Lakers Survive, Return to Boston

Late Steal by Bryant Is Decisive Moment

LOS ANGELES, June 15 -- The Los Angeles Lakers didn't want to just make one last stand at home on Sunday night. They wanted to take the first step toward something historic. But for them to push the NBA Finals back to Boston -- and give themselves any chance of winning this series - the Lakers needed Kobe Bryant to save them. And the league's most valuable player did, with a huge defensive play.

The Lakers had just seen a 14-point fourth-quarter lead shrink to just two points in the final minute, when Bryant reached behind Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce, forcing Pierce to lose the ball to Lamar Odom. Odom then lobbed to Bryant streaking down the floor for a two-handed dunk, and the Lakers went on to win Game 5, 103-98, and move within 3-2 in this best-of-seven series.

No road team has ever won the final two games since the NBA changed its format to 2-3-2 in 1984. But the Lakers are not looking ahead, after preventing the Celtics from winning their 17th championship at Staples Center.

"This is the game we were focused on," Odom said after scoring 20 points with 11 rebounds and four blocked shots. "We didn't want to see any champagne popping."

Bryant led the Lakers with 25 points, but he was limited to just 10 points on 3 of 13 shooting in the final three quarters. On Saturday, Bryant defiantly said, "This series ain't over." But he couldn't back those words up until he pulled himself up from the rim after his game-saving steal and dunk put the Lakers ahead 99-95 with 37 seconds remaining. He got his fifth steal while defending Pierce, who was almost an unstoppable force for the entire game.

"I just tried to react to the basketball, just tried to take advantage of what was in front of me, and I was able to get my hands on it," Bryant said.

Pierce, who grew up in nearby Inglewood a Celtics-hating, Lakers fan just blocks from the old Forum, scored a game-high 38 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter. As the longest tenured Celtic in his 10th season, Pierce played as if he were determined to have that Duck Tour championship parade sooner than later and was on the floor for all but 17 seconds. After rebounding miss by a Derek Fisher (15 points), Pierce coolly dribbled the ball up the floor when Bryant sneaked behind him to knock the ball loose.

Although Bryant appeared to hit Pierce on the ribs to get the steal, Pierce said he wasn't fouled on the play.

"It was great defense," Pierce said. "That's all it was. I wouldn't ask the refs for a call down the stretch. You let the players decide the game, and I thought that's what happened."

Game 6 is Tuesday at TD Banknorth Garden, where the Celtics are 12-1 this postseason.

"Well, we wanted to go back home, but we didn't want to play," Celtics Coach Doc Rivers said. "That's why the regular season is so important. We fought for it all year. We have Game 6 at home, and that's not a bad place to be."

The Lakers would not have been able to win if not for the assistance of Odom and Pau Gasol (19 points, 13 rebounds), who have taken the brunt of the criticism for the Lakers' failings this series. But Odom and Gasol were able to take advantage of the Celtics, who were shorthanded without Kendrick Perkins (strained left shoulder) and with Kevin Garnett (13 points, 14 rebounds) struggling with foul trouble for most of the night.

"A lot of people say, 'Kobe, you have to go out for 40 or 50.' But that's not how we play," Bryant said. "That's not what's going to win us championships. We've got to stick together, ride this thing out, and that's what we're going to do."

Gasol blocked a Ray Allen layup attempt, then stole a pass from Kevin Garnett to set up a fastbreak opportunity for Luke Walton, who gave the Lakers an 88-74 lead with just over nine minutes remaining. The Celtics rallied back behind veteran Sam Cassell, who scored the next seven points. Pierce then drove into the lane and Bryant batted the ball away as Pierce fell to the ground. Pierce recovered to pick up the ball and fired a pass to James Posey, who hit a three-pointer to bring the Celtics within 90-86. The Celtics later tied the game at 90 when Garnett hit a jumper with 4 minutes 35 seconds remaining.

Boston was unable to get over the hump as Garnett missed three of four free throws in the final four minutes. He also missed several rebound tips late in the game, saying afterward that "I played like garbage."

Ray Allen had 16 points, but missed 9 of his 13 shot attempts, and was forced to leave the game immediately after the conclusion to tend to a family emergency involving one of his childern.

"Tough loss," Pierce said. "Tough one to swallow."

The Lakers had spent the previous two days hearing about how they had blown a 24-point lead -- the biggest lead in the modern era of the NBA Finals - in Game 4. Bryant had to hear about his legacy and leadership, and Lakers Coach Phil Jackson had to hear about how he was outcoached by Rivers, his counterpart with the Celtics.

Attempting to become the first team in NBA history to come back from a 3-1 deficit, the Lakers released many of those frustrations during a blistering first quarter flurry, taking a 14-point lead when Bryant nailed his third three-pointer of the game. After being held to just 17 points in Game 4, Bryant erupted for 15 points in the first nine minutes, as the Lakers took a 25-15 lead.

The Lakers took a 19-point lead when reserve Sasha Vujacic nailed a long jumper with 11:08 left in the second quarter. The fans began to cheer, but they were not at ease, with what the Celtics had accomplished three days before was fresh on their minds.

Those concerns were justified as Pierce spent the next seven minutes chopping down that lead, scoring 11 points during a 15-0 run.

"It's tough when you're always fighting back from big leads," Pierce said. "We don't thrive on that, letting a team get ahead and expecting to get back in the game. That's not something we practice.

"But hey, we're up one game with two games to go at home, so it still feels like we have the advantage in the series, and I do feel like we're the better team."