Lakers' victory sends NBA Finals back to Boston

LOS ANGELES — Pack up the championship trophy and book a flight back to Boston. The NBA Finals aren't over yet. The Los Angeles Lakers are headed East to try a historic comeback of their own.

Kobe Bryant scored 25 points, including a decisive dunk in the final minute — and Lamar Odom added 20 as the Lakers, playing with pride on their star-studded stage, prevented the Celtics from winning a 17th title with a 103-98 win in Game 5 on Sunday night to close to 3-2 in this restored rivalry.

"We didn't want to see any champagne popping," Odom said. "It wasn't easy. I wouldn't expect it to be."

No team has overcome a 3-1 deficit in the Finals to win a title. The first 28 failed, and the Lakers, who blew a 24-point lead and lost Game 4 and nearly squandered a 19-point lead in Game 5, have a chance at something extraordinary. They'll have to win on the Celtics' parquet floor Tuesday night to force a winner-take-all Game 7, where anything is possible.

Especially with Bryant, the game's best player, on hand.

"We've won on the road before," Bryant said. "We've played in tough environments before."

Pau Gasol had 19 points and 13 rebounds, Odom had 11 rebounds and four blocks and Derek Fisher added 15 points.

"We were aggressive. We played hard," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "Not smart all the time, but we played hard."

Paul Pierce led the Celtics with 38 points, Kevin Garnett added 13 points and 14 rebounds, and Ray Allen had 16 points. But Boston's Big Three couldn't close their first chance at winning it all.

"Guys are down and upset because they thought they could have, they thought they should have," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "We played all year to have home court."

After scoring 15 points in the first quarter, Bryant went cold from the floor and finished just 8 of 21. But he made a big steal, poking the ball away from Pierce and streaking down to deliver a two-handed dunk with 37.4 seconds left.

"I just was kind of reading the play and I was able to get my hands on the ball and get out and get a dunk," Bryant said.

Just as they did in Game 4, when they staged the biggest comeback in Finals history, the Celtics had pushed the Lakers to the brink of summer with another rally. This one fell a little short, but the outcome was still in doubt when Pierce, an L.A. kid who grew up hating Boston, made two free throws with 1:14 remaining to get the Celtics to 97-95.

Fisher then missed a jumper and the Celtics appeared to be in business when Pierce fought off two Lakers for a rebound. But as he dribbled toward the basket, Bryant reached around and knocked the ball away to Odom, who then fed Bryant for his slam.

Still, the Celtics wouldn't go away.

After Bryant missed one of two free throws with 16 seconds left, Eddie House nailed a three-pointer to make it 101-98 with 14 seconds left. House then nearly stole the ensuing inbounds pass, but Bryant, sprawled out on the floor, got the ball to Fisher, who drew a desperation foul.

Fisher then made two free throws and stole Boston's last pass as Lakers fans left the building dreaming of seeing another improbable comeback.

Note

• Boston's Allen left Staples Center quickly after the game because of a health concern involving one of his children. The Celtics didn't give specifics.

BOSTON		fg	ft
min		m-a	m-a	or-t	a	pf	pts
Pierce	47:58	10-22	16-19	1-6	8	5	38
Garnett	33:06	6-11	1-4	7-14	0	5	13
Powe	4:59	0-0	0-0	0-2	0	1	0
Rondo	14:32	1-7	1-2	1-2	3	1	3
RAllen	39:29	4-13	5-5	0-2	2	6	16
Brown	24:53	2-5	0-0	1-3	0	5	4
House	13:38	2-5	0-0	0-1	2	2	6
Posey	32:25	1-2	0-0	1-6	2	3	3
TAllen	10:59	3-4	0-0	0-0	1	0	6
Cassell	18:00	4-8	1-1	0-1	2	0	9
Totals		33-77	24-31	11-37	20	28	98

Percentages: FG .429, FT .774. Three-point goals: 8-22, .364 (R.Allen 3-8, House 2-5, Pierce 2-6, Posey 1-2, Cassell 0-1). Team rebounds: 14. Team turnovers: 18 (18 PTS). Blocked shots: 2 (R.Allen, Rondo). Turnovers: 18 (Pierce 5, Garnett 4, R.Allen 2, House 2, Posey 2, Rondo 2, Cassell). Steals: 6 (Garnett 2, T.Allen, Pierce, Posey, Rondo). Technical fouls: Allen, 1:57 second.

L.A. LAKERS		fg	ft
min		m-a	m-a	or-t	a	pf	pts
Radmanovic	19:13	3-6	0-0	0-5	2	2	7
Odom	41:14	8-10	3-3	2-11	2	3	20
Gasol	42:07	6-10	7-10	3-13	6	3	19
Fisher	35:14	3-10	8-11	1-2	2	2	15
Bryant	44:20	8-21	5-7	3-7	4	4	25
Walton	10:26	1-2	0-0	0-0	2	5	2
Farmar	22:18	5-9	0-0	0-1	1	3	11
Vujacic	19:43	2-10	0-0	1-1	0	2	4
Mihm	2:46	0-1	0-0	0-0	0	2	0
Ariza	1:15	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	1	0
Turiaf	1:24	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	1	0
Totals		36-79	23-31	10-40	19	28	103

Percentages: FG .456, FT .742. Three-point goals: 8-27, .296 (Bryant 4-9, Odom 1-1, Radmanovic 1-2, Farmar 1-4, Fisher 1-5, Walton 0-1, Vujacic 0-5). Team rebounds: 11. Team turnovers: 17 (21 PTS). Blocked shots: 7 (Odom 4, Gasol 2, Farmar). Turnovers: 17 (Bryant 6, Odom 4, Radmanovic 3, Fisher 2, Mihm, Turiaf). Steals: 11 (Bryant 5, Fisher 2, Farmar, Gasol, Radmanovic, Vujacic). Technical fouls: Radmanovic, 3:31 second; Fisher, 1:57 second.

Boston	22	30	18	28 — 98
L.A. Lakers	39	16	24	24 — 103

Attendance: 18,997 (18,997). Time: 3:00. Officials: Dick Bavetta, Scott Foster, Ken Mauer.

Date	Result
Thursday	At Celtics 98, Lakers 88
Sunday	At Celtics 108, Lakers 102
Tuesday	At Lakers 87, Celtics 81
Thursday	Celtics 97, at Lakers 91
Sunday	at Lakers 103, Celtics 98
Date	Site	Time	TV
Tuesday	at Celtics	6 p.m.	Ch. 4
Thursday*	at Celtics	6 p.m.	Ch. 4
*If necessary