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NBA: Los Angeles Lakers 83, Boston 79
LOS ANGELES, (UPI) -- Pau Gasol carried Los Angeles during a frantic final quarter Thursday that led the Lakers to their second straight NBA title with an 83-79 decision over Boston.
Sasha Vujacic ensured the victory by making his only two points of the game from the free throw line with 11.7 seconds remaining, but it was Gasol who put the Lakers in position to win the 15th NBA championship in franchise history.
He scored from the foul line, he battled for key points under the basket and he grabbed the two most important rebounds of the game while filling the role usually reserved for Los Angeles superstar Kobe Bryant, who grabbed 15 rebounds and was named MVP of the series.
Los Angeles won the NBA Championship Series in seven games, capturing the last two contests on its home floor.
Boston held a four-point lead going into the fourth period of a game marked by physical play and intense defense. Almost every dribble of the basketball was contested from start to finish.
Los Angeles took the lead with a nine-point run that ended with two free throws from Gasol and gave the Lakers a 70-64 cushion with less than 5 minutes remaining.
From that point, Gasol made three free throws, blocked a shot and scored on a layup while fighting off three Boston defenders to put the Lakers in front 76-70 with 1:30 to play.
Los Angeles held only a 79-76 advantage inside the 30-second mark when Bryant tried to clinch it with a 3-pointer that missed. Gasol was there to get the offensive rebound and he got it back to Bryant -- who wound up making two foul shots for a five-point lead.
Rajon Rondo made a 3-pointer for the Celtics before Vujacic hit his two foul shots. When Rondo tried and failed to make another 3-pointer in the dying seconds, Gasol grabbed the last rebound of the game to make the victory official.
Gasol finished with 19 points and 18 rebounds in bringing the Lakers their fifth league crown in 11 years. Bryant had 23 points. Paul Pierce led the Celtics with 18.
Los Angeles shot only 32 percent from the field in the defense-dominated game, but the Lakers outrebounded the Celtics 53-40.
LOS ANGELES, (UPI) -- Pau Gasol carried Los Angeles during a frantic final quarter Thursday that led the Lakers to their second straight NBA title with an 83-79 decision over Boston.
Sasha Vujacic ensured the victory by making his only two points of the game from the free throw line with 11.7 seconds remaining, but it was Gasol who put the Lakers in position to win the 15th NBA championship in franchise history.
He scored from the foul line, he battled for key points under the basket and he grabbed the two most important rebounds of the game while filling the role usually reserved for Los Angeles superstar Kobe Bryant, who grabbed 15 rebounds and was named MVP of the series.
Los Angeles won the NBA Championship Series in seven games, capturing the last two contests on its home floor.
Boston held a four-point lead going into the fourth period of a game marked by physical play and intense defense. Almost every dribble of the basketball was contested from start to finish.
Los Angeles took the lead with a nine-point run that ended with two free throws from Gasol and gave the Lakers a 70-64 cushion with less than 5 minutes remaining.
From that point, Gasol made three free throws, blocked a shot and scored on a layup while fighting off three Boston defenders to put the Lakers in front 76-70 with 1:30 to play.
Los Angeles held only a 79-76 advantage inside the 30-second mark when Bryant tried to clinch it with a 3-pointer that missed. Gasol was there to get the offensive rebound and he got it back to Bryant -- who wound up making two foul shots for a five-point lead.
Rajon Rondo made a 3-pointer for the Celtics before Vujacic hit his two foul shots. When Rondo tried and failed to make another 3-pointer in the dying seconds, Gasol grabbed the last rebound of the game to make the victory official.
Gasol finished with 19 points and 18 rebounds in bringing the Lakers their fifth league crown in 11 years. Bryant had 23 points. Paul Pierce led the Celtics with 18.
Los Angeles shot only 32 percent from the field in the defense-dominated game, but the Lakers outrebounded the Celtics 53-40.
