Set sail tonight, around 9:00 pm EDT (6:00 Pacific), for another smoothed-out BDL Live Blog. Featuring J.E. Skeets, Matt Moore from Hardwood Paroxysm, Trey from the Blowtorch, and yours truly ...

Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers, Game 3

Not even for a second am I willing to believe that the Los Angeles Lakers are in any sort of trouble heading into Game 3.

I willingly concede that anything can happen tonight that would lead toward most right-thinking individuals shoveling dirt on the Laker camp, an 0-3 deficit is still an 0-3 deficit regardless of the combatants, but a fluke would have to rear its ugly head.

Somebody important would have to sprain an ankle, somebody would have to pick up their third foul early in the second quarter and their fourth early in the third, and something would have to go against societal norms. It happens, but it is also a fluke when it does happen.

And I also say this knowing that I've had to slap myself in the face almost daily in the minutes since the Boston Celtics ended their first round series with the Atlanta Hawks on May 4^th. Telling myself, "you moron, this is a 66-win team," reminding myself and anyone who would listen that Boston essentially took March and April off, and needed to get its sea legs at the outset of the postseason.

That said, they'll be in Los Angeles for the next three games, and while I think the team's road issues have been overblown, it likely won't be enough to overcome the expected sound play from the Laker role players.

There's also something to be said about the comfort level that purports to aid in the play of the team's more prominent members, even if Pau Gasol didn't become a Laker until last February, even as Derek Fisher wasn't on the team last year, and even though Lamar Odom has never seemed comfortable in his own skin.

This isn't to say that the Lakers shouldn't be worried, or that they can't lose the series, even this week. The team's defense needs to round into shape, desperately, the team's offensive philosophy (and overall patience) needs a major shakeup, and somebody needs to find Paul Pierce in transition.

But this will be a series. It has to be, right?

Related: Game to pay attention to