The Celtics weren’t able to assert …

The Celtics weren’t able to assert themselves and play the tough, physical game they needed to neutralize the Lakers speed. Ainge recalls going to practice with Kevin McHale the next day and McHale saying the Celtics needed to get tough, and someone needed to take a hard foul. “I said ‘Kevin, I get booed in every arena because I take hard fouls,’” Ainge said. “I said ‘why don’t you foul somebody hard one time?’”