Scene is Different for Lakers-Celtics Rematch

Lakers and Celtics. Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?

As Los Angeles prepares to host rival Boston for Game 1 on Thursday, the endless chatter about LeBron James will switch momentarily to just which team will walk away with their second trophy in three years.

There's the Lakers and their home-court advantage.

There's how much Andrew Bynum can contribute. Bynum, who missed the entire 2008 playoff run due to a freak knee injury. Bynum, who has another freak knee injury limiting his playing time right now.

There's Ron Artest, who will replace Vladimir Radmanovic from two years ago as the starting small-forward. Artest, who has turned heads with his incredible Game 6 performance against the Suns. Artest, who was added to be the lock-down defender the Lakers lacked.

There's the absence of James Posey, Sam Cassell, and Eddie House; Chris Mihm, Ronny Turiaf, and Trevor Ariza. There's the additions of Nate Robinson and Shannon Brown.

There's the increasingly declining Kevin Garnett, the rapidly rising Rajon Rondo, the slow-but-still-lethally-clutch Derek Fisher, and the always-energized Kobe Bryant, who walks into this series ready to crush all memories of his embarrassing 2008 Game 6.

There's still a series to be played. A series the Lakers know will be very similar, but very different from what they experienced two years past. They know the scene has changed. Now they just need to change the ending.