Villa stars as Spain signal their intent

A scintillating hat-trick from David Villa gave Spain a clear-cut 4-1 victory over Russia in their first outing at UEFA EURO 2008™ and confirmed the immense power of the Valencia CF striker's partnership with Fernando Torres.

Thrilling match
In a high-quality Group D encounter, Russia provided moments to indicate that Luis Aragonés's side may still be vulnerable at the back and gained consolation with Roman Pavlyuchenko's 86th-minute header. But Villa's second goal in particular was a stunning team move which may already be one of the goals of the tournament. Only the seventh player in finals history to score three in a game, the 26-year-old's treble was the first in a EURO since Patrick Kluivert's against Yugoslavia eight years ago. Villa then utterly stamped his class on the match, crossing for Xavi Hernández to volley and substitute Cesc Fàbregas to head in the fourth in stoppage time.

Unerring finish
Torres has always asked for a quick supply of the ball at international level and in the 20th minute he got it. Courtesy of a Joan Capdevila interception and a notable right-footed pass from the left-back, the Liverpool FC forward was left one on one with his marker. Torres used good upper body strength to put Denis Kolodin under immense pressure and when the Spaniard skipped clear he allowed goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev to try and dive at his feet before slipping the ball to the right, into the path of Villa who finished unerringly. Such was the drama of the contest that within seconds Russia nearly equalised. Their love of overlapping full-back play had already caused havoc in the jumpy Spain back line, but instead of Aleksandr Anyukov this time it was Dmitri Sychev whose right-wing cross drifted, agonisingly, across Carles Puyol, Marcos Senna and even Andrés Iniesta before Konstantin Zyryanov cracked the ball off the post.

Second goal
Instead of daunting Spain, it seemed as if the players in red took their luck as an indication that this was their night. Within six minutes of Villa's first goal, he and Torres had created three outstanding opportunities – two of which needed smart blocks by Akinfeev. Russia, for their part, were fighting like terriers to impose themselves, repeatedly catching Iniesta in possession, and Pavlyuchenko even hit the bar with a left-footed shot though referee Konrad Plautz had already called a foul. Villa closed a sparkling 45 minutes with Spain's second, however, following a brilliant move. Zyryanov attempted an ambitious pass across the Spain box and David Silva ran to retrieve it, sparking a lightning-quick passing movement through Silva, Capdevila and Iniesta which left Villa sprinting into the box where he slipped the ball between Akinfeev's legs.

End to end
The introduction of Vladimir Bystrov for Sychev made an impact as Russia sought a way back. Guus Hiddink's men pushed forward relentlessly and Bystrov's header from Zyryanov's cross in the 51st minute brought Iker Casillas into action before Diniyar Bilyaletdinov shot narrowly wide eight minutes later. However, Spain were irrepressible. Fàbregas came on for Torres as Aragonés chose to rest his striker and give the Arsenal FC man a taste of the action. Villa almost had his hat-trick in the 66th minute but was prevented by a superb Anyukov tackle, yet the forward did not have to wait much longer. With 15 minutes left, he turned Roman Shirokov inside out and finished expertly with his right foot. It was just that Russia's commitment to attack eventually won some reward in the final minutes. Zyryanov, culpable for the second goal but Hiddink's best player, took a corner which Shirokov nodded on and Pavlyuchenko headed in at the back post. Even then Villa had the last word, though, creating Spain's fourth and Fàbregas's first for his country.

France's Gallas sets team goal

The France players who started Monday's opening game against Romania were in pensive mood as they watched the rest of the squad rattle in seven goals in a 45-minute training match against a junior regional team in Chatel-Saint-Denis today.

'Decisive'
In Zurich, France's first XI failed to find the net once against a well-organised Romania side – and more worryingly still, they also struggled to create chances. The result has left the two-time European champions under pressure ahead of their next Group C match against the Netherlands, and defender William Gallas is counting on a positive reaction from Les Bleus. "We don't have a choice any more," he said. "Every match will be decisive from now on and it's up to us to beat the Netherlands and get on top of the group. That won't be easy but we are capable of getting three points."

Quick passing
With Romania adopting a cautious approach, the Arsenal FC captain had a relatively quiet evening at the back, leaving him well-placed to observe the shortfalls of France's attacking play. He believes the speed at which they constructed their moves was the root of the problem, saying: "We need to try to accelerate the play to create more openings. We seemed to lack the energy needed to play quicker and that gave Romania time to get behind the ball. Perhaps we'll need to change our style and start passing a bit quicker."

Team meeting
Having had a day to digest the first game, Gallas was full of bright ideas at Tuesday's news conference and said he is looking forward to a frank discussion between players and coach Raymond Domenech at the next team meeting. "We need to respond positively by discussing everything as much as possible," the 30-year-old said. "Personally, I'm really looking forward to the meeting. We've got a lot of things to talk about. Having discussions like that is very important because it's the only way to move forward as a team."

Goal threat
While France looked as solid as ever in defence in Zurich, the crux of the debate is likely to focus on rediscovering their attacking fluency. Thierry Henry should return in Berne on Friday, but Gallas insists it is up to every player to try to score – himself included. "We mustn't only talk about the strikers because it's important to have players supporting them as well," he stressed. "All that matters is that we score a goal, it doesn't matter where it comes from. Even a defender can score from a set-piece. I intend to start practising getting my head on corners in the next training session."

Is Henry France's missing link?

Les Bleus produced little on Monday to suggest a third UEFA European Championship crown might be on its way, but there was some positive news when Thierry Henry revealed that the mystery injury he has been carrying is only a thigh strain and said he was confident of returning against the Netherlands.

Immense presence
Henry has divided opinions in his homeland for years. His elegant style has many fans in raptures, while others accuse him of arrogance and complain he has rarely shown his brilliant best in the blue of France. The 30-year-old has had a difficult season, but certain facts must not be overlooked: Henry is the most prolific player in France's history, he has also set up more goals for his country than the legendary Zinédine Zidane managed – and his immense presence was sorely missed in Zurich last night.

Exceptional strikers
Karim Benzema and Nicolas Anelka are exceptional strikers, bristling with pace and power, yet neither have Henry's presence, personality or know-how. They were starting together for the first time against Romania – and it showed. Henry may not have the legs he used to, but with Benzema and Franck Ribéry buzzing around him that would not matter. He gives the side a focal point, reassures team-mates and worries opponents in equal measure. He is also the man most likely to convert a scoring chance.

Dutch threat
If the FC Barcelona forward does not play against the Oranje on Friday, France could be packing their bags far earlier than they ever imagined. Do you agree, or do you feel Anelka and Benzema deserve another chance? Is Bafétimbi Gomis the answer, or would the out-of-favour David Trezeguet have won it for France last night? What do you think?

Bryant Leads Lakers to Game 3 Win

L.A. Lakers 87, Boston 81 (F)

LOS ANGELES, June 10 (AP) On his floor and on his game, Kobe Bryant revived the Los Angeles Lakers -- and the NBA finals.

With his team one loss from having to make an impossible climb, Bryant was close to MVP form, scoring 36 points on an assortment of spins, drives and jumpers and reserve Sasha Vujacic added 20 points as the Lakers beat the Boston Celtics 87-81 in Game 3 on Tuesday night.

A change of time zones, jerseys and attitude did wonders for the Lakers, who staggered home from Boston in an 0-2 hole and couldn't afford to fall any further behind in the first best-of-seven matchup between the league's marquee teams since 1987.

No team in NBA playoff history has ever overcome an 0-3 deficit.

Bryant made sure the Lakers won't have to.

And this time, the superstar got some help.

Vujacic, the self-proclaimed "Machine,'' made three 3-pointers, including a crucial one from the left corner with 1:53 left that gave the Lakers an 81-76 lead. Pau Gasol finally flexed his muscles with two inside baskets in the fourth quarter and Derek Fisher, who took an $8-million pay cut to come back and play for the Lakers, made two free throws with 1:33 remaining as the Lakers held on.

"We just wanted to play,'' said Bryant, whose only glaring flaw was an 11-of-18 night from the foul line. "I don't think anyone was feeling desperate.''

Game 4 is Thursday night at the Staples Center, where the Lakers are 9-0 in the playoffs and unbeaten in 15 games since March 28.

But it took everything they had to keep that streak alive as the Celtics, two wins from their 17th NBA title, made the Lakers play a more physical, Eastern Conference-style game.

Ray Allen scored 25 points -- 15 on 3-pointers -- for the Celtics, but only one-third of Boston's Big Three showed up.

Kevin Garnett scored 13 points on just 6-of-21 shooting and Paul Pierce, playing a short drive from his childhood home, had only six points, missed 12 shots and was in foul trouble all night.

Momentum Shifts Too Late for L.A.

BOSTON, June 8, 2008 -- Boston had Game 2 closed up in a Ziploc bag and just as it was applying the yellow plus blue makes Celtics green seal, L.A. almost pulled off a great escape.

Trailing 95-71 with 7:55 to go in the fourth quarter, the Lakers mounted a furious comeback as they drew to within two at 104-102 with less than a minute remaining before succumbing to the home team, 108-102 to fall down 0-2 in The Finals.

The Garden had transformed to The Graveyard for L.A. By midway through the fourth quarter, the game had all the makings of your classic blowout:

# Rajon Rondo had as many assists by himself as the Lakers did as a team. (Yikes.)
# The Celtics had a 10-0 run to start the second quarter and an 13-0 run in the third. (Uh oh.)
# Leon Powe had as many points as Kobe Bryant. (Seriously?!)
# Boston had as many made 3-pointers as L.A. had free throws attempted. (Not exactly a recipe for success right there.)

It seemed almost redundant that the capacity crowd at TD Banknorth Garden was continuing to shout its raucous “Beat L.A.! Beat L.A.!” chant because by that point, L.A. had already beat itself.

Instead of the Lake Show it was more like the Lake Didn’t Show Up.

But somehow, all of the sudden, despite all of the poor play by L.A. throughout the first 40 minutes of the game, the momentum started to shift in its favor. What appeared to be a too little, too late Kobe jumper sparked an unbelievable 31-9 run by the Lakers.

Bryant led the charge, scoring 13 of his game-high 30 points during the surge in which the Lakers shot 10-for-14 as a team, including 5-for-7 from deep.

It had to be most improbable turnaround since John Travolta’s career went from Look Who’s Talking Now in 1993 to Pulp Fiction in ’94.

“You just keep playing,” Bryant said. “You don't know what's going to happen.”

Bryant also said that he thinks his teammates learned on Sunday that, “you're never really out of a game,” which is an important lesson for a young squad to understand.

“We played with a sense of desperation and more aggression, and I think that's something for us to take home and learn from,” Bryant added.

Two Bryant free throws brought the Lakers within two with :38 seconds left, but the Celtics’ Paul Pierce (who showed no ill effects from the knee injury he sustained during Game 1) responded with two freebies of his own to boost his game total to 28 points and put Boston back up by four.

The Lakers called timeout with :22 seconds to go, still holding on to a glimmer of hope of returning to L.A. with the series tied 1-1, but Sasha Vujacic had his three-point attempt blocked by Pierce and the Celtics secured the victory.

L.A. scored 42 points in all of the first half and 41 points in the fourth quarter alone during its flurry.

Pierce said that he was disappointed in how his team closed out the game and Boston coach Doc Rivers damned the C’s performance with two C-words:

His team got “cute” when they raced out to a big lead and allowed L.A. to get “comfortable” in the game’s final stanza which opened the door for the Lakers to make their run.

As comfortable as Doc perceived the Lakers to have been, L.A. coach Phil Jackson doesn’t think his team’s cross-country flight back to STAPLES Center to host Games 3, 4 and 5* (*if necessary) will be too cozy.

And the Zen Master doesn’t expect the team’s plane to have a guest on it for the trip either.

Uncle Mo’ doesn’t travel coast to coast.

“It's 2,500 miles away,” Jackson said. “It's too far to carry [the momentum].”

Even if the Lakers don’t believe that they have momentum on their side, at the very least they should know their opponent better. Among the many adjustments Jackson will have make for his team before Game 3 you can expect Jordan Farmar to get more playing time in place of Derek Fisher to guard against Rondo’s first step, the Lakers to key in on their porous perimeter transition defense that allowed Boston to go 9-for-14 from three and for L.A. to ratchet up its intensity and aggression from the opening tip.

The game was reminiscent of Game 4 of the Lakers’ Western Conference Semifinals series with Utah when L.A. erased a 12-point deficit in the last four minutes of regulation to force overtime. But, just like on Sunday, the Lakers couldn’t complete the comeback as they lost that game to the Jazz by seven in OT.

“We just learned about momentum,” Jackson said. “We started turning the corner a little bit in the fourth quarter, but they'd come back, hit a three, something would happen, and I just kept saying we'll find a moment in this game to come back and play it. We just want this game to last long enough to carry it out. But it didn't. So we'll learn some lessons from that and we'll learn some lessons from what we have to do offensively to control the game and control the pace of the game.”

Celtics Squash Late Lakers Rally for 2-0 Lead

BOSTON, June 8 (AP) -- Banner No. 17 is halfway to the rafters. The Celtics are two wins from another NBA championship.

And maybe a little lucky to be there.

Paul Pierce, darting around the parquet floor with ease, scored 28 points, Boston's defense mobbed Kobe Bryant long enough and unknown Leon Powe scored 21 points as the Celtics held off a remarkable Los Angeles rally for a 108-102 win over the Lakers on Sunday night. The Celtics have a 2-0 lead in these trip-down-memory-lane NBA finals.

The Celtics had to work every second to get the win.

The Lakers trailed by 24 with less than 8 minutes to go, but pulled to 104-102 on two free throws by Bryant with 38.4 seconds left. But Pierce made two free throws, then blocked a jumper by Sasha Vujacic, and James Posey made two free throws with 12.6 seconds left to ice it for Boston.

"I think we got kind of complacent with the lead,'' Pierce said. "We weren't staying aggressive. We let them pick up their pressure. We stopped guarding. We got to take a lesson from this fourth quarter to keep playing regardless of the score and finish the game.''

Boston was 27-for-38 from the line, while the Lakers were 10-for-10.

Pierce wasn't slowed by a sprained right knee suffered in the series opener, when he was carried from the court and plopped into a wheelchair. The Boston captain paced the Celtics, who are back in the finals for the first since 1987, when Larry Bird was the main man and gasoline cost 91 cents per gallon.

As usual, Boston's Big Three -- Pierce, Ray Allen (17 points) and Kevin Garnett (17) -- were the ringleaders but Powe, a second-year reserve had the game of his career, adding his 21 points in 15 minutes that may make him a Celtics fan-favorite for life.

Powe, who played a total of 68 seconds during one stretch of 13 games during the season, scored six points to close a 15-2 run ending the third quarter that gave the Celtics a 22-point lead, a burst had the Lakers California dreaming. At one point in the fourth quarter, Boston fans discarded the familiar chants of "Beat L.A.'' for cries of "Le-on Powe!''

Rajon Rondo had 16 assists and Garnett added 14 rebounds for the Celtics, back in the finals for the first time since 1987.

Game 3 is Tuesday night at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, where the Lakers are 8-0 in the postseason and have won 14 in a row at home since March 28. Bryant had better hope the rims there are a little kinder than the ones in TD Banknorth Garden.

"We knew we had to get this win this was a big win going out West,'' Pierce said. "Our mind-set is to get Game 3 and try take away their confidence and win this series in L.A.. We knew it was going to be tough, but nobody said it was going to be easy.''

Bryant, who pledged to bounce back from a sub-par Game 1, scored 30 points -- 13 in the fourth -- on 11-of-23 shooting. In four losses to Boston this season, Bryant is just 35-of-93 from the field and can't seem to get the same easy looks he enjoys against every other team.

Pau Gasol had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers, who were down 95-71 with 7:55 when they mounted a comeback that fell just short.

Bryant's 3-pointer made it 102-91 and then the self-proclaimed "Black Mamba'' slithered down the lane for two quick baskets that got the Lakers, who scored 41 points in the final 12 minutes, within 104-95. The Celtics, meanwhile, began to stand around on offense, thinking the game was in hand.

It was anything but.

After Vujacic hit a 3-pointer, Vladimir Radmanovic made a steal and dunk to make it 104-100 and Celtics fans, who had been dancing moments earlier, began to panic. None of Boston's players seemed to want the ball as it moved around like a hot potato before Rondo missed a jumper with 44 seconds left.

Bryant's free throws brought Los Angeles to 104-102 before Pierce slashed down the lane and got fouled by Derek Fisher. As a few of his teammates locked arms on the bench like a college team trying to advance in March, Pierce knocked down both foul shots. Then, on defense, he got just enough of Vujacic's shot from the left wing with 14 seconds left.

Posey was fouled on the play and calmly made his two free throws. The Lakers rushed the ball down but missed on a couple jumpers, and when the final horn sounded, a collective sigh of relief rushed through the exits as the Celtics and their fans left the building confident, if not shaken.

Called "unstoppable'' by Lakers coach Phil Jackson, Bryant got off to another slow start. He missed his first two shots, one an uncontested layup underneath and was unable to get the looks he wanted as the Celtics followed the MVP around like a pack of hungry wolves on the hunt.

Bryant was just 1-of-4 from the floor when he was called for pushing off on Allen -- his second personal foul -- and spent the final 1:59 of the opening period a few seats away from Jackson. Soon, Bryant was joined by Lamar Odom and Jackson was forced to give his reserves extended early minutes.

They weren't good ones.

The Lakers' heralded bench bunch struggled, and the Celtics took advantage. Trailing by two after one, Boston opened the second quarter with a 10-0 run, capped by Pierce's 3-pointer. As bad as Los Angeles was playing, the Lakers hung around and closed within 41-37 on Gasol's three-point play.

But Pierce knocked down another 3, Allen followed with one of his own and the Celtics closed the half with a 13-5 burst to open a 54-42 halftime lead.

Notes: Jackson, a renowned world traveler who often reviews trips to his destinations, was asked for an overview of his extended stay in Boston, where the weather this week ranged from chilly, October-like conditions to sweltering heat. "It's very green,'' Jackson deadpanned, drawing laughter at the reference to the Celtics' primary colors. "Boston Commons, the Public Gardens. Very green.'' ... Among the celebrities in attendance: Boston Red Sox Curt Schilling -- wearing a Larry Bird jersey, Jon Lester and Josh Beckett, NFL quarterbacks Donovan McNabb and Vince Young and actor Leonardo DiCaprio. Lester, a cancer survivor who recently pitched a no-hitter, was honored during a timeout in the second quarter.

No Offense, But Lakers Blame Themselves

BOSTON, June 5, 2008 -- If you choose to believe Kobe Bryant, the reason he missed 17 of the 26 shots he attempted in the Lakers’ 98-88 Game 1 Finals loss wasn’t the Celtics’ all-league defense designed to stop him, but rather it was just a matter of the way the cookie crumbled.

Or, more like, the way the rim rattled.

“I had some great looks, they just didn't stay down,” Bryant said. “I just missed some bunnies. I just missed some really, really good looks. I'll be thinking about those a little bit tonight.”

If someone was to go collect all those missed bunnies, they’d have enough inventory to open up a pet store.

Bryant started the night 2-for-8 from the field in the first quarter, wading into the offense by attempting midrange jumpshots rather than taking it to the Celtics in attack mode.

He righted the ship, hitting 6-of-12 over the second and third periods and keeping the Lakers within striking distance, down four headed into the fourth. The timing of Bryant’s turnaround from his first-quarter doldrums was critical because the Celtics were riding a dominant run by Paul Pierce who scored 15 points in the third quarter, including seven after emerging from the locker room in a Willis Reed-like return from an injury scare.

But when the fourth quarter rolled around, a quarter Bryant has owned in these playoffs, he couldn’t live up to the nickname Charles Barkley gave him during the Western Conference Finals -- “The Closer.” He did manage to match the last five letters of the moniker, however, going 1-for-6 in the final quarter and picking up his team-high fourth turnover while dropping Game 1 -- “The Loser.”

Derek Fisher, who finished the game with 15 points, six assists and three steals to serve as the Lakers’ lone bright spot, said that the poor shooting performance by Bryant might have more to do with Boston’s defense than the Mamba would like to admit.

“They're not going to give [Kobe] much of an opportunity to break down their defense off of dribble penetration,” Fisher said. “So, he's going to end up in a situation where he's taking more of catch and shoot opportunities when he's coming off of cuts and coming off of screens and catching and shooting the basketball. That's something that he's going to get used to as the series goes on. He's so great at breaking down defenses off the dribble. The Celtics' defense just doesn't allow that type of play.”

On the rare occasion when Bryant got a step on his man to get into the lane and kicked the ball to an open teammate out on the perimeter, it didn’t do much good as the rest of the Lakers shot 3-for-11 from behind the arc.

Bryant hasn’t played this poorly in the playoffs since Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals against Utah when he shot 13-for-33 from the field. In that game he tweaked his lower back and was visibly hampered from the injury, falling to his knees in pain several times throughout the contest.

Even with the bum back, Bryant finished with 33 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists, helping the Lakers force overtime before succumbing to the Jazz.

According to Bryant, Thursday wasn’t because of his back and it wasn’t because of how he was being defended, either. It just wasn’t his night.

“I think our rhythm wasn't there,” Bryant said. “Still, we played well enough to almost steal the game. Some balls bounced their way tonight.”

Most of those inopportune bounces ended up in the hands of Boston rebounders, who held a stranglehold advantage of 46-33 on the glass, resulting in a 12-4 lead in second chance points by the Celtics.

Like Bryant, L.A. swingman Luke Walton refused to credit Boston’s play for his team’s demise and placed the blame squarely on the shoulders of those wearing purple and gold.

“We stopped executing,” Walton stated matter of factly. “We stopped moving the ball. When you don’t move the ball their defense opens up on the ball carrier and it makes it tough to score.”

Lamar Odom, whose 14 points on 6-for-11 shooting and six rebounds look better in the boxscore than they did on the court, echoed Walton’s assessment.

“We just didn’t do a good job of moving the ball in the second half,” Odom said. “This game they played the right way, just for a little bit longer than us.”

The Lakers and their 105.9 points per game average on .478 shooting in the playoffs up until Game 1, took responsibility for the loss, but also almost embraced it as a wake-up call. Can some good actually come from an 88-point outing on .416 shooting by L.A.?

Several members of the Lakers think it can.

Bryant said, “It's a good experience for us. Nice little kick in the [butt].” Odom’s take was, “We probably needed that as a team. We were playing on a high horse a little bit.” And Walton added, “We got to soak this in and let it burn a little bit tonight.”

Lakers, Celtics Ready to Renew Rivalry

Nearing Super Bowl-like proportions, the buildup has included black-and-white footage from the 1960s — images of Red Auerbach puffing a victory cigar, Bill Russell swatting away a shot and Jerry West rising for a jumper.

We've revisited the 1980s, taken back to those days of Ronald Reagan, bad haircuts and short shorts by Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, the icons whose meetings on the court defined an era and resurrected a league.

Memories of hard fouls, big shots, Jack Nicholson's shades and chants of "Beat L.A." All of it has led up to the rebirth of a rivalry, THE rivalry: Boston vs. Los Angeles. Celtics vs. Lakers.

"I've watched more Lakers-Boston games over the last three days on TV," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "It's been great. It's been fun to watch." It's time to watch again.

Like long, lost fraternity brothers who left school, drifted apart and barely kept in touch, the Celtics and Lakers are getting back together in a place they both know so well — the NBA finals.

"I feel like a little kid," said Celtics forward Paul Pierce, who grew up in L.A. and used to sneak into the Lakers' home arena. "Now I understand that, hey, I'm going to be a part of history. This is something I grew up watching, the Laker-Celtics rivalries."

Following a 21-year separation, pro basketball's pillars of power will revive their rivalry Thursday night in Boston for Game 1 of a best-of-seven series drenched in nostalgia and stuffed with hoops history.

The famed franchises, who have combined to win 30 of 61 championships, are squaring off in the finals for the 11th time and first since 1987. These finals figure to deliver a needed jolt of excitement to the league, which began the 2007-08 season entangled in a gambling probe involving one of its referees and whose signature event has strained to recapture the sporting spotlight since the '80s, when Celtics vs. Lakers, Bird vs. Magic was a rite of spring.

Television ratings are expected to jump dramatically thanks to a finals loaded with juicy storylines: Kobe Bryant's run toward a fourth championship ring — and first without Shaquille O'Neal; Boston's Big Three of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen shooting for their first ones; and Lakers coach Phil Jackson trying to win his record 10th title, one more than Auerbach, the Celtics' late legend whose presence hovers over the team like smoke from one of his stogies. "I think this is a great thing not just for the NBA, but just for sports in general," Lakers guard Derek Fisher said. "I think it's a great thing when the best gets a chance to compete against the best, and whoever comes out on top, they earned it. I think both teams should be proud to be here."

A year ago, it would have been impossible to imagine these hardwood Goliaths in the playoffs, never mind clashing for a title.

The Celtics won 24 games last season, and all the mystique and charm that makes them special had seemingly vanished. Last year, Boston's immediate future looked bleak after the club failed to win the NBA lottery, a devastating blow for a team in full rebuild mode.

But the green-and-white began its rebound on draft night last June, when general manager Danny Ainge traded first for Allen and later managed to land Garnett, a superstar stuck in Minnesota, and a player, as it turns out, who almost became a Laker.

"We gave a great chase to Garnett last year," Jackson said Wednesday before his team practiced. "We put a lot of pressure on the Minnesota franchise and felt like we had the inside track on that, and that we could end up missing out on that opportunity and still be here in this challenge, the finals, is really kind of a great story in itself."

For the Lakers, though, nothing trumps what Bryant has done to get the franchise within four wins of a 15th championship. After the club was bounced in the first round of the playoffs last season, a frustrated Bryant challenged the team's front office to upgrade the roster.

By summer, he was demanding a trade while at the same time enhancing his reputation as a selfish, arrogant, egomaniacal player. In truth, Bryant just wanted to win — badly — and didn't want to be on a team that didn't share his drive.

However, in his 12th season, Bryant has matured on and off the floor. He has led by example, mentoring the Lakers' younger players and winning his first MVP award, an honor he probably deserved in the past but never received in part because of his perceived me-first, team-second image.

"He's the captain of this team, and we follow his lead," Lamar Odom said. "Kobe is the first one in the gym, the last one to leave. He's the first one in the weight room, the last one to leave. If we have a 10 o'clock practice, Kobe is there at 8:45 preparing to be the best.

"And some of that has rubbed off on me and my teammates, and that's the only reason why I'm sitting here talking today."

Bryant understands the importance of the league's fiercest rivalry and what it means to uphold the Lakers' legacy of greatness.

"It's such a rich tradition," he said. "I think when you look up at the jerseys that hang in the rafters at Staples Center, and with the Celtics, as well, they're not only great Lakers players, but they're some of the greatest to ever play. So that's a great deal to live up to."

And this series, with its link to games of yesteryear, is no different.

Boston created heartache for Los Angeles, especially Jerry West, until the Lakers' magical run in 1985.

If, as Jerry West says, the NBA's greatest rivalry wasn't a rivalry at first since the Lakers never won in the '60s and the Boston Celtics never lost, it already seemed bigger than mere life or death, at least in West's life.

Nor did the zeal diminish in their '80s rematches when the Showtime Lakers and the Larry Bird Celtics battled on even terms.

It was the alpha and omega of rivalries, encompassing all human emotions, starting, of course, with hate.

The Lakers hated the Celtics and their blustering leader, Red Auerbach, but then who didn't?

No one hated Auerbach more than Lakers Coach Pat Riley, whose movie star looks masked his knife-between-the-teeth drive. Riley believed every horror story about Red, once ordering his team's water barrel emptied in Boston Garden.

LAKERS-CELTICS NBA FINALS THROUGH THE YEARS


1984

1985

1987

1960s

Riley wanted his players to hate everything about the Celtics, gathering his players to ask if they knew what a Celtic was.

"Finally, Kareem raised his hand," Riley wrote. "He said the Celtics were a warring race of Danes.

"I had to explain that they were also a cunning, secretive race."

Of course, Riley was Irish but he was a Laker first.

Not that you had to be paranoid since the teams were messing with each other.

Fans besieged the Lakers' hotel in Boston with phone calls, waking up sleeping players -- which Riley blamed on the Celtics for giving out their location. Lakers officials were delegated to wake up Boston players in their hotel here.

Happily, the fear and loathing ran second to respect that grew into reverence among the participants, or at least some of them.

After the Celtics' Game 7 victory in 1969, John Havlicek hugged West, who played for the Lakers with a sore hamstring wrapped like the leg of a mummy, telling him, "I love you."

Bill Russell flew out for West's farewell ceremony, announcing, "If I could have one wish in life granted, it would be that you would always be happy."

By the '80s, the two teams needed each other as they needed air and water.

Bird and Magic Johnson lived to beat the other from the start when they were bitter rivals to the finish when they were close friends.

When Bird retired, Johnson flew East and donned a Celtics jersey for his retirement ceremony, whereupon Bird told him, "Magic, get out of my dreams!"

Bird presented Johnson at his Hall of Fame induction, noting, "I was going to speak from my heart but, man, he broke my heart so many times, do I have anything left?"

Sentiment ended at the tipoff. After the Celtics' Game 4 win in the Forum in the 1984 Finals, Bird, on the bus, saw Johnson slouch past, looking devastated. Said Bird later: "I thought, 'Suffer.' "

One time or another, they all did.