NBA Finals notebook: Despite off night in opener, Celtics insist Garnett is OK

LOS ANGELES — Forget the NBA Finals. Kevin Garnett looked as if he would have struggled in the slam dunk contest.

Yet the Boston Celtics insist there is nothing wrong with their power forward's health.

"I just thought he struggled," coach Doc Rivers said. "He had one of those nights. We all have them. We're just not used to seeing him have them unless there's something wrong. But he's fine, I can guarantee you that."

Garnett certainly didn't look it in Game 1. His 7-of-16 shooting night included a botched layup in the fourth quarter with nobody around, and an attempted dunk of an offensive rebound that was blocked by the front of the rim.

"It happens. I've done that throughout the course of my 12 years. We all miss layups, we all miss shots, you've just got to keep playing," teammate Paul Pierce said.

Garnett's struggles didn't end on offense. He was badly outplayed by counterpart Pau Gasol, who had 23 points and 14 rebounds in the Los Angeles Lakers' 102-89 victory.

Garnett missed last year's playoffs with a knee injury that required surgery, and he's far from the tenacious force who was the Defensive Player of the Year when Boston won the NBA title two years ago.

But don't blame the knee — or any other ailments — for the way he played Thursday.

"No, I just thought honestly he got so hyped up about the game yesterday he almost took himself out," Rivers said. "He was trying to slow himself down. He didn't have a great game. But no, he's fine health-wise and all that."

BROWN'S BOAST: Hard to believe, but the team that dominated Game 1 was supposed to be the underdog in the NBA Finals.

At least, that's what one Lakers player seemed to think.

The way backup guard Shannon Brown made it sound, everyone from the sports books to the sports bars was picking the Boston Celtics in the series.

"Obviously people were calling me, trying to get me hyped, telling me that nobody had us winning and all this, that and another, but you can't pay attention to that," Brown said. "Now, it's a different story."

47 and OH NO: If the Boston Celtics weren't already aware of Phil Jackson's undefeated record when winning Game 1, they are now.

And they seem sick of getting asked about it.

"It's come up several times," guard Ray Allen said. "First thing I heard when I got here the day before yesterday. It has nothing to do with me."

Not five minutes later, he could hardly keep from rolling his eyes after he was asked again if he'd heard the Jackson stat.

"Yeah, I've heard it — 1,000 times," Allen said.

NBA Finals

L.A. Lakers lead series 1-0

Game 1: Lakers 102, Celtics 89

Sunday: at Lakers, 6 p.m.

Tuesday: at Boston, 7 p.m.

June 10: at Boston, 7 p.m.

x-June 13: at Boston, 6 p.m.

x-June 15: at Lakers, 7 p.m.

x-June 17: at Lakers, 7 p.m.

x=if necessary