NBA 2010-2011 Season

Kobe Bryant battled through an uncharacteristically tough evening to lead all scorers as the Los Angeles Lakers came from behind to beat the Boston Celtics 83-79 in the decisive seventh game of the NBA finals and claim back-to-back titles.

But Pau Gasol took the plaudits, the seven-foot Spaniard recording 19 points and 17 rebounds, and Ron Artest added 20 points as the hosts recovered from a long-time deficit which peaked at 13 points to triumph at the Staples Center.

A final-quarter surge took them ahead for the first time since they briefly led 25-23 in the second, and a pair of free throws from Sasha Vujacic - the Slovenian's first points of the game - took them out to a decisive two-score margin.

Boston were without centre Kendrick Perkins, who sprained his right knee in game six of the series, but they embarked on a 13-3 run in the final five minutes of the first period to lead 23-14 at the first interval.

Bryant had taken five shots and over eight minutes to open his account but he briefly clicked to underpin a 9-0 streak which levelled the match for the Lakers.

The match proved a physical encounter and, when the Celtics' Kevin Garnett - who impressed with 17 points on the night - was sent crashing into the front row of the crowd, Hollywood star and Lakers fan Jack Nicholson had to produce a neat sidestep to avoid being caught up in the collision.

The visitors took almost five minutes to score in the second period but recovered to go in at half-time 40-34 to the good, with Bryant having contributed just eight points on three of 14 field goals.

A Rajon Rondo two-pointer saw the lead move into double figures for the first time at 47-36 and the same player then added a further two en route to 14 for the game.

But Lamar Odom was to the fore as LA cut the gap to 57-53 by the end of the third quarter and a free throw from Artest levelled the scores at 61-61.
Another 9-0 run took them 70-64 ahead but the game remained in the balance as both teams traded three-pointers.

But Vujacic held his nerve at the crucial moment and Rondo's missed three-pointer allowed Odom to hurl the ball long to Bryant and safety.

Bryant finished with 21 points, eight of which came in the fourth quarter, and collected the Bill Russell Award as finals series MVP for the second time as well as winning his fifth title.

He said: 'This is the sweetest. We've been downplaying the rivalry with the Celtics but there's no question, this one's by far the sweetest because it's against them - and because it's the hardest.'

And he reserved special mention for team-mate Gasol, adding: 'I can't say enough about 'Spain'. That guy's unbelievable, a hell of a player - we wouldn't have won it without him.'

Of 18 decisive seventh games in finals history, 14 have now been won by the hosts, while every match in this series has been won by the team with the most rebounds - Los Angeles dominating that statistic 53-40.

Coach Phil Jackson felt both were crucial factors, and said: 'I don't know it we'd have won this game without these fans - thank you! "keep rebounding the ball, keep getting those loose balls.'

Speculation has surrounded Jackson's future - as well as that of opposite number Doc Rivers - and he would not be drawn on whether he will stay with the franchise and attempt to win a third successive title for the third time in his career.

'I've got to take some time and think about this,' he said. 'This was great, I'll wait to make that decision in a week.'

Owner Dr Jerry Buss, meanwhile, felt the hostility towards his team fired them up.

He said: 'I think we want it more. Everybody abuses LA - "beat LA, beat LA" - I think it gives us a lot of energy.'