Jordan Farmar served up a facial on Kevin Garnett. Ouch.

The Los Angeles Lakers showed up tonight.

Well, the real Los Angeles Lakers showed up and put a hurtin’ on the Boston Celtics, 89-67, in Tuesday’s Game 6 to force and seventh and deciding game Thursday in Los Angeles. 

They clamped down defensively, Ron Artest showed up and Kobe Bryant set the tone. Couple that with Boston center Kendrick Perkins going down with a knee injury in the first quarter and that was the beginning of the end for the Celtics tonight.

Now Perkins did walk out the arena on his own, but if he can’t go for Game 7, Boston is done. 

Coming into the game with a 3-2 lead, the Celtics had a chance to close out the series, but also realized they had a game to play with. So you didn’t see them come out with the emotion needed to win on the road.

No need to talk too much about this because there isn’t much to discuss.

The Celtics played poorly (shot 33 percent for the game), the Lakers played better and Bryant was the best player on the floor (26 points, 11 rebounds).

So what are keys for Game 7?

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If the Lakers can't figure out the 2-3 zone, Suns coach Alvin Gentry will stick with it.

Did Phoenix Suns coach Alvin Gentry seek advice from Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim about this or what?

The Suns’ 2-3 zone has made life miserable for the Los Angeles Lakers as they have tied the series, 2-2, after losing the first two games in Los Angeles. Game 5 is tonight in Los Angeles.

 I mean, we all know Boeheim is the master of the 2-3 zone on the collegiate level. Syracuse’s nickname is Orange and the Suns wear orange, too, right?

Phoenix gave up an average of 126 points in its two defeats against the Lakers. In their two wins, the Suns haven’t allowed more than 109 points in either game.

 Now the Lakers are still scoring a ton of points and Kobe Bryant can guy any defense, but here’s the problem.

1. The Suns are resting on defense, so to speak, in that zone, which helps their offense.

2. Since the Lakers don’t have a point guard that can penetrate and break the zone down, they just swing the ball around. The triangle offense is designed to go a man-to-man defenses, not zones. So Ron Artest, Lamar Odom, Jordan Farmar and Shannon Brown have to make open perimeter. Derek Fisher and Bryant can, but those other guys I just mentioned are not as money from deep.

3. The Lakers are an inside team and the zone allows Phoenix to help more in defending Pau Gasol. Even though the Suns are smaller, more bodies Gasol discourages the passer from throwing the ball in the paint.