Bryant is furious as Lakers collapse

Source: Agencies  |   2008-6-14  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

KOBE Bryant did not mince his words in describing how the Los Angeles Lakers blew a 20-point second-half lead and lost to the Boston Celtics 91-97 in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Thursday.

"We just wet the bed," Bryant told reporters. "A nice big one too. One of the ones you can't put a towel over. It was terrible."

The Lakers are now 1-3 down in the best-of-seven series and are will need to become the first team to recover from such a deficit in the NBA finals if they are to lift the title.

"I'm not thinking about beating them three straight," Bryant said. "We're thinking about beating them on Sunday. Then you move on from there. Take one swing at a time to chop down a tree."

Inspired by their Game 3 triumph, the Lakers held a 45-21 lead in the first half, running the fast break to perfection while shutting down every facet of the Celtics' vaunted offense.

An 18-point halftime lead grew to 70-50 midway through the third period before the Celtics clicked into gear with a 21-3 run. The shell-shocked Lakers led just 73-71 entering the final quarter.

"They did a good job of forcing us to take difficult shots," Bryant added.

"Their defense picked up but all-in-all we did a much better job in the first half getting back on defense."

Bryant, who scored 36 points in the Lakers' Game 3 87-81 victory, had 17 points on six-of-19 shooting on Thursday.

"They were determined not to let me beat them tonight," said Bryant, the league's MVP.

"I saw three, four bodies every time I touched the ball."

Boston scored eight straight points late in the game to take a 88-83 lead and put the finishing touches on its remarkable comeback.

Game 5 is on Sunday night in Los Angeles before the series shifts, if necessary, back to Boston.

"We let a huge opportunity slip away," Bryant said. "I'm upset, hurt, disappointed."

When asked how the Lakers could overcome such a tough loss, Bryant said: "Whine about it tonight. A lot of wine, a lot beer, a couple of shots, maybe like 20 of them, digest it, and get back to work tomorrow."

So Boston is now within one win of a 17th championship. No team had ever overcome more than a 15-point deficit after the first quarter, and Elias Sports Bureau said it was the largest comeback in the finals since 1971. It will forever be remembered in the annals of Celtics-Lakers lore.

When the final horn sounded, Paul Pierce, an Los Angeles kid playing in front of family and friends, doubled over in exhaustion and exuberance.

"I don't want to get overjoyed," Pierce said. "I want to go out there to try and win Game 5 on Father's Day and then I'll be able to breathe.

"Right now, I'm waiting to exhale. It's definitely a great win, one that you're going to put up there in the library and break back out one day for your kids to watch," Pierce said. "But I want nothing more than that ring right now."

Pierce scored 20 points, Kevin Garnett had 16 points and 11 rebounds and Ray Allen had 19 points as Boston's Big-3, thrown together last summer by general manager Danny Ainge to revive the franchise, put the Lakers on the brink of a summer vacation.