Updated 00:30, June the 16th, 2008
Back to Boston
Lakers extend series with 103-98 win over C’s
There was no Hollywood ending in store for the Celtics last night.
Just three days after pulling off the biggest comeback in Finals history, the Celtics nearly filmed the sequel, but the Lakers hung on for a 103-98 win in Game 5 at the Staples Center.
The Celtics lead the series, 3-2, and will go for the kill tomorrow night in Game 6 at the Garden.
Paul Pierce played all 48 minutes and scored a game-high 38 points to go along with eight assists and six rebounds.
The Lakers got off to a scorching start for the second straight game, and Kobe Bryant (25 points) was the catalyst.
He hit four early 3-pointers and scored 15 of the Lakers’ first 25 points, and L.A. jumped out to a 39-22 lead after the first quarter.
Also for the second consecutive contest, the Celtics had a huge run to make it close. Pierce scored 16 points in the second quarter, when the C’s fell down by as many as 19 points. But a 15-0 run over a span of 6:56 — during which the Lakers missed 10 straight field goal attempts, two free throws and had five turnovers — sliced the margin to 43-39.
After the Lakers regained a little life to push the lead to 55-47, the Celtics closed the half on a 5-0 run.
Ray Allen (16 points) had a personal 5-0 run in the third quarter to tie the game at 57-57, and Pierce hit a free throw to give the Celtics their first lead of the game, 58-57.
But the Lakers followed suit with their best third quarter of the series. Pau Gasol scored eight of his 19 points in the third, and the Lakers closed the quarter on a 19-8 run to grab a 79-70 lead.
Once again, it seemed like the Lakers put the nail in the coffin when a Luke Walton jumper gave them an 88-74 lead with 9:17 to play, but the Celtics continued to rise from the dead. Garnett’s jumper from the left elbow tied the score at 90-90 with 4:35 remaining.
Bryant finally iced the game for the Lakers with a breakaway dunk to put them ahead 99-95.
