveland?  Or, did the Lakers easily win Game One, a game where Bryant scored just four fourth quarter points yet Boston not got within 11, because L.A. is simply that much of a better team?

I honestly have no idea.  Certainly the Celtics can’t play any worse.  But at the same time, the Lakers were never threatened in this game, so they have plenty of room for error.

AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

The fate of the series going forward will fall on the Big Three.  Did Garnett just have a bad night that he will put behind him, or is his gas tank on empty?  Will Ray Allen find his stroke the rest of the way or will guarding Bryant keep Allen in foul trouble? And if that is the case, the Celtics should strongly consider putting Pierce on Bryant.

Pierce showed he can score on Ron Artest, a concern entering the series.  But he also has to realize that he can’t wait until the fourth quarter to take over the Boston offense.

The Lakers outhustled the Celtics in Game One, were better defensively, and had an answer any time Boston made any sort of short-lived run.  Bryant and Gasol shot a combined 18-36 for 53 points.  And Phil Jackson has never lost a playoff series when winning Game One.

Boston will have to overcome all of that to not only win Game Two, but to have any chance at winning the series.  It won’t be easy, but the postseason has proven that we can never count these Celtics out.  Just know that if things do not get better very quickly, the Lakers may be one hurdle that Boston will not be able to get over.

On the other side, LeBron James, with his seventh season in the league long since completed, will give an interview on Friday night.  He will say nothing of news, nothing of note, but accomplish his goal of stirring the pot and keeping the story going.

At least James will accomplish something this season.  He sure is newsworthy.  Too bad he is not newsworthy for winning—only his lack of.

The news story this week has been the reported superstar free agent summit that is going to take place between James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Joe Johnson, and possibly Amare Stoudemire.

AP Photo/Mark Duncan

For the others involved, I don’t really see a problem. Wade has a ring, and Johnson, Bosh, and Stoudemire are not good enough to be the best player on a championship team.  They all need to team with a Wade or a James.

For LeBron, however, it just speaks volumes to his lack of understanding of what it really takes to win.  He says his priority is winning a championship.  That may be true. But he has no idea how to do it and does not seem to want to put in the real work necessary to achieve greatness.

He thinks he is great already.   And he is… to some extent.

But he wants to be the greatest and through this summit, he is seeking some sort of short cut to immortality.  All players need help to win a title, but the starting point for James needs to be himself and not trying to piece together the best package deal possible.

I just can’t see Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan taking a step where they were hitching their wagons to another superstar in order to win.  Certainly neither won alone, but others came to them. As great as Shaq was, it was him coming to the Lakers, not Bryant chasing down another star to try to win a championship.

James has the tools to win a championship and can do so wherever he goes, with or without Wade, Bosh, Johnson, or Stoudemire.  Spend the time this summer, not talking to Larry King or other free agents, but developing a mid-range game so, like Bryant (even like Paul Pierce), you can score from any point on the floor.

Want to win a championship, LeBron? Find a post-up game so that someone like Tony Allen can’t guard you for extended minutes.  James with a post-up game to speak of would be a nightmare for opposing defenses in a half-court set.

That is what I would want to see out of someone who wants to be the best.

One last point on James—back in 2007, Alex Rodriguez was universally criticized for announcing his new contract with the Yankees during the World Series.  How dare he try to upstage the sport’s marquee event!

Isn’t LeBron doing the same thing now with his first interview—where he will again say nothing new—taking place on the day after Game One of the NBA Finals?

Anyway, enough about a guy who did not even make it out of the second round.

Here are five questions for the 2010 Finals.

Is a team OPPOSING Ron Artest really considered the brute?

1. Will Ron Artest get inside Paul Pierce’s head?

From all the games I have watched Paul Pierce play, I cannot think of anyone who has done a consistently better job against Pierce than Artest.  I also cannot think of anyone who has done a better job of getting inside Pierce’s head and taking Pierce off of his game.

This series represents the third time in the playoffs Pierce and Artest have gone against each other.  In 2003, Pierce led the Celtics to a 4-2 series win over Artest’s Pacers in the opening round. Pierce did average 25.8 points, but shot just 38.8 percent.

A year later, Artest helped Indiana to a sweep of Boston, and limited Pierce to 20 points per game on only 34 percent shooting.  That included Game Three of that series when Pierce shot 4-17 for a mere nine points.

While those series were several years ago, Artest still has the ability to lock Pierce down.  In the regular season this year, Artest limited Pierce to only 13 points per game.

The good thing for Boston is Pierce does not have to be great for the Celtics to win, like was the case back in 2003 and 2004.  But Pierce will have to have his moments, most notably during crunch time.

2. Will Kevin Garnett be able to shut down another power forward (or perhaps two power forwards)?

AP Photo/Charles Krupa

Garnett’s defense on Michael Beasley, Antawn Jamison, and Rashard Lewis has been one of the more underrated aspects of the playoffs.  But he will have his toughest challenge against Pau Gasol, and also against Lamar Odom.

Beasley, Jamison, and Lewis are all good offensive players, but they are also not traditional power forwards.  They don’t really post up and they don’t crash the boards.  Both Gasol and Odom can do that.  Garnett has to limit their offensive rebounds and be able to handle them one-on-one in the post.

With Kobe Bryant on the court, the Celtics absolutely will not be able to win the series if they have to be double-teaming Gasol, or if Odom is routinely putting up big offensive rebounding numbers.

PERK!!! WATCH YOUR MOUTH!

3.  Can Kendrick Perkins NOT get a technical?

By now, we all know Perk will be suspended for one game with just another technical foul.  Through three series, he has six, which for a math wizard like myself, means two per series.

Against the Lakers, with talent in the frontcourt of Gasol, Odom, and Andruw Bynum, the Celtics can’t afford to be without Perkins for a game.

And of course as each game goes on, the pressure not to pick up the seventh technical will only grow.  If he misses a game early in the series, perhaps Boston can overcome it.  But disaster could easily strike if Perkins was to get the seventh technical in Game Five or Six, and suddenly, Boston’s starting center has to miss perhaps the most important game of the season.

4.  If this were a pick-up game, in what order would the teams be picked?

On Mike & Mike in the Morning today, Greenberg and Golic discussed the depth of each team and where the players would be picked if the Lakers and Celtics were just in a gym, and two teams needed to be chosen.  Here is the order I would pick the teams:

1. Kobe Bryant. 2. Rajon Rondo. 3. Paul Pierce. 4. Pau Gasol.  5. Kevin Garnett. 6. Ray Allen.  7. Lamar Odom. 8. Ron Artest. 9. Andruw Bynum. 10. Derek Fisher. 11. Kendrick Perkins. 12. Rasheed Wallace. 13. Glen Davis. 14. Tony Allen. 15. Shannon Brown. 16. Jordan Farmar.

AP Photo/Elise Amendola

5.  Can Rajon Rondo succeed where Steve Nash and Deron Williams failed?

With his play in the playoffs, Rondo has positioned himself right alongside Nash and Williams (and Chris Paul) as one of the top point guards in the league.

Nash (18 points, 12 assists) and Williams (22 points, 9 assists) each put up good numbers against the Lakers.  But the NBA is about winning, and it will be another reason to support the Rondo for Best Point Guard in the NBA argument if Rajon can put together another great series and lead Boston to the title.

Back in 2008, the Celtics were able to defeat the Lakers with Rondo not having much of an impact on the first five games.  During that span, Rondo averaged only seven points and six assists, playing just 26 minutes per game (and only 18 minutes per game in the three games in L.A.).

Rondo then exploded in Game Six, as it was his setting the pace at both ends that sparked Boston to the easy victory.  He had 21 points, eight assists, seven rebounds, and six steals that night.  The Celtics need those types of performances out of Rondo throughout this series.

That lesson was hammered home when the Celtics defeated LeBron James and the Cavaliers in the previous round.

And in case anyone forgot, they were reminded again in Game Six between Boston and Orlando, as the Celtics defeated the Magic 96-84.  The win avenges Boston’s loss to the Magic in last year’s playoffs, and advances the Celtics to the NBA Finals for the 21st time in franchise history and second time in three years.

AP Photo/Charles Krupa

Dwight Howard was great for the Magic with 28 points and 12 rebounds, shooting 64 percent from the floor (11-17).  His teammates, however, shot just 36 percent (20-55).  Other than a brief spurt from Vince Carter near the end of the first half, no one else on the Magic offered Howard much assistance.

For the Celtics, it was a different player stepping up at various times on the offensive end combined with a team effort on the defensive end that propelled them to the victory.

Boston came out strong and led 30-19 after one quarter.  Rajon Rondo was quiet in the Game Four and Five losses, being outplayed by Magic point guard Jameer Nelson in both games.  From the start, Rondo made it obvious that would not happen again.  He pushed the tempo the entire quarter and had 12 points in the first 12 minutes.

But, Boston fans did not care about Rondo’s 12 points or the 11-point lead after one quarter. They were all worried about Rondo, who took a hard fall on a drive to the hoop in the final minutes of the quarter.

Boston had not had a back-up point guard make any contribution all playoffs.  The Celtics were no doubt in trouble if Rondo was significantly hampered from the fall, or even worse if he could not return at all.

To quote Lee Corso, “Not so fast.”

We all heard for weeks that Doc Rivers believed Nate Robinson would win a game for the Celtics at some point.  No one believed him.  But Rivers turned out to be dead on and Game Six was Robinson’s chance.

AP Photo/Winslow Townson

He took full advantage.  After not even playing in eight of Boston’s previous 16 playoff games, he was the primary reason Boston pushed the lead to as many as 21 points.

Robinson had 13 of Boston’s 25 second quarter points.  He started things off with a pair of three pointers, then hit his free throws, and knocked down a couple of jumpers.  Robinson even attempted to attack the rim over Howard, getting fouled in the attempt.

Robinson joins fellow Celtic bench players Rasheed Wallace, Tony Allen, and Glen Davis as having his moment in the playoffs where his play was crucial to a Celtics victory.

The Magic, however, crawled back in to the game before the end of the half and trailed just 55-42 at the break.  Considering how things were going at one point, Orlando had to be very happy to be down just 13.

In the third quarter though, the Celtics quickly put out any hopes the Magic may have had with an 11-2 run to start the quarter.  Kevin Garnett hit a jump shot.  Then, after a Dwight Howard hoop, Ray Allen hit back-to-back three pointers and Paul Pierce would hit a third straight three for the Celtics.

The Big Three in fact scored all of Boston’s points in the third quarter – Pierce had 11, Allen 10, and Garnett six.

Boston led 82-61 entering the fourth quarter and Pierce then took the Celtics home.  He opened the quarter with a three pointer.  Orlando tried to stay in the game with a quick 7-0 run.  Pierce though, would have none of that, hitting yet another three.

And after J.J. Redick hit a three for Orlando, to cut Boston’s lead to 14, Pierce responded with another jumper.

The Celtics’ captain finished with 31 points, 19 coming in the second half, with 13 rebounds, five assists, and two steals.  It was Pierce’s second 30-point game of the series and third of the playoffs, after reaching 30 points just once in the regular season.  Pierce is also just the fourth player in the last 30 years to have at least 30 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in the clinching game of a conference finals (Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone, and Kareem Abdul-Jabar are the other three).

AP Photo/Charles Krupa

Boston put five players in double figures (Pierce, Allen, Garnett, Robinson, Rondo).  It was the point guard play that sparked Boston in the first half, with Rondo and Robinson combining for 25 points.  In the second half, Pierce and Allen stepped up, scoring 31 of the team’s 41 points after the break.

For the Celtics, they become just the sixth team in NBA history to reach the finals when seeded four or lower.  Of the previous five teams to do so, only the 1995 Houston Rockets would win the championship.

After losing two games in a row, Boston fans everywhere collectively exhaled with the win, as the fear set in everywhere that the Celtics would repeat what just happened to the Bruins by blowing a 3-0 lead.

But as was perfectly written on twitter by @CelticsBlog, “I know the Boston Bruins, and you Celtics are no Boston Bruins!”

The Celtics will now get to sit back, see how the Lakers-Suns series wraps up, and rest up for the finals to begin next Thursday.  After a pair of very physical series, Boston no doubt needs this break.

Regardless of who the opponent is, the Celtics will be a confident team, having knocked off in consecutive series the teams with the top two records in the league during the regular season.  The Celtics will also be a team hoping that ESPN’s experts continue to pick against them.  They did in each of the last two series.

Please do so again.

Follow Stew Winkel on Twitter @stew_winkel