Picture Gallery (LAT)

June 15 - Staples Center, Los Angeles. The Lakers don't want to lose against the Celtics again and to prove it they got an emphatic 89-67 win at home to send the 2010 NBA Finals to a Game 7.

They played as good as they can play as if game 5 was just a bad memory. Led by Kobe Bryant who got 26 points, 11 rebounds and 4 steals and Pau Gasol and his 17 points, 13 rebounds and 9 assists the Lakers gave the Celtics no chance, building a big lead early and never losing their intensity and concentration even when it was clear that the game was over way before it ended. It was like if Los Angeles wanted to stablish which the better team is.

And they really played like a team this time, with contributions that came from players who weren't having a good series. Ron Artest added 15 points and was a part of a defense that left the Celtics with the second lowest point total in NBA Finals history (trailing only Utah's 54-point game in 1998). Ron-Ron had 8 points in a first quarter the Lakers won 28-18. Kendrick Perkins, the Celtics starter center went out with an injured knee in that opening period which opened some spaces in the paint but to even things Andrew Bynum played just 16 minutes limited by his own knee problems.

The Lakers domination was as clear as the 31 points they allowed Boston in the first half. Kobe Bryant controlling almost every ball and Pau Gasol intensity and all around performance compensated Bynum's absence while the bench, one of the lowest points so far, was key to sustain a lead that was as big as 22 in the second quarter and had grown to 25 when the third ended. At that point the Celtics bench had 0 points.

Sasha Vujacic making a couple of threes, Jordan Farmar and Lamar Odom diving for every loose ball and Shannon Brown with a couple of unbelievable dunks contrasted with the Celtics players attitude who with their confidence reduced to nothing couldn't even make the easy layups.

Rajon Rondo, who is the man who carries Boston was always left alone, no defender over him, like daring him to shoot but he got just 10 points, shooting 5-for-15. A symbol of the Celtics 33.3 % from the field and 21.7 % from beyond the 3-point line.

Now everything is reduced to one winner-get-all Game 7 to be played Thursday. In their 11 previous Finals meetings Lakers and Celtics have played a Game 7 four times (all Boston wins). For Jackson who has taken his teams to 13 NBA Finals this will be his first Game 7.