Lakers' Jackson amused by Pierce's 'guarantee'

BOSTON - In the 2008 Finals between the Lakers and Celtics, Paul Pierce had somewhat of a Willis Reed moment in Game 1 when he returned after what appeared to be a debilitating injury to lead Boston to the win and eventually the championship. This time around Pierce may draw comparisons closer to Patrick Ewing.

So goes the danger of the playoff guarantee.

It was in the closing moments of the Celtics' win over the Lakers in Game 2 Sunday night in Los Angeles when Pierce shouted to the Staples Center crowd "We ain't comin' back to L.A.!"

It was picked up by a courtside microphone and, of course by reporters. It immediately went from an ebullient moment of in-game bravado to one of those infamous playoff guarantees. And it was a topic of conversation before last night's Game 3 here at TD Garden.

Derek Fisher stared blankly when presented with Pierce's comment during the Lakers' two-hour shootaround. He never uttered a reply.

Phil Jackson seemed amused by it.

"We're going to have to make him a liar" Jackson said with a smile.

Then he considered the situation: With the series tied at 1, the Lakers could win the championship in Game 5 on Sunday.

"We could end it here," Jackson said. "That's right. He might be right with that."

The NBA went to the 2-3-2 series format for the Finals in 1985 and since then 10 series have previously been tied at 1. The winner of Game 3 has gone on to win the series each time.

Pierce never actually made the proclamation to reporters or in an interview setting. It wasn't like past guarantees, such as when Pat Riley, as coach of the Lakers, stood at the podium after the championship parade in 1987 and guaranteed a repeat.

There was also Julius Erving in 1984 with the defending champion 76ers, who fell behind the Nets, 2-0, in the best-of-five first round series, but then won both games in New Jersey to send the series back to Philadelphia for a deciding Game 5. Erving guaranteed a win, but the Nets came away with a 101-98 upset.

Of course, in New York there is Ewing's legacy. He seemed to guarantee a championship every year with the Knicks only to fall short. Last season, Ewing's penchant for guarantees finally came through when, as assistant coach of the Orlando Magic, he guaranteed a Game 7 win over the Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals. "Even though I'm not playing," Ewing told a radio station in Washington D.C., "I'm guaranteeing a win."

Rivers found that one amusing. "We feel great about that," he said at the time. "I've been on those Knicks teams where he had some predictions."

Notes & quotes: Nate Robinson's positive minutes off the bench spelling Rajon Rondo not only in Game 2 but in other critical moments of this Celtics run have changed the erratic former Knicks image somewhat. But when asked if he thinks Robinson seems "calmer" Rivers couldn't go that far. "I don't know if calm and Nate will ever go together, I will say that," Rivers said. "Really we're just using him where we think he can be successful."