LOS ANGELES – Five.

That’s the number of NBA rings for Finals MVP Kobe Bryant after the Los Angeles Lakers rallied from a double-digit deficit to defeat the Boston Celtics 83-79 in Game 7 Thursday night at Staples Center.

“This one is by far the sweetest, because it’s them,” Bryant said. “This was the hardest one by far. I wanted it so bad, and sometimes when you want it so bad, it slips away from you. My guys picked me up.”

It wasn’t easy as Bryant shot 6-for-24 from the field but managed to score 23 points and grab 15 rebounds.

Derek Fisher and Ron Artest hit clutch three-pointers down the stretch to secure the organization’s 16th NBA Championship.

The question on everyone’s mind after the game was regarding the futures of both coaches – - Phil Jackson and Doc Rivers.

“I’ve got to take a deep breath. I’ve got to take some time to think about this,” Jackson said. “This was great. I’ll wait to make that decision in a week.”

LOS ANGELES – Boy, what a difference home court makes.

After poor outings in Game 4 and 5 in Boston, the Los Angeles Lakers bounced back Tuesday night at Staples Center, smothering the Boston Celtics in a 89-67 victory, forcing a Game 7.

Kobe Bryant led all scorers with 26 points and Pau Gasol was an assist shy (17 points, 13 rebounds, 9 assists) of the first Lakers triple-double in the playoffs sine 1991.

“I’m really happy about the team, the way we played as  team tonight,” Gasol said. “Defensively, the activity, the intensity, just everything was very, very positive and very together.”

The Celtics were dealt a huge blow when center Kendrick Perkins went down in the first quarter with a knee injury. He didn’t return to the game and will be re-evaluated on Wednesday.

“I don’t know,” head coach Doc Rivers said on Perkins playing in Game 7. “It doesn’t look great, but I don’t know.”

A Game 7 in the NBA Finals with the two greatest franchises in basketball … what more could a sports fan ask for?

GLEN DAVIS: You were on my back?

NATE ROBINSON: You didn’t even notice. We’re like Shrek and Donkey. (Laughter). You can’t separate us.

Series tied 2-2. Game 5 on Sunday.

No truth to the rumor that Glen and Nate will be the stars of Shrek 5.

From the penthouse to the basement.

That’s the rise and fall Boston Celtics guard Ray Allen went through in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.

After he torched the Lakers for 32 points in Game 2, Allen went 0-for-13 with 2 points as Los Angeles defeated Boston 91-84 to take a 2-1 lead.

“It’s a hell of a swing, I’ll tell you that,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. “It’s basketball. That’s why you can’t worry about it. He’ll be back in the gym tomorrow and getting ready for the next game. … It happens to the best of us.”

A hell of a swing is an understatement Nobody was expecting Allen to take such a drastic slide after setting a new NBA Finals record for most three-pointers in a game.

Derek Fisher was the key player for the Lakers down the stretch, scoring 16 points and hitting several clutch shots in the fourth quarter. Following the game, he got emotional when reflecting on the win.

“I think as you grow in this game and you put in the work that’s required to still be around 14 years later, you start to recognize that being in this moment, on this stage, it’s not a given. It’s not something that happens every season,” Fisher said. “Five or 10 years from now, when I’m long gone, I would have hated to feel like I didn’t just do everything I could have to help my team. Things have worked out well, and we have two more wins to get to really put a nice cap on it.”

Game 4 is on Thursday night in Boston.

LOS ANGELES – And just like that, we have a series.

Ray Allen set a NBA Finals record with eight three-pointers and Rajon Rondo had a triple-double as the Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 103-94 to tie the series at 1-1.

“Rondo did a terrific job of finding him,” said Celtics head coach Doc Rivers on Allen’s 32 points. “He saved us in the first half with Kevin in foul trouble, Paul struggling. We needed points and Ray gave them to us.”

After a dismal Game 1 from the Celtics guards, both Allen and Rondo stepped up and carried the load for Boston, who was saddled with foul trouble for the second game in a row.

“I think we had more activity in this game, we had more energy,” Allen said. “We fought harder, and the ball did bounce more in our favor.”

The Lakers wasted great efforts by Andrew Bynum (21 points, 12 rebounds, 7 blocks) and Pau Gasol (25 points, 13 rebounds, 6 blocks) as Kobe Bryant struggled from the field, going 8-for-20 for 21 points.

“We fought pretty hard to get back in the game, and then we let the game slip away,” Bryant said.

Game 3 is on Tuesday night from the TD Garden in Boston.

LOS ANGELES – The moods between the two teams at Staples Center on Friday afternoon were night and day.

The Los Angeles Lakers, up 1-0 in the NBA Finals, were upbeat and loose. Kobe Bryant even cracked a smile or two.

On the flip side, the Boston Celtics were reserved and trying convince fans back in Boston that it was just one game.

“It’s Game 1,” Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo said. “It’s one game.”

Here’s a recap of what both sides had to say:

Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers on Kevin Garnett’s inability to finish under the basket:

“I just thought he struggled. He had one of those nights. We all have them. We’re just not used to seeing him have them unless there’s something wrong. But he’s fine, I can guarantee you that.

Pau Gasol on Kevin Garnett:

“He’s also lost some explosiveness. He’s more of a jump shooter now you could say, comes off the lane. Before he had a really, really quick first step and was getting to the lane and he was more aggressive then.”

Rajon Rondo on Pau Gasol’s comments about Kevin Garnett:

“Every man is entitled to his own opinion. You know, Kevin is fine. It’s just one game. We’ll see in Game 2. We’ll see in Game 2.”

Kobe Bryant on defending Rajon Rondo:

“Well, you try to stay in front of him as much as you can. I’m not saying anything that teams haven’t tried to do in the past. He’s obviously turned into a phenomenal player, and I’ll just try to control his speed as much as possible.

Behind Kobe Bryant’s 30 points, the Los Angeles Lakers dominated the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, winning 102-89 on Thursday night at Staples Center.

The Celtics looked over matched all night, getting exposed on the glass (42-31 advantage for the Lakers) and fighting an uphill battle after several key starters were in foul trouble.

Things got off to a testy start when Paul Pierce and Ron Artest got tangled up 27 seconds into the game with both guys getting hit with a double technical.

From there on, the referees weren’t afraid to blow the whistle, as 18 fouls were called between the two teams in the first quarter.

“I thought the fouls were called because they were more physical,” head coach Doc Rivers said. “I thought the Lakers were clearly the more physical team today.”

The Celtics, known for their tough defense, allowed 84 points through three quarters and 102 in the game.

“Yeah, that was surprising,” Bryant said on the Celtics allowing 102 points. “That’s not something that we were hanging our hats on, to score 100 points. We hang our hats on defending and rebounding.”

Pierce led the Celtics with 24 points and nine rebounds. Game 2 of the NBA Finals is Sunday night at 9PM/6PM.

With less than 24 hours before the start of the NBA Finals, the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers held their final practice prior to Game 1 on Thursday night.

Both veteran teams were loose and looking forward to the series starting.

Here’s a recap of what guys from both sides had to say:

Ron Artest on playing with childhood friend Lamar Odom in the NBA Finals:

“We are in LA, playing for the number one organization in the league. Most championship appearances and stuff like that. Obviously the Celtics have more championships if I’m not mistaken but it’s amazing. Hopefully one day we can sit back and talk about it. It’s just amazing to think I’m in the championship with Lamar Odom. ”

Rasheed Wallace on being the underdog in the series:

Man, we have been the underdogs all year with ya’ll [the media]. It’s cool. That’s how we like it. I’m glad we are the underdogs. Everyone is saying Lakers sweep and Lakers in 5, Lakers in 6, I’m glad they are saying that. That’s cool.

Andrew Bynum on his knee injury:

The fluid came back over time. Well, I can do everything when it comes to a game situation. There’s nothing I can’t do physically. It’s just the pain level but come game time, all of that stuff goes out the window.

Derek Fisher on the feeling the night before the NBA Finals:

You don’t how this feels until you get here even though we have been here for three straight years. It’s not until you walk in sometimes and you see everything going up and the Finals signs when you really start getting that feeling that it’s finally here. Naturally there will be some anxiety tomorrow when the game approaches but right now I’m just excited to be here and very, very fortunate to have this opportunity.

The Boston Celtics will be without Kevin Garnett Monday night following a one-game suspension after elbowing Miami’s Quentin Richardson.

But surprisingly, the trash talking forward wasn’t surprised by the NBA’s decision to sit him.

“No, I wasn’t surprised at all, to be honest,” Garnett said. “I told my man, [Celtics vice president of media relations] Jeff Twiss, when we were talking that I just want my message to be done, and all of this to be over with. My message here is: Whoever it is, my teammates, [Celtics coach] Doc Rivers, or anyone in the organization, I want them to know I got their back.

“The elbow wasn’t deliberate. The league does what it has to do to set the tone. I respect that. It’s time to move on and get back to a wonderful series.”

Garnett’s act is getting old at this point. You have to know better as you’re putting your team in a bad spot heading into Game 2.

Maybe Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah was right when he referred to Garnett as a “dirty player” over the weekend.

Simply amazing.

Just when you thought the Chicago-Boston series couldn’t get any better, it did.

The Bulls managed to force a Game 7 after a 128-127 triple overtime battle Thursday night at the United Center.

Game 7 is Saturday night and the Celtics might be without Rajon Rondo, who got tangled up with Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich in the 1st quarter.

Rondo was hit with a flagrant 1 foul after originally receiving a flagrant 2 from the refs.

Without Rondo, the Celtics would need a miracle to defeat Chicago, even on their home court.

Boston vs. Chicago, Game 7, who ya got?