LOS ANGELES — Release the balloons. Ah, better make that purple and gold confetti.
In a game of two very tired teams, the Los Angeles Lakers exorcised the ghosts of past failures by winning the NBA championship Thursday night against the Boston Celtics, 83-79.
The Lakers had to rally midway in the fourth period to make it happen and it took some key free throws by Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant to wrap it up. The Celtics were within two with 13 seconds to play. Sasha Vujacic was sent to the line and made both with 11.7 seconds to play, giving the Lakers a four-point lead and the win.
Before Thursday, the Lakers were 0-4 against the Celtics in Game 7s, including the infamous Finals in 1969 when Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke had stashed balloons in the rafters for what he believed would be the ultimate celebration. He even had instructions placed at every seat telling fans how the postgame celebration would proceed.The Celtics won that game and Cooke’s premature celebration strategy would live on in NBA Finals lore.
But the legends that were created — or enhanced — Thursday came in the form of lifetime achievement. It was Coach Phil Jackson first ever Game 7 in the Finals. He’s now 1-0 and will be the recipient of his 11th NBA Championship ring, two more than Boston’s signature patriarch Red Auerbach.
Bryant picked up his fifth invitation to a ring-fitting ceremony, one shy of Michael Jordan. But for Bryant it was anything but a Jordan-like performance. Not even a Bryant-like performance. He finished with 23 points on 6-of-24 shooting but did hit five straight key free throws down the stretch.
As perhaps a Game 7 should, it came down to the final minutes. The Lakers trailed for most of the game until they put together a 9-0 run midway through the final period to take a six-point lead with about 4:38 to play.
That’s when Pau Gasol put together a string of free throws and his basket with 1:30 to play allowed the Lakers to keep a six-point cushion, 76-70.
That’s when the three started to come, first from Rasheed Wallace, then by Ron Artest and followed up by Ray Allen. Then the game got settled when Kobe Bryant, in the midst of a terrible shooting game, made both his foul shots with 25.7 seconds to play and the Lakers were up by five.
Rajon Rondo answered with a three to cut the score to 81-79 with 13 seconds to play before the Lakers warpped it up.
Artest scored 20 for the Lakers and Gasol had 19 points and 18 rebounds.
Each Celtic starter scored in double figures. Paul Pierce led with 18. Followed by Kevin Garnett with 17.
It was the first seven-game Finals since 2005 when San Antonio beat Detroit.
The Lakers had to consider themselves lucky to be down by only six points at half since they were shooting 26.5 percent (13 for 49). In fact, it’s a bad sign that their leading scorer was Ron Artest with 12 points. Bryant had his worst half since he had his knee drained during the Oklahoma City series. He shot 3-for-14 including missing all four of his three-point attempts.
The Celtics were shooting a very respectful 44 percent (15 for 34).
In the third quarter, the Celtics started strong as Bryant still didn’t have his shooting touch and they built an 11-point lead a couple minutes in the period. But the Lakers were able to chip away at that and closed the period four points down. But Bryant remained the missing ingredient in the Lakers offense shooting just two-of-six in the period.
The Celtics were at a decided disadvantage before the game even started. Center Kendrick Perkins tore two ligaments in his right knee early in Game 6. While Perkins is not always an offensive threat he clogs the middle and keeps teams from getting in-close baskets.
“It’s a little emotional losing Perk,” Celtics Coach Doc Rivers said before the game. “He’s so important to our team. But he’s still in the locker room, he just won’t be in uniform. And I think our guys in some ways, they want to do it for him.”
Los Angeles, a city that rarely gets excited about anything, had a pulse before this Game 7. The streets surrounding L.A. Live, the complex that houses the Staples Center, Nokia Theater and many restaurants, was packed three hours before tipoff.
Parking, normally in the $20-25 range, was settling around $40 several blocks from the arena. One lot was even asking $60. Ticket demand was extremely high with one broker reporting an average ticket price around $1,700. It was costing about $1,000 just for a bad seat. Those prices were double what resold tickets were going for in Boston for Game 3-5.
During pregame introductions, the crowd was easily louder than in any game this season.
Even the very stoic Laker Coach Phil Jackson said he was feeling the intensity of a final game.
“I’m keyed up,” Jackson said before the game. “I mean, I think it’s natural to be keyed up. But I think every final game has its own level.”
Jackson even foreshadowed the Lakers mood.
“I think they’re going to be very amped up,” he said. “I know that. But whether that high energy makes shots go in … it’s all about putting that ball in the basket and defending at the other end. I know they’re going to react and that’s one thing I’m happy about.”
Now for the Lakers, their 16th NBA title in the books, the mood can only get better.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
