Lakers defeat Celtics to take 2-1 lead in NBA Finals

BOSTON - Phil Jackson appeared amused by Paul Pierce's bravado-driven "We ain't comin' back to L.A.!" proclamation to Staples Center fans and offered a simple retort.

"We could end it here," Jackson said. "That's right. He might be right with that."

The Lakers took the all-important Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Tuesday night with a 91-84 win at TD Garden, which history says guarantees the series winner better than any guarantee ever offered by a player. The NBA went to the 2-3-2 series format for the Finals in 1985 and since then, 10 series have previously been tied 1-1. The winner of Game 3 has gone on to win the series each time.

But despite a 2-1 lead, the Lakers hardly grabbed hold of this series, which continues Thursday night here for Game 4 and Sunday for Game 5. Kobe Bryant scored 27 points, but did so on 29 shots, several of which were poor quality. It was Derek Fisher who came through with the bigger performance, as the veteran guard had 11 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter to hold off a late Celtics rally.

"Won the game for them," Doc Rivers said of Fisher, who scored six consecutive points in a two-minute span late in the fourth, then came up with a coast-to-coast drive for a three-point play with 48.3 seconds left to give the Lakers an 87-80 lead. Fisher caught the Celtics jogging back on defense and went for daylight.

"I just took the direct line," Fisher said. "Had they got there and cut me off, I probably would have pulled it out. But I felt I could get to the basket and get a good shot off before they could get to me."

Fisher was also a big part of the reason Ray Allen, who had 32 points in Game 2, went 0-for-13. A game after he set an NBA Finals record with eight made three-pointers, Allen missed on eight attempts from downtown. Allen missed yet another NBA Finals record by one field-goal attempt. Dennis Johnson had a nightmarish 0-for-14 performance for the Seattle SuperSonics in a Game 7 loss to the Washington Bullets in the 1979 Finals.

"It's a hell of a swing, I can tell you that," Rivers said of Allen's contrasting games. "You know, it's basketball. That's why you can't worry about it . . . I thought all of his shots looked flat, I didn't think he had any legs."

Allen admitted after the game that a thigh bruise suffered in Game 2 had some impact, but he felt confident with every shot.

While Allen and Pierce (15 points, five fouls) struggled, Kevin Garnett broke out of his alarming two-game slump to put up 25 points but was called for a mindless offensive foul when he shoved Pau Gasol with 32 seconds left and the Celtics trailing 87-82.

Garnett is typically charged up by the home crowd and the Celtics used the momentum of this boisterous crowd to jump out to an early lead. Garnett scored the first six points of the game that sparked a 12-4 lead to start the game. The Lakers responded with a 32-8 run that bridged the first and second quarters and they led by as many as 17 points.

"It's a big loss until the next game," Rivers said. "No one thought this was going to be an easy series. We didn't. And so it's not. So we'll bounce back."

No guarantees, of course.

Notes & quotes: Nate Robinson's positive minutes off the bench spelling Rajon Rondo not only in Game 2 but in other critical moments of this Celtics run have changed the erratic former Knick's image somewhat. But when asked if he thinks Robinson seems "calmer" Rivers couldn't go that far. "I don't know if 'calm' and Nate will ever go together; I will say that," Rivers said. Robinson had five points in 5:43 in Game 3 . . . One would think the quick turnaround between Games 2 and 3 - especially when you factor in the cross-country travel on the day between - might have been felt more by the older Celtics, but it was actually the youngest Laker who may have the most trouble. Andrew Bynum, who had his balky right knee drained before the series, appeared to tweak it after blocking a Kendrick Perkins shot with 5:17 left in the third quarter. Bynum did return to play in the fourth quarter . . . Jackson, who was told by Jerry Buss that if he returns as coach next season, he would have to take a $7-million pay cut, was asked about the Cavaliers' reported offer to Michigan State coach Tom Izzo for $6 million a year. "Good for him," Jackson said. "Way to go." There were rumors earlier in the postseason that the Cavaliers might try to lure Jackson from Los Angeles to coach LeBron James.