Lakers Keep Vujacic

RIVERSIDE, California (Ticker) -- With the recent exodus of NBA players overseas, restricted free agent guard Sasha Vujacic appeared to be next one in line. But the Los Angeles Lakers made sure that wasn't going to happen Friday, according to a report in The Press-Enterprise. The newspaper reported that, after some tense negotiations, the Lakers and Vujacic agreed to a three-year, $15 million contract.

Vujacic rebuffed the Lakers' original offer of three years, $12 million, leading the 3-point specialist and his representatives to threaten to follow recent NBA defectors such as the Atlanta Hawks' Josh Childress and the Toronto Raptors' Carlos Delfino, who each received large multi-million-dollar deals to play in Greece and Russia, respectively.

However, Vujacic - who had planned to take a red-eye flight from Los Angeles to Europe on Friday - never left Los Angeles. The 6-7 Vujacic averaged a career-high 8.8 points last season and shot 45 percent from the field, including 44 percent from the arc, helping him earn the nickname "The Machine" because of his prolific shooting which helped Los Angeles earn a berth in the NBA Finals.

NBA Finals Preview

LA Lakers at Boston, 6:00 pm, ABC NBA Finals Game Six Boston leads, 3-2

BOSTON (Ticker) - The Boston Celtics take a second shot at securing their first championship in 22 years when they host the Los Angeles Lakers in Game Six of the NBA Finals.

The Celtics, who lead the best-of-seven matchup, 3-2, suffered a 103-98 setback in Sunday's Game Five in Los Angeles, extending the series and giving them a chance to claim the title in front of what promises to be a raucous home crowd. This postseason, Boston is 12-1 at TD Banknorth Garden, where 16 championship banners hang in the rafters - the last one coming in 1986.

The Celtics lost in the Finals to the Lakers in 1987, the last time the teams had met in a championship series. A similar outcome will be a tall task for Los Angeles, which is trying to become the first team in NBA history to erase a 3-1 deficit in the Finals. Additionally, the club will have to win the final two games on the road.

The Lakers staved off elimination Sunday against the shorthanded Celtics, who were without center Kendrick Perkins (left shoulder injury). The bruising center will be a game-time decision for Game Six. Boston guard Ray Allen, who had to attend to a family emergency immediately after Sunday's game, reportedly will be in the starting lineup.

Still, the banged-up Celtics want to end the series now. On Tuesday, they will play in their NBA-record 26th game this postseason after two seven-game victories in opening two rounds and a six-game triumph over the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference finals. Los Angeles superstar Kobe Bryant has not played well in the matchup and will need another stellar performance from the inconsistent teammate Lamar Odom if the Lakers are to succeed. Odom, for his part, seems focused. "We didn't want to see any champagne popping like that," Odom said after the much-needed win in Game Five.

NBA Finals Capsule

LOS ANGELES 103, BOSTON 98
Boston Leads Series, 3-2

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Kobe Bryant delivered on his words - for the time being, at least. A day after declaring that the series was far from over, Bryant finished with 25 points and five steals to help the Los Angeles Lakers stave off elimination with a 103-98 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game Five of the NBA Finals on Sunday.

Bryant came through with the game's biggest sequence, beginning with a steal that led to a breakaway dunk with 37 seconds remaining as the Lakers' slim title hopes remained alive. Los Angeles now trails, 3-2, in the best-of-seven series and must capture the next two games in Boston - where the Celtics are 12-1 this postseason - beginning with Tuesday's Game Six. No team in NBA history has comeback from a 3-1 deficit and, since the league switched to the 2-3-2 Finals format in 1985, no team has won the last two games on the road. The Lakers are attempting to do both.

Bryant got the support he's been looking for all series in this one, with Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol each awakening with big games. Odom contributed 20 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks, while Gasol had 19, 13 and six assists.

NBA Finals Preview

Boston at LA Lakers, 6 pm, ABC
Boston Leads Series, 3-1

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- After a stirring comeback on Thursday, the banged-up Boston Celtics aim to secure their first championship in 22 years when they take on the Los Angeles Lakers in Game Five of the NBA Finals on Sunday night.

The Celtics, who authored one of the most remarkable in-game turnarounds in Finals history in Game Four, lead this best-of-seven matchup at 3-1. No team has come back from such a deficit in the NBA's championship series, making Boston an odds-on favorite for its league-best 17th championship and first since 1986.

But it is not all positive for the Celtics, who may play with two injured starters - center Kendrick Perkins (left shoulder) and point guard Rajon Rondo (left ankle). However, despite their ailments, coach Doc Rivers said on Saturday both would be in the starting lineup. Boston added another classic chapter to perhaps the best rivalry in professional basketball Thursday, climbing out of a 24-point hole en route to a thrilling 97-91 victory over Los Angeles, which held the largest advantage after one period in the history of the Finals. The Celtics went on to erase an 18-point halftime deficit - also the largest intermission comeback in Finals history in the shot-clock era. The Lakers made it a one-possession game three times within the final 1:30 but could not come up with a critical defensive stop. James Posey hit a 3-pointer, Paul Pierce nailed two free throws and Ray Allen put in a driving layup for the Celtics during that decisive span.

It was another remarkable in-game turnaround in this series, which saw Boston nearly blow a 24-point advantage in the fourth quarter in Game Two. Los Angeles superstar Kobe Bryant, who scored 17 points in Game Four, was criticized for not being able to lift his teammates in this series. But he would not admit that a championship is a foregone conclusion for Boston. "This season ain't over," Bryant said. "It's far from over. So for me to talk about (next season) would be acknowledging defeat, and that's something I just don't do."

Games Six and Seven would be in Boston if necessary.

NBA Finals Preview

Boston at LA Lakers, 6:00 pm, ABC
Boston Leads Series, 2-1

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- For the Los Angeles Lakers to have a fighting chance in the NBA Finals, they have to handle business on Thursday. The Lakers will try to even the series at two games apiece when they host the Boston Celtics in Game Four at the Staple Center.

After returning to the West Coast down 2-0, Los Angeles got 36 points from Kobe Bryant and a surprising 20 from reserve Sasha Vujacic in Tuesday's 87-81 victory in Game Three. "What I tried to do with my teammates is just stay calm," Bryant said. "It wasn't the end of the world. They did a great job of defending home court. We knew we had to come here and do the same. They feed off of my confidence and I have all the confidence in the world that we can come here and win." Vujacic's career performance picked up the slack for teammates Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom - the duo combined for just 13 points on 5-of-18 shooting.

But the Lakers' big men weren't the only ones struggling, as Boston's Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce both had a tough night. Garnett had 13 points but made just 6-of-21 shots Tuesday after pouring in 24 points in Game One and 17 in Game Two. Pierce, a Los Angeles native who was playing in front of friends and family, scored just six points on 2-of-14 shooting after scoring 22 and 28, respectively, during the first two games of the series.

Despite a 2-8 road mark this postseason, Pierce is confident his team can break through here. "Me and Kevin really didn't play well," Pierce said. "But then you've got to look at the Lakers' side, Odom and Gasol really didn't play well. So you've got to expect me and Kevin to play a lot better in Game Four as well as Gasol (and) Odom to play a lot better. "But I was happy with our defense. I can take that away from Game Three with the way we defended the ball. We gave up some key offensive rebounds there late in the game. If we can clean those up, we'll be fine. But defensively we held them to 87 points, they shot 43 percent and we'll take that all night."

Lakers Hold Off Celtics in Game Three

LA Lakers 87, Boston 81

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- It wasn't pretty, but then again, ugly is all it takes. Kobe Bryant scored 36 points and Sasha Vujacic added 20 off the bench as the Los Angeles Lakers executed down the stretch en route to a crucial 87-81 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game Three of the NBA Finals on Tuesday night.

Bryant torched Ray Allen for two crucial buckets in the final 1:06 for the Lakers, who trail the Celtics, 2-1, in the best-of-seven series. With the rest of the starters struggling, Bryant and Vujacic were the lone double-figure scorers for Los Angeles, which improved to 9-0 at Staples Center this postseason - one shy of tying the NBA record for consecutive home victories in the playoffs.

Still, the Lakers face an uphill battle in their quest for the title. Only three teams have lost the first two contests in the championship series and recovered to win it all. Los Angeles will try to take a step toward becoming the fourth in Game Four here on Thursday.

It bodes well for the Lakers that Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol each had off nights and they still were able to record the win. The 7-foot Gasol managed just nine points, while Odom, who battled foul trouble, scored just four. Ironically, the Celtics were in the same boat. Ray Allen tried to pick up the slack for Boston's slumping "Big Three." He scored 25 points, including four 3-pointers, but Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce combined for just 19. Garnett was 6-of-21 from the floor and Pierce was even worse, shooting 2-of-14.

Things looked bleak for the Lakers in the third quarter, when the Celtics dug themselves out of an early double-digit hole to take a four-point lead on consecutive baskets from Garnett. However, Bryant and Vujacic would take care of that down the stretch. After Boston had gotten to within two points on Garnett's spinning bank shot, Vujacic responded with a 3-pointer from the wing en route to a 81-76 advantage for Los Angeles. After two free throws by Derek Fisher, Bryant nailed a jumper near the top of the key and followed it up with a leaner in the lane with 38 seconds remaining to provide the final margin.

It was much-needed win for Los Angeles, which nearly erased a 24-point, fourth-quarter deficit in a 108-102 loss in Sunday's Game Two. But it was ultimately done in by its lack of aggressiveness, shooting just 10 free throws, while Boston was 27-of-38 from the line. The Lakers shot more than double that amount by halftime Tuesday en route to 21-of-34 mark from the line. The free-throw turnaround came just hours after disgraced former referee Tim Donaghy told federal investigators that officials altered the outcomes of playoff series in 2002 and 2005.

NBA Finals Preview

By Anthony Olivieri
Pro Basketball Editor

LA Lakers vs. Boston Celtics

KEY MATCHUPS: Lakers G Kobe Bryant and Celtics G Ray Allen don't seem to like each other and nobody seems to know why. Either way, neither should need extra motivation in the NBA Finals. Bryant, whose level of play is at an all-time high, should pray he is guarded by Allen, whose surgically repaired ankles are not serving him well on the defensive end. Bryant, though, most likely would not be stopped even by a healthy Allen. But the Celtics would consider it a success if they can turn the reigning MVP into the old Bryant, who had the penchant for getting involved in personal battles and freezing out his teammates in big moments. ... Cs Pau Gasol and Kendrick Perkins could not be more different, but each could have an equal impact on their team's success. A finesse player, the 7-foot Gasol does his damage with nifty moves on the interior and excels with positioning on the offensive glass. Perkins plays more like a bull in a china shop and has parlayed that into nice supporting role for Boston. But if either can complement their more perimeter-oriented teammates - especially Perkins, who gives the Celtics another dimension - it will be a big boost.

PIVOTAL PLAYERS: G-F Paul Pierce was fired up after the Celtics defeated Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference finals. He even started up an impromptu "Beat L.A.!" chant during the trophy presentation after the game. But will Pierce actually be able to beat the Lakers on the court? Pierce put Boston on his back with a 41-point performance in a scoring duel against the LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference semifinals. He will need to match baskets with Bryant in crunch time for Boston to emerge victorious. ... Even though Pierce will be relied upon in the clutch, Celtics F Kevin Garnett cannot be passive. He must not settle for fadeaways and take advantage of shorter defenders, especially Lakers reserve F Ronny Turiaf, who will spell both Gasol and F Lamar Odom. ... Boston's fortunes also rest upon Allen, who has shown signs of decline and signs of his past brilliance. An effective Allen transforms the Celtics into a more dangerous club, which can spread the floor and cash in on the sharpshooter's unlimited range. ... Finally, the most pivotal player for either team is Odom, whose unselfish passing skills have enhanced the Lakers' offensive attack. But Odom is hit-or-miss in the big spot.

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING: "This is my first Finals, my second or third Lakers-Celtics game. I'm looking forward to it, all the things I used to watch on Sunday, that big plate of food in front of me watching the Lakers and Celtics play on Sunday, Hubie Brown and Dick Stockton doing the game. I remember that like it was yesterday. Fire going, I'm gonna grab me a seat right in front. Mom telling me, 'Don't get too close to the TV, it'll kill your eyes.' I remember it like it was yesterday, man. I'm looking forward to this." - Garnett

SEASON SERIES & HISTORY: Perhaps the greatest rivalry in the annals of professional basketball, the Lakers and Celtics have played some of the most memorable games in the sport's history. The teams have met in the Finals 10 times, and the Celtics have won eight of those matchups. But in 1987, the last meeting between the teams in the championship series, Los Angeles emerged victorious. It was the last appearance on the NBA's biggest stage for Boston, which had won the title the previous season. The championship history began in 1959, when the Celtics defeated the Minneapolis Lakers en route to their first of eight straight championships. But the rivalry really became contentious in the 1960s, as Boston defeated Los Angeles six times in eight years. Those matchups featured Hall of Famers Bill Russell and Bob Cousy of the Celtics and the Lakers' Jerry West and Elgin Baylor. Boston and Los Angeles added perhaps the most famous chapter of their history in the 1980s, when Larry Bird and Magic Johnson hit the scene with a flourish. The duo not only reinvigorated the rivalry but increased the popularity of the NBA, making the NBA Finals must-see TV. Bird and Magic played in the Finals three times, with Magic's Lakers winning twice. The Celtics won both matchups this season, but Gasol was still on the Memphis Grizzlies for both contests.

PREDICTION: Boston's first appearance in the NBA Finals since 1987 has its fans excited, and that should be evident at a frenzied TD Banknorth Garden in Game One. But the initial surge of energy should not benefit the Celtics past the opening contest. There are too many unknowns for Boston. Will Pierce be able to stand up to Bryant late in the game? Is Allen capable of stringing together multiple good games? Can coach Doc Rivers avoid panicking and settle on solid rotation? For all the questions about the Celtics, there is one thing certain about the Lakers - Kobe is the best player on the court. In series which pit two evenly matched teams, the one with the most dominant player usually prevails - and it will be no different this time around.

LAKERS IN SIX.

SoCal NBA Playoff Preview

San Antonio at LA Lakers, 6:00 pm, TNT

Western Conference Finals, Lakers lead series, 3-1

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - The defending champion San Antonio Spurs nearly pulled off a miracle comeback. Instead they are facing the daunting task of climbing out of a 3-1 hole. League MVP Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers seek to eliminate the Spurs on Thursday in Game Five of the Western Conference Finals and advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2004.

Bryant had 28 points and 10 rebounds and the top-seeded Lakers avoided a monumental late-game collapse to notch a 93-91 victory in San Antonio on Tuesday - the Spurs' first home loss of the postseason. It nearly did not happen though. San Antonio trailed by seven points with 50 seconds left, but some shoddy late-game management by the Lakers let them climb back into it before Brent Barry missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer. Barry, who scored a playoff-high 23 points, pump faked and appeared to fouled by Derek Fisher, but there was no call.

"We didn't manage the clock well at the end of the game, and we almost suffered the consequences for it," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "We just didn't quite get it done, so now we have a lot of work ahead of us," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said of the comeback attempt. Surprisingly, Barry agreed with the non-call. "That is not going to get called," Barry said. "Derek Fisher made a great defensive play. There was contact for sure, but I don't think I ran through him. I didn't initiate any contact. ... I never thought they would call a foul."

Not surprisingly, Bryant agreed with Barry's assessment. "No way," said Bryant when asked if it was a foul. "Not with all the contact that was going on during the game." Bryant, a three-time NBA champion, did not attempt a free throw Tuesday despite taking 29 shots. Now the Spurs are now facing a nearly unsurmountable deficit. "This is our first defeat here, and we had a hill to climb being down 0-2, and now we have Everest to climb being down 3-1," Barry said. The Lakers are looking to advance to the Finals for the first time since 2004, when they lost in five games to the Detroit Pistons.

SoCal NBA Playoff Preview

LA Lakers at San Antonio, 6:00 pm, TNT
Western Conference Finals, Lakers lead, 2-1

SAN ANTONIO (Ticker) - After a pair of disheartening losses in Los Angeles, the San Antonio Spurs rebounded nicely in Game Three. The Spurs hope to carry that momentum into Tuesday when they host the Los Angeles Lakers in Game Four of the Western Conference finals.

The defending champion Spurs blew a 20-point lead in Game One and were blown out, 101-71, in Game Two on Friday. But San Antonio came alive on Sunday, handing Los Angeles its worst loss of these playoffs with a 103-84 triumph. Manu Ginobili had scored just 17 points through the first two games but had 30 in Game Three to lead the Spurs attack. "It's really not a surprise anymore," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said of Ginobili. "(He) is such a competitor. He puts so much on his shoulders, and he fights through a lot of things. He's got a lot of confidence in what he can do."

Tim Duncan added 22 points and 21 rebounds for the Spurs, who improved to 7-0 at home during the postseason. Kobe Bryant scored 30 points in the loss and is averaging 31.7 during the playoffs, but the MVP will need more help in Game Four.

Forwards Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol combined to shoot just 31 percent (9-of-29) from the field, scoring 22 points. The duo is averaging 33.5 during the postseason. "I think they weren't decisive enough on what they wanted to get done," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "They had their opportunities and missed some layups and things just didn't go well."

Despite the lack of help from his supporting cast, Bryant thinks the Lakers need to improve their defense to keep the Spurs from knotting up the series. "If we can't get stops, it doesn't matter," Bryant said. "We had a point there where we cut it to 12 or nine, and we couldn't get stops. So, whether I go off for a 20-point quarter or 15-point quarter, we still have to get stops."

SoCal NBA Playoff Preview

LA Lakers at San Antonio, 5:30 pm, TNE

Western Conference Finals, Lakers lead, 2-0

SAN ANTONIO (Ticker) -- The defending champion San Antonio Spurs look to avoid falling into an insurmountable three-game hole Sunday when they host the Los Angeles Lakers in Game Three of the Western Conference finals.

Kobe Bryant led a balanced attack Friday with 22 points as the Lakers remained undefeated at home in the playoffs with a convincing 101-71 victory in Game Two. "I think we are playing good basketball," Lakers guard Jordan Farmar said. "We're not really thinking too much, we're just playing, taking what they give us, and taking advantage of it."

The Spurs lost the first two games of the conference semifinals against the New Orleans Hornets before battling back to win their best-of-seven series. "No comfort being down 0-2 ever," Spurs forward Tim Duncan said. "We're going home and, one of two things is going to happen, either we're going to turn it around and make this thing into a series or we're not."

Lakers forward Lamar Odom bounced back from his dismal eight-point effort in the series opener, collecting 20 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks on Friday. San Antonio hopes a return home can bring some life into swingman Manu Ginobili, whose injured ankle continues to give him trouble in the series. He is averaging just 8.5 points thus far.

The Spurs own a 6-0 record in the postseason at the AT&T Center, where they are winning by an average of 10.5 points.

SoCal NBA Playoff Preview

San Antonio at LA Lakers, 6:00 pm, TNT

Western Conference finals, Lakers lead, 1-0

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The San Antonio Spurs try to put a heartbreaking loss behind them when they take on the Los Angeles Lakers in Game Two of the Western Conference finals on Friday.

Despite leading nearly the entire game and holding a 20-point advantage in the third quarter, the Spurs failed to close out the Lakers, who rallied from behind for an 89-85 victory in Wednesday's Game One. Kobe Bryant went scoreless in the first quarter and managed just two points on three attempts by halftime.

However, the NBA's Most Valuable Player stepped up in the second half, pouring in 25 of his 27 points - including 14 in the fourth quarter. "Kobe was doing his trust-his-teammates thing in the first half," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "In the second half, he went to work." "I just tried to manage the flow of the game," Bryant said. "I can get (my shot off) any time and, in the second half, I did that." Pau Gasol added 19 points and seven rebounds for the Lakers, who improved to 7-0 at Staples Center this postseason. "The way we just kept battling, just gave us a chance and put us in a position to win the game," Gasol said.

Tim Duncan finished with 30 points and 18 rebounds while Tony Parker added 18, 10 and six assists for the Spurs, who did not have a chance to practice before Game One after they encountered travel troubles en route to Los Angeles from New Orleans following their Game Seven victory over the Hornets.

However, Parker didn't blame his team's meltdown on its delayed arrival. "No one gives any excuse, we were in pretty good shape and had a good lead," he said. "We're not going to try to think we were tired or stuff like that. "We had a great chance to win the game and we just didn't play well enough in the fourth quarter." San Antonio is in bad shape if history means anything as Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson is 40-0 when winning Game One of a playoff series.

SoCal NBA Playoff Capsule

LA LAKERS 89, SAN ANTONIO 85 ----------------------------

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Lakers found themselves in uncharted territory - on the verge of being blown out in their own building. When it was over, they were back in a very familiar position. Kobe Bryant scored 25 of his 27 points in the second half as the Lakers remained unbeaten at home in the postseason following an 89-85 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game One of the Western Conference finals. Pau Gasol added 19 points and seven rebounds for the Los Angeles, which moved to 7-0 at Staples Center thus far.

Both teams will have little time to relax with Game Two slated for here Friday. If history means anything, Los Angeles should be in good shape under coach Phil Jackson, who is 40-0 when winning Game One of a playoff series. Of course, he can attribute much of that success to his superstar players.

On this night, the star performer was Bryant, who went scoreless in first quarter and managed just two points on three attempts by the break but helped the Lakers turn it on in time. Trailing by as many as 20 in the third quarter, Los Angeles stormed back in the fourth. They used a 10-0 run midway through the quarter to take the lead for good. Lamar Odom's layup tied it at 81-81, and Bryant followed with a pair of free throws and a jumper to give his team a four-point lead. The Spurs would even it back up at 85-85 on Tim Duncan's putback, before Bryant nailed a short jumper in the lane with 23 seconds remaining for the two-point cushion - a lead the Lakers would not relinquish. Manu Ginobili missed a 3-pointer on the other end of the floor with under 10 seconds left as the weary Spurs blew a chance to grab an important road victory.

Following a series-clinching win over New Orleans on Monday, the Spurs encountered travel troubles en route to Los Angeles, delaying their arrival until mid-Tuesday. As a result, they didn't practice, instead focusing on resting up for the quick turnaround. Duncan finished with 30 points and 18 rebounds and Tony Parker had 18, 10 and six assists for San Antonio, which opened the third quarter on a 15-2 run to go ahead by 20 points and held Los Angeles scoreless for first four minutes of that period.

The Lakers' poor play drew boos from the Staples Center crowd. But the jeers didn't last long, as Los Angeles followed with a 14-0 spurt that got it to within 65-59.

SoCal NBA Playoff Preview

San Antonio at LA Lakers, 6:00 pm, ESPN
Western Conference Final, Game One

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - The defending champion San Antonio Spurs visit Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday in Game One of the Western Conference finals. The teams have combined to win seven of the last nine NBA titles with the Spurs winning three of the last five.

The Spurs rallied from an 0-2 series deficit to defeat the New Orleans Hornets in seven games during the conference semifinals, using their veteran experience to stifle the younger Hornets. San Antonio won, 91-82, at New Orleans in Game Seven on Monday. It is the first time San Antonio has reached the conference finals the year after winning the championship. "I think for us it was defense," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "We really concentrated on the fact that it might help fuel our offense. We wanted to try to keep them off balance, so we changed defenses tonight more than we did in any other game, and maybe it helped us a bit."

San Antonio's defense will certainly be put to the test against the Lakers, who have averaged 112.1 points during the postseason. The league's Most Valuable Player, Bryant is averaging 33.3 points, 6.8 assists and 6.3 rebounds during the playoffs. The 29-year-old has failed to score 30 points only twice in 10 games this postseason. Bryant was bothered by a sore back in Games Five and Six against the Utah Jazz, but is apparently recovered after four days of rest. "It feels good (to advance). It feels great," Bryant said after Game Six on Friday. "We're excited about (going to the conference finals). It's been a great journey so far, and we want to keep it rolling. We're proud of what we've accomplished, but we believe we can accomplish much more." Lakers coach Phil Jackson is 10-1 in conference finals, losing only with the Chicago Bulls in 1990.

Lakers vs. Spurs Series Preview

By Ed Kacik
PA SportsTicker Staff Writer

KEY MATCHUPS: Lakers' G Kobe Bryant appears determined to return to the NBA Finals and his play has reflected his desire. The league MVP is averaging 33 points, six rebounds and nearly seven assists per game in the playoffs. Spurs' F Bruce Bowen, widely considered one of the best defenders in the league, will have the tall task of limiting perhaps the NBA's most prolific scorer. ... Spurs' G Tony Parker, the 2007 NBA Finals MVP, has been highly effective during the playoffs with his constant ability to drive to the lane and convert layups. G Derek Fisher should make things more difficult for Parker with his veteran savvy and strong one-on-one defensive presence. Fisher also knows that keeping the talented point guard on the perimeter is key.

PIVOTAL PLAYERS: Spurs' F Tim Duncan was limited to just over 15 points per game during the Western Conference semifinals as he struggled against the younger and more athletic front-court of the New Orleans Hornets. However, Duncan should see his production rise when he matches up against Lakers' F Vladimir Radmonovic, whose strength is away from the basket as opposed to the low-post. ... Lakers' C Pau Gasol gives Bryant a superstar to defer too, but more importantly he provides Los Angeles with a consistent low-post presence. Gasol averaged 18.5 points and 8.3 rebounds in the conference semifinals and could be even better against centers Fabricio Oberto and Kurt Thomas. ... San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich inserted G Manu Ginobili - the NBA Sixth Man award winner - in the starting lineup during the conference semifinals to keep up with the Hornets speed and athleticism. Ginobili will play a crucial role again in this series whether he starts or comes off the bench.

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING: "The Western Conference this year is just truly unbelievable. I know there's been a lot of talk about the home court record in the conference semifinals and the home teams having so much success. You're talking about the best teams in basketball facing each other. ... The Spurs are the defending champs and until they're done, everything goes through them." - Fisher

SEASON SERIES & HISTORY: The Lakers and Spurs split the four-game regular season series with both teams failing to win on the road. ... Los Angeles and San Antonio have met nine times in the playoffs with the Lakers holding a 6-3 advantage in series victories. ... After falling behind, two-games-to-none, in the 2004 conference semifinals, the Lakers rallied for four straight victories to oust the Spurs before falling in the NBA Finals. ... San Antonio eliminated Los Angeles in six games during the 2003 conference semifinals en route to their first of three titles over the next five seasons.

PREDICTION: The Spurs proved that playoff experience and veteran leadership is just as important as speed and athleticism during their seven-game series victory over the Hornets. After dropping the first two games on the road, San Antonio rallied behind Duncan, Ginobili and Parker, ending the series with a decisive Game Seven victory in New Orleans. Meanwhile, the Lakers continued their strong play against the Utah Jazz, but stumbled at times during the series. Los Angeles let a 12-point lead slip away in the closing minutes of Game Four, losing in overtime despite 33 points from Bryant, who battled back spasms the entire game. Bryant had 34 points in Game Three, but the Lakers also suffered a loss in that contest, as no other player scored more than 13 points. Bryant is talented enough to win games single-handedly, but against a team as deep and consistent as the Spurs, the Lakers need their role players to step up, which hasn't happened often enough this season.

SPURS IN SIX.

SoCal NBA Playoff Preview

LA Lakers at Utah, 7:30 pm, ESPN
Western Conference semifinals
Lakers lead, 3-2

SALT LAKE CITY (Ticker) - The Los Angeles Lakers are no longer a one-man band. The top-seeded Lakers will look to advance on Friday when they try to close out the Utah Jazz in Game Six of their Western Conference semifinals series.

Bryant collected 26 points, seven assists and six rebounds to lead Los Angeles to a 111-104 win over Utah on Wednesday at the Staples Center in Game Five. Despite Bryant's all-around performance, the reigning league MVP was rather quiet during the fourth quarter, allowing Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol to take center stage. The duo combined for 43 points. "In the third quarter, I had a moment where I was able to pick it up a little bit," Bryant said. "In the fourth quarter, Lamar and Pau took it from there." "Gasol really opened the game up with his passing," said Odom, who had 22 points and 11 boards in the win. "That's why he's so valuable to this team and so valuable to our execution."

However, the Lakers might need more than just a collective effort in Game Six as the home teams are an impressive 19-1 in the four NBA conference semifinals. "We just got to protect home court, go back and get our confidence back, hopefully, win that one and be out here for Game Seven," Jazz guard Deron Williams said. Utah posted the best mark at home during the regular season at 37-4 and holds a 4-1 record in the postseason - including wins in Game Three and Four over the Lakers.

"We've got two left (games) with them," Utah forward Carlos Boozer said. "We've got to win (Friday) night to have the second one." With his team down 3-2 in the series, Jazz coach Jerry Sloan feel very confident about the situation his club is in. "I think it's exciting myself. I always have loved to be in those situations," he said. "If you like to play, what better position could you be in? They have to come and beat us, and we hope we don't beat ourselves."

SoCal NBA Playoff Preview

Utah at LA Lakers , 7:30 pm, TNT
Western Conference semifinals
Series tied, 2-2

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - If the postseason holds true to form, the Staples Center should once again become a safe haven for the Los Angeles Lakers. The top-seed Lakers will try to remain undefeated at home in the playoffs when they host the Utah Jazz in Game Five of their Western Conference semifinals series Wednesday.

After winning the first two games of the series here, the Lakers came up short in both road contests in Salt Lake City - including Sunday's 123-115 overtime loss in Game Four. Home teams own a commanding 17-1 record in the NBA's four conference semifinals, with the Detroit Pistons being the lone club to capture a road triumph last Saturday. Reigning MVP Kobe Bryant lead the way Sunday with 33 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds despite battling back spasms throughout most of the game. "You've got to make some adjustments," Bryant said of his injury. "You can't run like you want to, cut like you want to." Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol put together their best performance of the series as a tandem - combining for 49 points, 23 rebounds and four blocks.

The Lakers will need a better performance from their bench after receiving just 16 points compared to 39 by the Jazz reserves. "Our bench stepped up and provided with a lot of scoring and a lot of energy. We need to take that to L.A.," Jazz guard Deron Williams said.

"We're confident now but we still need to prove we can win on the road." "I was really impressed, and the thing that kind of seemed to give us a little bit of life was our second group gave us a lift," Utah coach Jerry Sloan said.

Williams collected 29 points and 14 assists and Mehmet Okur added 18 and 11 boards for Utah, which owns a dismal 3-16 record at the Staples Center all-time. "We're definitely confident now," Williams said. "Our first two games didn't go exactly how we wanted them to go. We made some adjustments in these past two games and we feel like we are playing better basketball. We're more equipped to go over there and get a win."

SoCal NBA Playoff Preview

LA Lakers at Utah, 12:30 pm, ABC

Western Conference semifinals

Lakers lead, 2-1

SALT LAKE CITY (Ticker) -- Carlos Boozer finally awoke for the Utah Jazz. He will hope to hear the bell again on Sunday. Boozer and the fifth-seeded Jazz will look to even up their Western Conference semifinals series against the Los Angeles Lakers when they meet in Game Four.

After several sub-par performances in the playoffs, Boozer broke out of his funk with 27 points and 20 rebounds as the Jazz posted a 104-99 victory on Friday. "I tried to stop thinking so much out there," Boozer said. "My teammates were waiting for a big game out of me and I was too. I had to play thought-free and just react and play." "I think (Boozer) finally got over that hump," Utah guard Deron Williams said. "That's big. That's what we're going to need. It just takes so much pressure off everybody else when he's playing like that."

Boozer's performance alone was better then Los Angeles' 1-2 punch of Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol. "This team is good enough for us to lose to and we have to understand that and play our best game at all times," said Odom, who had 13 points and 12 boards. "We could have lost to anyone playing like that."

Lakers coach Phil Jackson was critical of Gasol's play, as the Spaniard managed just 12 points and six rebounds. He also committed five of the Lakers' 18 turnovers. "It's about (Gasol) understanding what's happening, picking the ball up and hitting the open guy," Jackson said. "They're leaving guys wide open."

Utah posted the best record in the league at home with a 37-4 mark, and Friday's win made it 4-1 in the postseason here. Reigning MVP Kobe Bryant once again carried the load for the Lakers with 34 points, seven assists and six rebounds. "We clawed back but you can't turn the ball over so many times," Bryant said. "We had a lot of open looks and you can sustain a game like that if you don't turn the ball over." Despite absorbing their first loss of the postseason, the Lakers are 35-1 after taking the first two of a best-of-seven series.

SoCal NBA Playoff Preview

LA Lakers at Utah, 6:00 pm, ESPN
Western Conference semifinals
Lakers lead, 2-0

SALT LAKE CITY (Ticker) - Coach Jerry Sloan and the Utah Jazz hope some home cooking can swing the momentum in their favor. The Jazz look to avoid a three-games-to-none hole in their Western Conference semifinals series against the Los Angeles Lakers when the clubs meet for Game Three on Friday.

Utah failed in its attempt to earn a split in the first two games of the best-of-seven series at the Staples Center, dropping a 120-110 decision to the Lakers in Game Two on Wednesday. Deron Williams carried the load with 25 points and 10 assists for the Jazz, who posted the best home record in the league at 34-7 during the regular season. "Again, we got down in the first half and really dug ourselves a hole against a good team, and you just can't do that," Williams said. "We're sitting there fighting back, using a lot of energy, and you just don't have enough to get over the hump."

The Jazz dealt with a similar situation in last season's playoffs, dropping the first two games of their first-round matchup with the Houston Rockets before battling back to capture the series in seven games. "We've been through it," Jazz guard Ronnie Brewer said. "We've been down. We just got to find a way to win. We got to take care of business (at home) and then win on the road." But if Utah plans to have any chance of getting back into this series it will need All-Star Carlos Boozer to break out of his funk. He is averaging just 12.5 points and 9.5 boards so far.

Kobe Bryant celebrated his first MVP award with 34 points and Lamar Odom registered 19 and 16 rebounds for the Lakers, who are undefeated in six games this postseason. "We believe in ourselves," Bryant said. "We have a high basketball IQ collectively. That's why I believe we can play into June because we all think the game extremely well and we play as a unit on both ends of the floor." Los Angeles' quick starts have been the key to success in the series as the team has jumped out early double-digit leads in both games.

Lakers v. Jazz Preview

By Cortez Strickland

KEY MATCHUPS: Lakers G Kobe Bryant, who has reportedly earned his first league MVP award, better be prepared to face as many as three different defenders. While Bryant is best known for his ability to light up the scoreboard, his all-around skills might fit best in this series. ... G Deron Williams and F Carlos Boozer cannot take a game off or it could be over rather quickly. With Williams and Boozer running the pick-and-roll, the Jazz force matchup problems for Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson. ... Lakers C Pau Gasol's length in the post provides difficulties if Boozer gets into early foul trouble.

PIVOTAL PLAYERS: C Mehmet Okur has to knock down shots if the Jazz are going to make it back to the Western Conference finals. His ability to shoot opens things up for penetration by Williams. ... Lakers F Lamar Odom should have his hands full with the power of Boozer, who averaged a double-double with 21.1 points and 10.4 boards. While Boozer presents a challenge in the paint, Odom's versatile skills give him an edge off the pick-and-roll. ... Jazz F Andrei Kirilenko and G Ronnie Brewer both will be counted on to try to slow the offensive attack of Bryant.

SEASON SERIES & HISTORY: Los Angeles stopped Utah's 19-game home winning streak with a 106-95 decision on March 20. The Jazz owned the best home record in the league during the regular season at 37-4. ... The Lakers went 3-1 in the season series against the Jazz. ... Utah is 6-6 all-time in the conference semifinals. ... The teams have met twice in the conference semifinals with each team advancing once. They also faced off in the 1998 Western Conference finals with Utah sweeping Los Angeles en route to its second straight trip to the NBA Finals. ... The Jazz have yet to play the Lakers with Gasol in the lineup.

PREDICTION: In what could be a long series, Bryant gives the Lakers an advantage at crunch time that the Jazz cannot match. Williams and Boozer should keep things even for the most part, but Jackson has too many weapons to throw into the mix.

LAKERS IN SIX.

Utah at LA Lakers, 12:30 pm

Western Conference semifinals

Game One

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The Utah Jazz didn't have much time to enjoy their opening-round victory. The fourth-seeded Jazz visit the top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday in Game One of their Western Conference semifinals series.

Utah needed six games to get past the fifth-seeded Houston Rockets during the first round, closing out the best-of-seven series with a decisive 113-91 victory Friday. Deron Williams scored 18 of his 25 points in the second half, burying a slew of 3-pointers in the third quarter to put the Rockets on ice. Williams averaged 20.0 points and 8.5 assists in the opening round, and teammate Carlos Boozer praised his point guard for his role in the series. "He put us on his back - the whole series, really, especially offensively," said Boozer, who had 15 points and 10 rebounds in Game Six. "He did a great job of knocking down shots in the third quarter (on Friday) to get us going."

Meanwhile, the Lakers had no trouble against the eighth-seeded Denver Nuggets in the first round, cruising to a four-game sweep. Kobe Bryant, who is expected to earn his first career MVP award next week, was unstoppable against the Nuggets, averaging 33.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists and exploding for 49 points in Game Three. Trade deadline acquisition Pau Gasol also had a strong series against defensively-challenged Denver, posting a pair of double-doubles in Games One and Two and finishing the series with averages of 22.0 points and 9.0 rebounds.