Hollywood Illusions.

From Mike Kahn, FOX Sports:

     This was the game that reminded everybody that the Lakers aren't the great team the Hollywood hopefuls profess them to be without 20-year-old center Andrew Bynum, out since January with a knee injury.

     Their potent interior duo of Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom looked like ghosts wandering aimlessly in the shadow of Celtics superstar Kevin Garnett, whose 13 rebounds only told part of his dominance inside as Gasol and Odom combined for 14 boards. Even with their own young starting center, Kendrick Perkins, knocked out of the game midway through the third quarter with a sprained ankle, the Celtics still outrebounded the Lakers 46-33 and seemingly frightened them away from the glass.

     Heck, P.J. Brown, coaxed out of retirement as he approaches his 39th birthday, was an intimidating force with six rebounds and a block to offset the loss of Perkins in the second half. And broken-down point guard Sam Cassell, also staring 39 in the face, came off the bench for an offensive infusion in the first half that gave the Celtics confidence when they sagged.

     Even more vital in this beatdown was 22-year-old point guard Rajon Rondo with 15 points, seven assists and five rebounds, getting the edge on every loose ball, getting into the lane to create open looks for teammates and just creating general havoc with his aggressiveness.

     This was a classic example of the physical game of the Eastern Conference overwhelming the fast-breaking, please-don't-touch-me style of the West. The physical nature of the Celtics defense made Paul Pierce and Ray Allen even look significantly tougher, and Pierce was hobbled with a knee sprain of uncertain degree just before Perkins went out in the third quarter. Still not quite right with his gorgeous jumper, Allen battled through it with eight rebounds and five assists to go with his 19 points, clicking along with the mantra from coach Doc Rivers of just doing whatever it takes to win.

     Most of all, it was approach.

     While so many people are staring at the 9-of-26 shooting from Kobe Bryant as gunning, the fact of the matter is he couldn't get open looks while others just looked plain scared to shoot. Yes, it was about great defense from the Celtics. The other reason was if somebody, anybody, on the Lakers would have set a solid screen instead of rolling before the defender got there, Bryant might have had a chance to get into a shooting rhythm at some point.

     Gasol didn't even have a rebound in the first half, and Odom — when on those rare occasions he did go to the rim — went gently into the night. On one second-half drive when he got fouled, he seemed so badly shaken after the hit that neither free throw came close to going in. Instead of going to the rim hard, he would defer to a soft reverse layup.

     And about that great Lakers bench ... that youthful exuberance the Lakers faithful has been crowing about en route to a 12-3 record in the postseason until Thursday? Those guys evaporated in the wake of stage fright in this generation's Boston Garden, now sponsored by a bank. Sasha Vujacic made a positive impact and played hard, but Luke Walton, Ronny Turiaf and Jordan Farmar looked as if they accidentally showed up from the local "Y" and were shocked to see NBA players in Celtics green.