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Celtics attempt to finish off Lakers

Jun 17, 2008 - 1:17 PM LA Lakers at Boston 9:00 pm EDT NBA Finals Game Six Boston leads, 3-2

BOSTON (Ticker) - The Boston Celtics take a second shot at securing their first championship in 22 years when they host the Los Angeles Lakers in Game Six of the NBA Finals.

The Celtics, who lead the best-of-seven matchup, 3-2, suffered a 103-98 setback in Sunday's Game Five in Los Angeles, extending the series and giving them a chance to claim the title in front of what promises to be a raucous home crowd.

This postseason, Boston is 12-1 at TD Banknorth Garden, where 16 championship banners hang in the rafters - the last one coming in 1986. The Celtics lost in the Finals to the Lakers in 1987, the last time the teams had met in a championship series.

A similar outcome will be a tall task for Los Angeles, which is trying to become the first team in NBA history to erase a 3-1 deficit in the Finals. Additionally, the club will have to win the final two games on the road.

The Lakers staved off elimination Sunday against the shorthanded Celtics, who were without center Kendrick Perkins (left shoulder injury). The bruising center will be a game-time decision for Game Six.

Boston guard Ray Allen, who had to attend to a family emergency immediately after Sunday's game, reportedly will be in the starting lineup.

Still, the banged-up Celtics want to end the series now. On Tuesday, they will play in their NBA-record 26th game this postseason after two seven-game victories in opening two rounds and a six-game triumph over the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference finals.

Los Angeles superstar Kobe Bryant has not played well in the matchup and will need another stellar performance from the inconsistent teammate Lamar Odom if the Lakers are to succeed. Odom, for his part, seems focused.

"We didn't want to see any champagne popping like that," Odom said after the much-needed win in Game Five.