Here’s the reason why the Lakers lost: four members of the Lakers’ roster grew up playing European-style basketball (mostly perimeter game and unable to play interior defense), which meant when the Celtics turned up the interior defense, that was the end of the Lakers as the Celtics could key in on Kobe Bryant.
It seemed like The Lakers were trying to play Real Madrid or CSKA Moscow from the Euroleague, instead of the best defensive team in the NBA.