Celtics coach Doc Rivers is no fan of having a potential Game Five of the NBA Finals in Los Angeles.

The Providence Journal / Glenn Osmundson

BOSTON –– The late, great Red Auerbach had many battles with the NBA offices in his career but few upset the Celtics’ patriarch more than the change in format of the league’s championship series.

Throughout Auerbach’s years as a coach and in most of his tenure as the Celts’ general manager, the Finals were played in a home/road split of 2-2-1-1-1 format. That changed in time for the 1985 Finals which featured — of course — the Celtics and Lakers.

Boston had the league’s best record but the always-critical Game Five was played at the Forum and not at Boston Garden because of a format switch to 2-3-2 where the middle three games were played in Los Angeles.

The Lakers won Game Five, 120-111, to go up 3-2 in the series. They closed out the Celtics for the first time ever at Boston Garden in Game Six.

The NBA altered the format to cut down on travel for the teams and the large media contingent but Auerbach argued that the switch dismissed the home-court advantage that was won by the best team in the regular season.

Doc Rivers agrees with Auerbach. While thrilled with his team’s 98-88 win in Game One, the 2-3-2 format all but requires the home team to win its first two games to avoid packing its bags for a three-game set that could end the season.

“If you win Game One, especially if you’re the home team, in Game Two both teams have a heightened sense of urgency,” said Rivers. “Obviously no one wants to go down 2-0 and then the home team doesn’t want to lose home court. Especially in this format where you could go out there 1-1 and have three games in a row there. The one thing I don’t like about the 2-3-2 format is that you fight all year to get home court and you don’t have Game Five on your home court.”

That fact has been driven home to the players. The Celts lost Game Two of the Detroit series, letting go of the home court advantage in the process. That required the Celts to win at Auburn Hills, which they did twice in closing out the Pistons, 4-2. They’d rather not travel West Monday morning in the same 1-1 tie after two games.

“We’ve talked about individual games all year that were big for us but this is that one moment where we can say that this is going to be the biggest game that we’re going to play in this series,” said Ray Allen.

Perkins expects to play

Celtics center Kendrick Perkins walked with a slight limp yesterday due to the ankle injury he suffered in Game One when he got tangled up with Paul Pierce in the third quarter. Pierce hurt his knee on the play and all of Boston, and the NBA world, is focused on the captain’s status for Game Two.

But the Celtics need Perkins, too. Perkins sprained the ankle and told Rivers he was about 60 percent if he returned to the game. Perkins said he has some pain but is confident he’ll be ready for tomorrow night.

“It’s just a little sore right now, but it’s all right,” said Perkins. “The swelling’s not bad, but it’s in pain. I’m going to play. It’s the Finals.”

Jabbar believes in Bryant

Great players often think on the same wavelength so who better to ask about Kobe Bryant than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar? The NBA’s all-time leading scorer, and current Lakers assistant coach, spoke with reporters yesterday and was asked how Bryant may bounce back from his 9-of-26 shooting performance in Game One. Bryant scored 24 points but he’s now shot a miserable 24-of-72 (33 percent) in three games against Boston this season.

“(They’re) making me a perimeter player in terms of being able to shoot the ball,” said Bryant. “The two games we played in the regular season I shot the ball atrociously. In Game One, I shot the ball bad, too. Hopefully it means I’m due.”

Abdul-Jabbar has perfect faith in Bryant’s ability to get the job done.

“Kobe will be back and he will be more focused. That’s how he responds,” he said. “He figures out what he did right and what he did wrong and he cuts out the wrong and tries to do it right. I’m sure he’ll have a much better game.”

Asked what he likes best about Bryant’s game, Abdul-Jabbar said, “his range. Kobe’s got incredible range. He steps across the half-court line and he’s dangerous. Immediately. I’ve seen him shoot from anywhere. He can make long jump shots, medium-range jump shots and difficult drives to the hoop. It’s rare where you see somebody who has that ability.”

Foul shots

Pau Gasol was L.A.’s leading rebounder (8) but the Celts swept the boards, 46-33. Are the Celtics’ too physical for the Lakers? “I don’t think they’re more physical than Utah. I don’t think they’re more physical than San Antonio,” Gasol said. … The Lakers bench has received national publicity all season. They combined for only 15 points and 7 rebounds in Game One. Luke Walton, Bill’s son, struggled to zero points in 13 minutes. “We’ll play a lot better (in Game Two),” he said. … The Celts are 35-12 in Game Two of a best-of-seven series all-time.

kmcnamar@projo.com