With all the referee scandals going on and the alleged fixed games from the 2002 and 2005 playoffs, it makes you wonder even more how 'home court advantage' plays into this whole thing and the corporate NBA in shaping the outcomes of games and series.  38-10 free throw advantage for Boston in game 2?  Lakers win in game 3 despite getting poor production from Gasol and Odom in games 2 and 3?  More annoying Lakers flags hanging from cars when weeks ago didn't even exist?

All these conspiracy theories aside, the Lakers don't look as dominate as I once thought they were before the playoffs even started.  Odom and Gasol look clutch-challenged as they've been accused of in the past.  But it didn't matter because Kobe put all 20,000 + fans and Odom and Gasol on his back -- thanks to some love from those referees -- fading, shaking, and shimmying away from defenders like an older, wiser 3, 4, 5 rings deep Jordan.  He needs more help against the Boston 3 party; Vujacic and Walton need to turn into Michael Cooper and Byron Scott or at least Brian Shaw and Rick Fox.

Predictions:

* Kobe goes Jordan and gets 47 points

* 3 highlight worthy moves from Kobe that we'll be seeing years and years and years from now on ESPN 2 and ESPN classic.

* KG matches Gasol's clutchness.