As for the concerns about goons bogging down games, the league, with its flagrant-fouling rules, has moved miles from that direction. The Charles Oakleys and Anthony Masons are long gone. And do you think for Artest's minimal contribution Sunday that Jackson would have left him on the court Sunday as the risk of fueling a Lakers comeback with extra free throws?

Through two games, this series has been compelling, offering many of the twists one has come to expect from Lakers-Celtics.

Already, the greatness of Kobe and Allen have been on display, future Hall of Famers on the game's current largest stage.

But Garnett and Odom deserve their time, too.

Again, don't blame the whistle. These are two of the more aggressive defenses in the league.

"It's going to be that way from game to game," Jackson said, "and I think a lot of it is about who comes out aggressively and does the right thing out there at the very start of the ballgame."

And then it will come down to who blinks. Who plays their players through foul trouble? Who turns to the bench? Who ...

No, forget the "who" part of the equation.

Instead, in a way-overdue part of the debate, get back to the "why" facet of the debate.

Why rob the game, especially these games, of the ultimate star potential.

Tuesday night, when he probably will not be burdened by foul trouble, Kobe will attack at the end, and attack on both ends. KG will offer his length for more than 23 minutes, 43 seconds. And Odom probably won't be left out.

And then, and only then, will we, for the first time in this series, have the opportunity to truly measure these Lakers, these complete Lakers against these Celtics, a Celtics team robbed by the whistle, and rule book, of Allen's artistry in Game 1.

A week ago, Joyce and Galarraga almost certainly ushered in a new era of replay to Major League Baseball, likely to forever change the officiating approach in baseball.

Perhaps the 2010 finals could do the same for NBA's rule book.

Let 'em play. And let 'em stay.

Ira Winderman writes regularly for NBCSports.com and covers the Heat and the NBA for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

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