Boston Celtics beat Los Angeles Lakers as Kevin Garnett scored 21 points with 11 rebounds, and Kendrick Perkins had 21 and nine for Boston, which improved to 10-1 overall and 7-0 at home. Paul Pierce had 20 points and nine assists, Allen scored 18 points and Rajon Rondo had 10 assists for the Celtics.

Kobe Bryant scored 28 points for Los Angeles,but was booed often by the crowd, which even mustered a “Beat L.A.!” chant reminiscent of the days when the old Boston Garden and the old Big Three of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish seemed to host the Lakers in the NBA Finals every summer.

“That was probably the only time between the beginning of the first six minutes and the end of the game that we felt like we were in it,” Lakers coach Phil Jackson said.