At Los Angeles:
Despite a 6-for-24 shooting night, Kobe Bryant, who was named series Most Valuable Player, scored 23 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, while Ron Artest scored 20 points and Pau Gasol scored 19 while grabbing 18 rebounds, as the Los Angeles Lakers outscored the Boston Celtics 30-22 in the fourth quarter to win the seventh and deciding game of the NBA Finals 83-79 at home Thursday night to win their 17th major league title overall----one in the old National Basketball League (1948), one in the rival Basketball Association of America (1949), and 15 in the newly-merged National Basketball Association (their first in 1950). The NBA record books say 16. For head coach Phil Jackson, this marked his record 11th NBA title as a head coach. Here's Kobe (right), pictured with teammate Derek Fisher and the Lawrence O'Brien Trophy in this Getty Images photo.
At Los Angeles:
Kobe Bryant scored 26 points and grabbed 11 rebounds while Pau Gasol had a 17 and 13 night in those respective catagories as the Los Angeles Lakers squared the NBA Finals at three games apiece with a 89-67 home beatdown of the Boston Celtics in game six. The NBA championship will be decided on Thursday in Los Angeles. Pictured here are Kobe with teammate Ron Artest, who himself scored 15 points.
Getty Images photo
At Boston:
Paul Pierce scored 27 points as the Boston Celtics held off the visiting Los Angeles Lakers 92-86 in game five of the NBA Finals on Sunday to take a three-games-to-two lead back to Los Angeles for game six on Tuesday. The Celtic can lock up their 18th NBA championship with a road win either on Tuesday or Thursday.
At Boston:
Backup Glen Davis scored nine of his 18 points in the fourth quarter while Paul Pierce scored 19 as the Boston Celtics defeated the visiting Los Angeles Lakers 96-89 Thursday night to even the NBA Finals at two games apiece. The series will resume in Boston on Sunday night.
At Boston:
The Los Angeles Lakers took game three of the NBA Finals Tuesday night on the road 91-84, taking a two-games-to-one advantage over the Boston Celtics in the process. Kobe Bryant scored 29 points while Derek Fisher added 16, scoring five buckets in the fourth quarter. The series will resume Thursday night in Boston.
At Los Angeles:
Ray Allen set an NBA Finals single-game record with eight three pointers while Rajon Rondo had his third playoff triple-double (19 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists) as the Boston Celtics won game two of the NBA Finals Sunday night on the road over the Los Angeles Lakers 103-94, thus evening the series at one game apiece. The first of three games to take place in Boston will be played on Tuesday. The loss was the Lakers' first of the postseason. Here's Ragin' Rajon working his magic against the Lakers' Lamar Odom.
Getty Images photo.
At Los Angeles:
Kobe Bryant scored 30 points while Pau Gasol added 23 (and grabbed 14 rebounds) as the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the visiting Boston Celtics 102-89 Thursday night in the opening contest of the NBA Finals.
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