Terrill/AP
Kobe Bryant and Queensbridge native Ron Artest (b.) celebrate after the Los Angeles Lakers repeat as NBA champions with an 83-79 win over the Boston Celtics. 
Terrill/AP
LOS ANGELES - The comparisons between Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan were falling as flat as Bryant's jump Thursday night. Instead, Bryant was conjuring up memories of John Starks circa Game 7, 1994 with each excruciating minute.
Bryant, arguably the best player on the planet, turned in a simply horrific shooting performance on the last night of the NBA season, with a little help from the Boston Celtics suffocating defense of course. But when it came down to winning time or as Phil Jackson called it, "the moment of truth," Bryant and the Lakers found a way to retain their championship status.
Pau Gasol's size and skill along with Bryant's grit and determination sealed the title for the Lakers, who overcame a 13-point second half deficit to finally defeat the Celtics, 83-79.
The score was indicative of the game: the points were difficult to come by because both teams competed hard on the defensive end and no player found a rhythm. Bryant certainly fell into the latter category as he made just 6 of 24 shots but still scored 23 points by making 11 of 15 free throws with 15 rebounds.
Bryant attempted two more free throws from Celtics while the Lakers attempted 37 free throws, including 13 from Gasol, who finished with 19 points and 18 rebounds. Ron Artest, the player once passed over by the Knicks in the 1999 NBA Draft, added 20 points including a 3-pointer in the final minute.
Afterwards, the Queensbridge native thanked everyone from his mother to his psychiatrist.
The Celtics, playing without injured center Kendrick Perkins, had fall five starters score in double figures. Perkins' replacement, Rasheed Wallace, finished with 11 points and eight rebounds before fouling out. Paul Pierce scored 18 and Kevin Garnett 17 while Ray Allen, who becomes a free agent in two weeks, had a dreadful game. Allen went 3-for-14 and made just 2 of 7 3-pointers.The title was the 16th in franchise history for the Lakers, the 11th overall for Phil Jackson and Bryant's fifth. The one for the thumb proved to be the most difficult.
Bryant salvaged a poor night by scoring 10 fourth quarter points while Gasol scored nine in the final period.
The physical nature of the season's decisive game seemed to throw Bryant off his game. During the regular season, he may draw fouls on similar contested shots but Thursday night the referees thankfully gave the players freedom to decide the outcome.
So as much as Bryant pleaded for calls his cries went unanswered, resulting in a 3-for-14 first half performance. In fact, he and Gasol were a combined 6-for-26 which is why the Lakers scored 34 points including 14 in the first period.
