Game Result: Lakers vs Celtics Game 6
By LA Times
The Lakers were faced with a must-win situation in Game 6 of the NBA Finals at Staples Center on Tuesday night, and they did that and more to even their best-of-seven series and three games apiece.
Behind a dominating effort from all corners, the Lakers routed the Celtics, 89-67, controlling the pace of the game, ruling the boards and completely shutting down the Celtics' bench to set up a deciding Game 7 on Thursday night.
Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 26 points, Pau Gasol added 17 and Ron Artest scored 15, and the Lakers got substantial contributions from reserves Lamar Odom, Shannon Brown, and Sasha Vujacic when it mattered.
The fourth quarter was played only as a formality, with the Lakers leading by 25 after three periods.
After three quarters, the Lakers bench had outscored Boston's, 24-0, an emphatic answer to questions about the Lakers depth that were raised while the Celtics won two of three games in Boston to take the series lead.
The Lakers, who struggled inside during the last two games at Boston, dominated inside in Game 6, outrebounding the Celtics, 52-39. Gasol had 13 rebounds and Bryant 11. No Celtic approached double figures in rebounding.
The Celtics, who held a 3-games-to-2 lead coming back to Staples, are 11-0 in the NBA Finals after holding that lead. Thursday will find out whether they go to 11-1 or 12-0.
This will be the first NBA Finals to be decided in a seventh game since the 2005 Finals, won by the San Antonio Spurs over the Detroit Pistons.
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