• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Celtics look to wrap up league-best 17th title

Jun 15, 2008 - 1:27 PM Boston at LA Lakers 9 pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- After a stirring comeback on Thursday, the banged-up Boston Celtics aim to secure their first championship in 22 years when they take on the Los Angeles Lakers in Game Five of the NBA Finals on Sunday night.

The Celtics, who authored one of the most remarkable in-game turnarounds in Finals history in Game Four, lead this best-of-seven matchup at 3-1.

No team has come back from such a deficit in the NBA's championship series, making Boston an odds-on favorite for its league-best 17th championship and first since 1986.

But it is not all positive for the Celtics, who may play with two injured starters - center Kendrick Perkins (left shoulder) and point guard Rajon Rondo (left ankle). However, despite their ailments, coach Doc Rivers said on Saturday both would be in the starting lineup.

Boston added another classic chapter to perhaps the best rivalry in professional basketball Thursday, climbing out of a 24-point hole en route to a thrilling 97-91 victory over Los Angeles, which held the largest advantage after one period in the history of the Finals.

The Celtics went on to erase an 18-point halftime deficit - also the largest intermission comeback in Finals history in the shot-clock era.

The Lakers made it a one-possession game three times within the final 1:30 but could not come up with a critical defensive stop. James Posey hit a 3-pointer, Paul Pierce nailed two free throws and Ray Allen put in a driving layup for the Celtics during that decisive span.

It was another remarkable in-game turnaround in this series, which saw Boston nearly blow a 24-point advantage in the fourth quarter in Game Two.

Los Angeles superstar Kobe Bryant, who scored 17 points in Game Four, was criticized for not being able to lift his teammates in this series. But he would not admit that a championship is a foregone conclusion for Boston.

"This season ain't over," Bryant said. "It's far from over. So for me to talk about (next season) would be acknowledging defeat, and that's something I just don't do."

Games Six and Seven would be in Boston if necessary.