Bryant, Vujacic carry Lakers to game three Finals win

Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers were back home and back in the NBA Finals instead of having their backs against the wall.

League MVP Bryant scored 36 points and Serbian sharpshooter Sasha Vujacic added a playoff career-high 20 off the bench as the Lakers beat the Boston Celtics 87-81 in game three on Tuesday night.

The Lakers were in jeopardy of dropping into a 3-0 hole that no team in league playoff history has ever climbed out of.

Instead, they pulled to within 2-1 in the Championship series and seek to become the fourth team to overcome a 2-0 deficit when the series resumes at Staples Centre on Thursday night and Sunday. /bangkokpost.com

Pierce leads Celtics past Lakers 98-88 in Game 1

Paul Pierce, who has struggled through highs and mostly lows in 10 seasons with the Boston Celtics, helped push his new teammates Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett into their first NBA finals through the rocky first few rounds.

When Mr. Pierce fell, clutching his knee, in the third quarter, a championship series without their captain and most-consistent scorer flashed before the eyes of Celtics present and past (Bill

Russell and John Havlicek attended).

But just minutes later, Mr. Pierce rose from his wheelchair to help Boston pull away from the Los Angeles Lakers and win Game 1, 98-88.