The remarkable rally was reminiscent of what Los Angeles did in Game 2, when the Lakers trimmed a 24-point deficit to two in the fourth quarter before the Celtics regrouped to win and open a 2-0 series lead. But Boston had another 12 minutes to finish off theirs, and the green-and-white did.
"Some turnaround in that game. The air went out of the building," said Lakers coach Phil Jackson, who was asked what he told his club afterward. "Well, it's not over. This is not over. The series is not over."
Boston's comeback included a 21-3 run over the final five minutes, fueled by two 3-pointers from Eddie House, who was getting more playing time because of Rajon Rondo's tender left ankle. The Celtics were still down by double digits with 2 minutes left in the third but closed the quarter with a 10-1 run.
The Celtics finally caught the Lakers at 73-73 with 9:05 remaining, tying the score for the first time since it was 2-2 in the first minute.
At that point, the Lakers looked lost and confused. And when House hit an 18-foot jumper with 4:07 remaining, the Celtics had their first lead, 84-83. Boston's bench erupted, Lakers fans gasped and it was just a matter of time before they were heading out of Staples Center wondering what went wrong.
Allen, one of the game's purest shooters, then drove to the basket and made a reverse layup as dramatic as the Celtics' comeback.
Bryant, who except for a 36-point performance in Game 3 has been ordinary in his chase for a fourth championship ring, didn't score in the first half. He tried to rally the Lakers and got them within 89-87 with one of his patented twisting layups. But James Posey drilled a 3-pointer for Boston to make it 92-87 with 1:13 left.
Derek Fisher's long jumper got the Lakers within three, but Pierce made two free throws, forcing Jackson to call a timeout with 47 seconds to go. As the Lakers headed toward their bench, Pierce pumped his fists, flexed his muscles and let out a yell.
At the other end of the court, Bryant hung his head.
"They were determined not to let me beat them tonight," he said. "I saw three, four bodies every time I touched the ball."
Surrounded by Hollywood stars, the Lakers were seeking their 10th straight win at home in the postseason. Now, they have to hope they can force the series back to Boston.
Kobe Bryant (C) of Los Angeles Lakers goes up for a shoot during the fourth game against Boston Celtics of the NBA finals in Los Angeles, the United States, on June 13, 2008. (Xinhua/Zhang Yan)
(Agencies via Shanghai Daily June 13, 2008)