The Lakers were big winners on this frozen February night, but the biggest winner had to be the NBA schedule-makers. Give those men a raise. Sure, the Lakers ended the Celtics' 19-game winning streak on Christmas. Sure, they ended the Celtics' 12-game winning streak in this one, a game marked by plenty of pushing, plenty of shoving and just enough bad feelings to keep this rivalry burning forever.

"They looked like they'd won the Finals the way they were celebrating," Eddie House said. "It's only Game 51."

Oh, but David Stern will take 51 more of these. Santonio Holmes had barely finished tip-toeing to Super Bowl glory when Kobe Bryant climbed onto the stage at Madison Square Garden on Monday night and poured 61 points on the Knicks.

The fans chanted "MVP, MVP" - something Spike Lee insisted he had never heard poured on an opponent at the Garden. LeBron James must have looked at that with perfect jealousy, and like a dueling diva he went about proving anything Kobe can do, he can do better. Bron Bron hung 52 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists on the Knicks two nights later. The last time somebody had 50 points and a triple-double? Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1975.

Which brought us to the TD Banknorth Garden on Thursday night for more of a most delicious NBA week.

At 8:05, a packed house cheered when the giant video board showed 1984 Finals footage of Kevin McHale clotheslining Kurt Rambis.

And, sure enough, at 8:07, the fans began chanting, "Beat L.A."

Not only did the Celtics fail to beat the Lakers as unmercifully as they did in Game 6 of the 2008 NBA Finals, the last time the Lakers had been in Boston, they didn't beat them at all. There will be plenty of talk about the officiating in a game with its share of tension. Rajon Rondo pushed and Kobe Bryant pointed a finger in his face. Kevin Garnett, who battled the flu and fouled out on a ticky-tack call with just under five minutes left in regulation, exchanged words with Lamar Odom. In the fourth quarter, Josh Powell and Leon Powe were charged with double technicals. Give the Lakers credit. They won this game on the road, in a place where they were humiliated last June. They're supposed to be softies. And with Andrew Bynum out again for at least two months, they're supposed to be vulnerable again.

Not on this night.

House would maintain the Lakers were allowed to be more physical than the Celtics. In the end, his other comment - about it being Game 51 - carries more weight.

Make no mistake, this is all about getting home court. The team with the best record will get that. Maybe Cleveland gets it. Maybe Boston gets it. Maybe L.A. gets. In the end, the team that gets that seventh game at home is going to be in the golden spot to wrest the title. So now the Lakers go to Cleveland for a game Sunday. Somewhere, David Stern must be drooling.

After Allen drove to the basket successfully twice to give the Celtics a 107-105 lead in overtime, it looked as if it would end up as a perfect day in a perfect week for him.

The former UConn great hit two three-pointers in Philadelphia in the final minute Tuesday night. The second one with five-tenths of a second left buried the Sixers and left him buried in the arms of Glen "Big Baby" Davis. With Jameer Nelson injured, Allen was selected over Cleveland's Mo Williams for the All-Star Game. K.G. texted him. Pierce hugged him in the locker room.

"Ray should have been there," coach Doc Rivers said. "I like when those three [including K.G. and Pierce] are together in whatever we do. For me personally, it's important."

Allen agreed. "To be alongside those two leaves me overjoyed."

"Ray gives up so much," Rivers said. "He gave up seven shots a game last year. He is the most efficient two-guard in the league. He take less shots and he makes them. It probably means I should give him more."

Allen scored 28 points last year and was nearly the All-Star MVP. He warned there's a big difference this time. Rivers isn't coaching. Mike Brown is, and he's LeBron's coach.

"So I might be sitting on the bench," he said before the game, laughing.

He wasn't laughing afterward.

On this night, Allen hit 9 of 21, including three threes, to lead the Celtics with 22 points. But as he got the ball on the final possession, he tried to curl away from Derek Fisher and shoot over Pau Gasol.

Gasol didn't foul him.

"But Fisher pushed me," Allen said.

And that push will fuel Allen, Pierce and Garnett. They all said the same thing. They want to see the Lakers again. And that can only happen if they make the Finals.