Another opponent held to under 100 points. Another win for Paul Pierce and the Boston Celtics.

And just like that, the NBA Finals are tied 1-1.

The Truth had 10 points, four rebounds, four assists, one block, and one steal for the Cs in a 103-94 victory over the LA Lakers in Game 2 Sunday night at the Staples Center. The teams head to Boston for Games 3, 4 and 5.

"I knew we would play better basketball. I knew we would come in here with a better effort defensively," No. 34 said told the Boston Globe. "As long as we have other guys stepping up, we give ourselves a chance. I am not going to force the issue with my offense. I don’t have a big burden on my team as Kobe does. When I am not making buckets, I try to do other things."

Though his numbers haven't jumped off the page in this series so far, the Captain isn't too worried because of the players around him, as he told WEEI's Jessica Camarato:

"I think I struggled offensively, I think I rushed a lot," Pierce said following the Celtics Game 2 win over the Lakers. "I don’t think it was too much about what Ron (Artest) did (defensively). I had about three or four open shots off the pick-and-roll that guys got me open that I missed. I loved the looks I got tonight. I’m happy with that, but at the same time I’m not going to force the issue on my offense."

The odds were stacked against the Celtics entering Game 2. Boston was looking to split the first two games in LA, a lofty task, especially since the Lakers had been perfect on their home court this postseason. But a team first mentality was key to success at the Staples Center.

Paul and Boston battled to get their Game 2 victory (Getty Images).

As the Boston Globe described:

"On a night when they had almost everything working against them, the Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 103-94, last night at Staples Center, squaring the NBA Finals at one game apiece. It’s pretty impressive when you can make Rocky quit early and go home. Sylvester Stallone abandoned his $9,000 courtside seat with 33 seconds remaining.

The Celtics got only four baskets from Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. Four Boston players had four fouls after three quarters. The Lakers had home-court advantage, a 3-point lead with 5:21 left, and the NBA’s most potent closing weapon in the person of Kobe Bryant.

Against all those odds, the Celtics prevailed. The Celtics held the Lakers to 41 percent shooting. They held foul-plagued Kobe to a pedestrian 21. Boston got big performances from bench guys Glen Davis, Rasheed Wallace, and Nate Robinson. Rivers spanked Zen master Phil Jackson."

YOUR TURN
With four players that can score in the 20s on any given night, there is no room for selfishness in the Boston offense. On Sunday, the Celtics were successful behind Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo as their other two stars, Paul and Kevin Garnett happily watched in wonder.

"Offensively, we got Ray [Allen] and Rajon [Rondo] so, me and Kevin might not really be shooting the ball well, but at least the other guys are stepping up," Paul said.

Allen took over the game early, draining seven of seven three-pointers in the first half to set an NBA record for a half of a Finals game. Allen later set the record for threes in a Finals game with eight. He finished with 32 points in the victory.

"He was unbelievable. He just looked like a basketball player who was, somebody took his ball last game and he couldn’t play," No. 34 said. "He just came out here, they gave him a chance to play, and shot lights out. You could tell he was frustrated from the last game because of the foul trouble. He wanted to go out there and prove something tonight. I think he really showed us that Ray Allen is a future hall of famer and one of the greatest shooters to ever play."

While Allen took the lead early, it was Rondo running the show late. The young point guard finished with a triple double: 19 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists.

"He was big. That’s the key for us," the Truth said of Rondo. "If we can get stops and get Rondo out in transition, that’s big for us. He did everything tonight – he rebounded, passed, he controlled the tempo – and that’s how we’ve got to play. Get the ball in his hands and let him make things happen."

SMART GUYS
Boston endured thanks to smart basketball. They limited their turnovers and grabbed extra rebounds, prolonging possessions and gaining second shot opportunities. It was those qualities that they lacked for all of Game 1, and they almost let the same behavior doom them in Game 2.

"We kept saying that if we don’t turn the ball over [and if] we rebound, we give ourselves the best chance," Paul told reporters after the game. "I thought we played well in the first half for the most part, but then [in those] last three minutes [it was] turnover, turnover … and we didn’t get those loose balls and they were able to get back in the game.

"We were up 13; we thought we should have been up 16 or 17, but because of all those turnovers … they cost you. Against the Lakers you can’t turn over the ball. They’re really good in transition … we have to have better second and third quarters, keep our turnovers down, and that’ll be the key to the series."

Even if No. 34 seemed to have an off-night shooting, he more than made up for it with a strong defensive game on LA's Ron Artest. Artest missed nine of his 10 shots, five of six three-pointers, and five of his eight free throws, being held to just six points. The veteran forward was out of sorts all night, as the LA Times wrote:

"Artest had three turnovers, one coming at a key moment in the game.

Pau Gasol had posted up on the left block. Artest had the ball on the wing. Instead of getting the ball inside, Artest threw a bad pass, the ball going out of bounds with 2:59 left and the Lakers trailing, 91-90."

Even Lakers coach Phil Jackson gave the upper hand to Paul, as he told the the LA Times:

"Ron played one of those flip-flop games tonight, a little bit different," Jackson said. "It wasn't the best battle out there. But obviously Paul's team won, and that's the difference."

Overall, The Truth was happy with the team effort produced in Game 2 and hopes to see it carry over to Game 3, telling the Boston Herald:

"We just went out there and played Celtic basketball for the most part," said Paul Pierce. "That’s the team I recognize today. It’s a big win, but then again it’s only one game. We’re happy with the way we competed. We wish we would have came out Game 1 a little more competitive, but this is the type of game we like to play and we got the job done."

LONG STRANGE TRIP
In a must read piece for the Boston Herald, Steve Bulpett delves into Paul's relationship to the Lakers and the city of LA. From growing up as a Lakers fan in Inglewood to becoming one of the most lustily booed visiting players at Staples Center, it's been quite a journey for the Truth, as Bulpett writes:

"Pierce’s family and friends remained on his side once he slid into enemy armor -- though Pierce jokes that he wonders about some of them. For other athletes in similar situations, it is to be expected that the home team gets preference over the native son (see: Mike Pagliarulo of Medford as Yankees third baseman, late 1980s). But the shots Pierce takes from his hometown folk are something beyond.

He gets the SoCal Celtic enmity, but, hey, lighten up just a little.

He’s one of you.

"It does hurt a little bit, man," Pierce acknowledged after some thought last week. "You know, you want to be able to walk around here in your hometown and not have to worry about people saying bad stuff to you. Because that’s what you get when you’re a Boston Celtic. That’s what I get. You know, you get people really mad at you just because you play for a different team. And it does hurt a little bit."

Pierce wants most badly to rationalize it into a badge of honor for the success he and his Shamrock forefathers have had against the Lakers.

"It’s hard to imagine what it would be like when you get in this type of position," he said. "But in this case, you’re dealing with one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports. You’ve got to kind of expect the flak you get out here from people, regardless of whether you’re from here or not. When we won the championship and I came back home, it was like everywhere I went, people hated me. People didn’t want to see me out in town. And then last year when the Lakers won, I really didn’t go anywhere. I didn’t want people to see me. You know? I didn’t want to hear it."

To read the entire piece by Bulpett, click here.

NEXT UP
Monday is a travel day as Paul and the Cs head back to Boston for the next three games, suddenly in command of the series. But don’t think they're taking their opportunity for granted.

"We took home court, so we’ve got a chance to play three games [at home]," The Truth told reporters after Game 2. "But, I told ya’ll yesterday that doesn’t guarantee we’re going to win the games because we’re at home. We’ve got to go out there and play the game. They’re going to be coming into our house and we can’t assume anything – we can’t take it for granted. So we’ll take it one game at a time. But it’s a big game today, and I’m glad to go home."

The Celtics have the chance to take the lead in a pivotal Game 3 on Tuesday night at the TD Garden. Tip-off is scheduled for 9 p.m. EST and can be seen on ABC.

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