PRESSURE GAUGE

BOSTON -- The burden of a franchise sits on Kobe Bryant’s shoulders, the pressure escalating since the shots began missing toward the end of Game 1.

Not that Bryant’s sleep has been affected by it.

“I’d much rather have the pressure of this moment as opposed to having the pressure of deciding which swim trunks I’m going to wear in Bora Bora -- the Gucci ones or the Yves Saint Laurent ones,” he said, smiling.

The Lakers aren’t on vacation yet and are relatively unmoved by their one-game deficit against Boston in the NBA Finals.

Bryant was loose and humorous Saturday while talking about his nine-for-26 shooting effort, falling in step with a team that appeared unencumbered heading into Game 2 tonight at TD Banknorth Garden.

Maybe they’re eager because the Celtics can’t guarantee the availability of Kendrick Perkins (sprained left ankle) or the effectiveness of Paul Pierce, who will try to play despite a strained right knee.

Maybe the Lakers realize Bryant responded to a similar nine-for-26 effort in the first round against Denver with a 49-point, 10-assist performance the next game.

Maybe they know that Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom couldn’t be much more ineffective than they were in Game 1, which still came down to the final minutes.

Something’s up, and it’s not just Bryant’s budding career as a comedian. Typically stoic, he instead tossed out one-liners after Saturday’s practice.

He also dipped into a punch line when asked about the lack of hatred between the teams now compared to the 1980s.

“I’ve heard stories in the past of them coming here and not getting room service and stuff like that,” he said. “I mean, my room service is cool. I got the nice apple pie with ice cream on top, a la mode. I didn’t even ask for ice cream, but they hooked me up.”

The maraschino cherry on top for the Lakers would be a victory tonight. If it doesn’t happen, fun mode might turn to frantic.

The Lakers were drubbed on the boards in Game 1, 46-33. They were too relaxed after Pierce went down with his knee injury in the third quarter and too tight when he returned more quickly than expected.

They scored 88 points, the second-fewest of their 16 playoff games. Their reserves totaled 15 points and 11 fouls.

Gasol and Odom have been peppered with questions about the apparent differences in physicality between the teams. Gasol had no rebounds in the first half of Game 1, finishing with eight. Odom sat out key stretches of the fourth quarter.

“We want to make sure we establish a post presence and play inside-out a little bit more,” Gasol said. “I think that’s going to help our offense and hopefully give me a little more in the lane.”

It’s a goal that becomes easier if Perkins can’t play because of an ankle injury that kept him out of the fourth quarter in Game 1. Pierce will play tonight, though Celtics Coach Doc Rivers didn’t sound as confident about Perkins.

“Paul is moving much better today, that’s clear,” Rivers said Saturday. “And so of the two, he’s the guy I’m more optimistic about, just from watching him move around and walk around.”

If they both play, their lateral movement will be important. The Celtics did a solid job of keeping Bryant out of the lane in Game 1, though Pierce was already questioning what he would be able to do because of his sore knee.

“My range of motion, just being able to squat all the way down. I can’t quite do that yet,” Pierce said. “My walk is pretty good actually, but when I go down into a squat position, that’s when I feel it the most, when I bend it.”

The chief factor for the Lakers, as usual, will be Bryant.

Some of his shots rimmed out in Game 1, forcing him to go back to the drawing board in the days before Game 2. He has worked on improving his arc and release, shooting before practice with assistant coach Brian Shaw.

“Just had to tweak a couple things here and there and see if I can’t put the ball in the hole a little better [Sunday] night,” he said.

He has one fairly important voice on his side, and this time it wasn’t a one-liner.

“He’s been an unstoppable force in this game,” Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said. “He usually doesn’t have two games in a row that are bad. He comes back and plays better. So we anticipate that’s going to be a pattern.”

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mike.bresnahan@latimes.com