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Celtics win in OT vs. ailing L.A.

BOSTON -- Kobe Bryant heard the "Beat L.A." chants bouncing around the FleetCenter and knew he was involved in something special.

"I told Paul (Pierce) it was just like the old days," Bryant said. "It felt like we were part of history. The old days of Larry and Magic. But that leprechaun is still walking around the rafters."

Pierce scored 28, including a 3-pointer with 1:54 left in overtime that gave the Celtics the lead for good Thursday night as Boston beat the depleted Los Angeles Lakers 98-95.

Bryant had 41 points on an inconsistent night in which he shot 4-of-15 in the first half, scored 18 in the third quarter, then missed 10 consecutive field-goal attempts down the stretch. He was 17-for-47 from the field overall, 0-for-8 from 3-point range.

"I haven't seen anybody shoot 47 shots before, ever. There's a limitation to what you can do," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "I was telling the team, "He carried us back into the game. Now stop going to the well. It can dry up.' "

Tony Delk scored 26 for Boston and hit two free throws with 9.3 seconds left to make it 98-95. Bryant's 3-point attempt to tie it with 1 second left bounced off the front of the rim.

Playing without Shaquille O'Neal and Rick Fox and coming off their lowest-scoring game in four decades, the Lakers had 35 points at halftime. But Bryant was hot in the third, scoring eight in a row as Los Angeles rallied from a 50-35 halftime deficit to take the lead.

Then he started missing again, thanks in part to Pierce's defense.

"You can't let him go out there and get an easy 41. He scored 41, but he had to take 47 shots," Pierce said.

Relying on Bryant and the equally cold Robert Horry (2-for-9) for their offense, the Lakers allowed Boston to erase an 84-77 deficit and take an 87-86 lead on Pierce's jumper with 1:55 left in the fourth. Devean George scored on a pass from Bryant, then sank a free throw to give Los Angeles an 89-87 lead.

Walker then blocked Bryant's shot and made a basket from the lane to tie it with 35 seconds left.

WOLVES 114, BUCKS 110: Kevin Garnett had 28 points and 24 rebounds, and Wally Szczerbiak returned to the lineup with 19 points for host Minnesota. Garnett tied his career high and franchise record for rebounds, set Dec. 14, 2001, against Sacramento.

Milwaukee's Toni Kukoc was ejected with 5:54 left in the second quarter.

Kukoc was assessed a personal foul while fighting for a rebound with Kevin Garnett. Kukoc complained to referee Jason Phillips and was assessed a technical. While Phillips turned away, Kukoc kicked the basketball in his direction.

PISTONS 89, NUGGETS 63: Chancey Billups scored 21 and made 5 of 8 3-pointers, and visiting Detroit cruised to its third win in a row.

BLAZERS: Guard Derek Anderson remained hospitalized with a concussion he sustained against the Grizzlies on Wednesday.

RAPTORS: Vince Carter met with orthopedist James Andrews to get another opinion on his injured left knee. Team doctors list Carter as day to day with a strained quadriceps tendon.

76ERS: An MRI showed that Allen Iverson's right thumb, feared broken Wednesday night, is only sprained. He's day to day and could play tonight against the Cavaliers.

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