Bryant leads Lakers past Spurs and into NBA finals
May 30
Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers dispatched the defending champions the San Antonio Spurs, and they’re now headed to the NBA finals for the first time in four years. Bryant scored 17 of his 39 points in the fourth quarter, and the Lakers rallied from an early 17-point deficit to beat the San Antonio Spurs 100-92 on Thursday night and win the Western Conference finals in five games.
A basket by Lamar Odom gave the Lakers an 83-76 lead with 5:40 remaining, but a 3-pointer by Brent Barry and a basket by Tony Parker drew the Spurs within two points. Manu Ginobili missed a 3-pointer that could have given San Antonio the lead before Bryant’s jumper with 3:33 to play made it 85-81. A foul shot by Tim Duncan drew the Spurs within three, but two more baskets by Bryant made it 89-82 with 1:47 to play, and the Spurs weren’t closer than five points after that.
Los Angeles will face either the Pistons or Boston Celtics, who lead the best-of-seven Eastern Conference final 3-2, with Game 6 in Detroit tonight (Tomorrow morning in India). The Lakers and Celtics have not met in the final since 1987. Either way who ever the Lakers face in the NBA final, it promises to be an exciting one and DR. Whites cant wait for the series to get underway.
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