LOS ANGELES -- A three-pointer, a dunk, a free throw, whatever, it didn't matter. No matter who scored or how, the Los Angeles Lakers were down one against the Boston Celtics.
The score that matters most whenever the Lakers play the Celtics this season, at least in terms of their rivalry, is 18-17. Boston took that lead last June when they added another championship to their history, nudging them ahead of the Lakers for the most ever and doing it with a roster far more equipped to build on that lead while the Lakers work against a loudly ticking clock.
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