Boston Celtics take 2-0 finals lead

Ian Whittell

THE Los Angeles Lakers stumbled to another potentially costly defeat in their NBA Finals series with the Boston Celtics on Sunday but, from the ashes of a 108-102 loss, they may finally have witnessed the spark to ignite their Championship bid.

Kobe Bryant inspired a late comeback by his team, which had trailed by 24 points with only 7:55 (minutes) left to play, a recovery which brought them to within 104-100 with 63 seconds remaining.

Ultimately, thanks to two free-throws from the excellent Paul Pierce, the Celtics were able to hold on for a win which gives them a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series as it is transplanted to Los Angeles for three games starting Tuesday.

However, the performance of Bryant, who finally seemed to come to terms with Boston’s stifling defence in the second half on his way to a game-high 30 points, suggested that the Lakers may have it within their power to become only the fourth team to ever recover from a 2-0 deficit in the NBA Finals.

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Pierce will play through knee sprain

By Michael Vega

The day after, Paul Pierce had a noticeable limp, his right knee still sore, stiff,
Miraculously (except, perhaps, to the man known as Dr. Phil in the Lakers' huddle), Pierce overcame his injury that led to him being carried off the court, and returned to a thunderous ovation to score half of his 22 points.

"I've never had any knee problems in my career, so it was real scary once I felt a sharp pain in it," Pierce said yesterday at TD Banknorth Garden, where the team held a film session and shot free throws. "There's a little pain in it right now, so I'm just going to keep it wrapped, iced. [There was] still a little bit of swelling this morning when we looked at it. [I'll] just continue to get treatments and go from there."

Pierce said he took "four Advils" for the inflammation and would eschew an MRI.

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Pierce’s Return Fuels Celtics and a Rivalry

By HOWARD BECK

BOSTON — A brilliant rivalry was renewed Thursday night, with all the attendant tension, drama, ill will and ear-splitting volume.

And at the end of a long evening of “Beat L.A.” chants, the Boston Celtics had their first finals victory in 21 years, a convincing 98-88 defeat of the Lakers at TD Banknorth Garden to open this best-of-seven series.

Amid the heavy nostalgia for all things Lakers and Celtics, Paul Pierce borrowed a scene from another historic finals moment, doing his best Willis Reed impression to lead Boston to the victory.

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This version of Lakers and Celtics in unfamiliar territory

BOSTON - The season started this way, so why shouldn’t The Series, as well?

As a giant question mark matching a riddle against a mystery, no one capable of saying with certainty how the NBA Finals will end.

NBA? After five days of nothing but talk, that stands for Nonstop Baloney Analysis.

In one corner, there are the Lakers, a team which has two championship-proven starters but also with Lamar Odom, who never before had been beyond the postseason’s second round, and Pau Gasol, who never before had won as much as a playoff game.

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Kobe Bryant is the reason Lakers will win in seven games

By Mark Whicker / The Orange County Register

If you really think the Lakers will win this NBA Finals, you must think they can win Game 6 and/or 7 in Boston. No one has won a championship that late in a series, on the road, since Miami at Dallas in 2006, and, before that, Chicago at Utah in 1998.

No one has won a Finals Game 7 away from home since Washington at Seattle in 1978.

Or you must think the Lakers can get this done in 4 or 5, against the winningest team in the league, a club with one certain Hall of Famer and two other candidates, and a defense that has squeezed its playoff opponents into 87.3 points per game on 42.1 percent shooting. That isn’t happening.

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Pistons coach Saunders won't be back next season

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) — The Detroit Pistons say Flip Saunders won't be back next season after leading the team to three straight appearances in the Eastern Conference finals.

President of basketball operations Joe Dumars said Tuesday a change is necessary despite Saunders' successes.

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Horry Says Return ’Up in the Air’

By ELIZABETH WHITE, Associated Press Writer

SAN ANTONIO, June 1 (AP) -- "Big Shot Rob'' might be done breaking hearts.

San Antonio Spurs forward Robert Horry said Saturday he's considering stepping away from the game after winning seven NBA championships in a 16-season career.

"Right now I'm up in the air,'' Horry said. "That's all I can really tell you, up in the air. I want to play, 80 percent of me wants to play and I'm sure as soon as I get in the gym and see people bouncing the ball it would turn into 100 percent. So we'll just have to wait and see what happens.''

The defending champion Spurs lost in the Western Conference finals to the Lakers in five games. The series concluded Thursday night, and it was widely expected that this would be Horry's last year.

Horry, known as "Big Shot Rob'' for a resume filled with clutch baskets on the biggest stages, turns 38 in August.

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