FIBA Basketball

    NBA – Celtics outclass Lakers in Finals rematch

    LOS ANGELES (NBA) – The Boston Celtics exacted a measure of revenge by beating the Los Angeles Lakers 109-96 in a rematch of last year’s NBA Finals. Paul Pierce had 32 points, Ray Allen added 21 and Kevin Garnett chipped in with 18 to go along with 13 rebounds as the two teams met for the first time since last June. On that occasion, ...

    LOS ANGELES (NBA) – The Boston Celtics exacted a measure of revenge by beating the Los Angeles Lakers 109-96 in a rematch of last year’s NBA Finals.

    Paul Pierce had 32 points, Ray Allen added 21 and Kevin Garnett chipped in with 18 to go along with 13 rebounds as the two teams met for the first time since last June.

    On that occasion, Boston led by as many as 13 in the third quarter but ran out of steam as LA edged them out 83-79 in the deciding Game 7 to claim a 16th NBA championship.

    On Sunday, the Celtics made sure to save some of their best for last.

    Kobe Bryant matched his season-high with 41 points and got his team within 91-87 with 5:30 left to play.

    That, though, is as close as the reigning champions would get as they were then outscored 18-9 the rest of the way.

    Garnett, Glen Davis and Allen made timely baskets to stretch the lead to 103-89 and the hosts could not muster a late comeback.

    While both teams downplayed the importance of the game in its lead-up, Pierce afterwards conceded it was a good feeling to come out on top in this one.

    “It’s another game, but it was definitely an emotional game, especially because we lost Game 7 here,” Pierce told reporters afterwards. “It feels good to come back in this building and get a win.”

    Meanwhile, Miami Heat’s ‘Big Three’ of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh celebrated their reunion by leading their team to a 108-103 away win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

    All three Beijing Olympics gold medalists missed a few games each recently through injury but it didn’t show as they combined for 75 points.

    The Thunder went up 103-102 on Kevin Durant’s jumper with 34.3 seconds left to play.

    On the next possession, the Heat got the offensive rebound off of a missed Wade jumper and James got the last of his 13 assists by feeding a wide-open Eddie House for the go-ahead three-pointer, who then sealed the game from the free-throw line.

    Durant, the 2010 FIBA World Championship MVP and his USA team-mate Russell Westbrook struggled from the field, combining to shoot 14 of 42.

    Elsewhere, the Orlando Magic inflicted more misery on James’ former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, handing them their 20th defeat in a row, 103-87. Dwight Howard had 20 points and 20 rebounds in the win.

    Other results (home team first): Philadelphia 76ers 110 Denver Nuggets 99; New York Knicks 124 Detroit Pistons 106; Phoenix Suns 104 New Orleans Hornets 102; Golden State Warriors 96 Utah Jazz 81.

    FIBA