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January 31, 2010

(CRWENEWSWIRE)The Los Angeles Lakers are doing their best to forget all those awful memories of playing in the Boston Garden.

Kobe Bryant sank the go-ahead basket with 7.3 seconds left, and the Lakers won 90-89 on Sunday for their third consecutive victory over the struggling Celtics. Boston has not been able to make good on the traditional “Beat L.A.!” chant since winning 131-92 to clinch the 2008 NBA championship here in Game 6 of the finals.

“They smacked us two years ago,” Lakers forward Lamar Odom said. “It was a big game for us. This a team that’s going to be battling to be coming out of the East.”

Winners of 32 NBA titles between them — including the last two — the Lakers and Celtics have met in the finals 11 times, from Bill Russell against Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain, to Magic Johnson vs. Larry Bird and on to the current matchup of Bryant facing the New Big Three of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.

But while the Lakers’ superstar came through in the stretch for them, Boston’s couldn’t.

The Celtics led by as many as 11 points in the fourth quarter and nursed a one-point lead until Pierce was called for an offensive foul for pushing off as he jumped to shoot with 28 seconds left.

“At that point, I think it’s got to be unbelievable, but I didn’t see it so I really can’t give an opinion on it,” Boston coach Doc Rivers said. “You know, I do know Kobe pushes off a lot.”

Bryant complained of a stiff ankle after Friday night’s win in Philadelphia, and it seemed to bother him during the game. He shot just 8 for 20 but made the big one: making a move toward the basket before stepping back from Allen’s defense and swishing the ball through the net to give Los Angeles its only lead of the second half.

“He had a couple of looks before that that were good looks, and he didn’t put them in. We were mystified by that,” said Lakers coach Phil Jackson, who tied Pat Riley atop the franchise coaching list with his 533rd win in Los Angeles. “He told me the next one was going to go in, so we went with him.”

Bryant finished with 19, Andrew Bynum had 19 points and 11 rebounds, and Pau Gasol had 11 points and 11 boards for the Lakers, who won their fourth consecutive game.

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