ONE of the greatest comebacks in NBA history lifted the Boston Celtics to the brink of their first title since 1986 and left the Los Angeles Lakers dazed and demoralised on their home court yesterday.
Paul Pierce scored 20 points and Ray Allen added 19 to rally the Celtics from a 24-point deficit for an astonishing 97-91 victory over the Lakers, giving them a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven NBA Finals series.
“We just went out there and played as hard as we could,” Pierce said.
“We believed and we stuck together and were able to pull off this win. Incredible.”
To win the title, the Lakers must now become the only team ever to come back from 3-1 down in the finals.
“It’s a great position to be in. We’re thrilled with the win,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said.
It was the largest comeback in the NBA Finals since detailed statistics began in 1971.
“We let a huge opportunity slip away, so I’m upset, hurt, disappointed. It’s a huge loss, no doubt about it,” Laker playmaker Kobe Bryant said.
The Lakers had a 35-14 lead after the first quarter, but it wasn’t enough.
“Whine about it tonight – a lot of wine. A lot of beer. A couple (of) shots, maybe like 20 of them,” Bryant said.
“We will just get back to work tomorrow. We’re just thinking about winning Sunday.”
The Lakers stretched the margin as high as 45-21 in the second quarter and still led 70-50 midway into the third.
“We sucked it up,” Pierce said. “I said, ‘Don’t look at the score. We just have to go out and compete and see where it is at the end of the day’.”
The Celtics closed the third quarter with a 21-3 run, Pierce scoring seven points with Allen and Eddie House each adding six, to pull Boston back to 71-73.
“We just wet the bed,” Bryant said. “A nice big one too, one of the ones you can’t put a towel over. It was terrible. They played great in the third quarter. We played like crap. They pulled out a great win.”
Bryant scored 17 points but made only six of 19 shots and was blanketed by Pierce for most of the second half.
The Celtics took their first lead of the game at 84-83 on House’s jumper with 4min 7sec to play.
Allen sank a reverse lay-up and Kevin Garnett, who had 16 points and 11 rebounds, followed to cap an 8-0 run and give Boston an 88-83 lead.
With 40 seconds to play, the Lakers trimmed the deficit to three points, but Allen answered with a driving layup past Sasha Vujacic.
Bryant then missed a final attempt and the Lakers’ giveaway was complete.
Paul Pierce scored 20 points and Ray Allen added 19 to rally the Celtics from a 24-point deficit for an astonishing 97-91 victory over the Lakers, giving them a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven NBA Finals series.
“We just went out there and played as hard as we could,” Pierce said.
“We believed and we stuck together and were able to pull off this win. Incredible.”
To win the title, the Lakers must now become the only team ever to come back from 3-1 down in the finals.
“It’s a great position to be in. We’re thrilled with the win,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said.
It was the largest comeback in the NBA Finals since detailed statistics began in 1971.
“We let a huge opportunity slip away, so I’m upset, hurt, disappointed. It’s a huge loss, no doubt about it,” Laker playmaker Kobe Bryant said.
The Lakers had a 35-14 lead after the first quarter, but it wasn’t enough.
“Whine about it tonight – a lot of wine. A lot of beer. A couple (of) shots, maybe like 20 of them,” Bryant said.
“We will just get back to work tomorrow. We’re just thinking about winning Sunday.”
The Lakers stretched the margin as high as 45-21 in the second quarter and still led 70-50 midway into the third.
“We sucked it up,” Pierce said. “I said, ‘Don’t look at the score. We just have to go out and compete and see where it is at the end of the day’.”
The Celtics closed the third quarter with a 21-3 run, Pierce scoring seven points with Allen and Eddie House each adding six, to pull Boston back to 71-73.
“We just wet the bed,” Bryant said. “A nice big one too, one of the ones you can’t put a towel over. It was terrible. They played great in the third quarter. We played like crap. They pulled out a great win.”
Bryant scored 17 points but made only six of 19 shots and was blanketed by Pierce for most of the second half.
The Celtics took their first lead of the game at 84-83 on House’s jumper with 4min 7sec to play.
Allen sank a reverse lay-up and Kevin Garnett, who had 16 points and 11 rebounds, followed to cap an 8-0 run and give Boston an 88-83 lead.
With 40 seconds to play, the Lakers trimmed the deficit to three points, but Allen answered with a driving layup past Sasha Vujacic.
Bryant then missed a final attempt and the Lakers’ giveaway was complete.
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