NBA Finals: Lakers Outclassed by Celtics in Deciding Game Six

"I got my own. I got my own. I hope we made you proud."

That's what Kevin Garnett whispered to Bill Russell after a huge, 39-point victory over the Los Angeles Lakers Tuesday night in Game Six of the NBA Finals, 131-92.

Garnett's 26 points and 14 rebounds were crucial to the demise of Los Angeles and eventually earned him Game Six MVP honors. Teammate Paul Pierce, with 17 points and 10 assists Tuesday night, won the Final's MVP award.

The taste of victory was almost palpable in the TD Banknorth Garden before the opening tip. Everyone could sense Boston's 17th title coming on the 17th of June.

They were right.

The Lakers hung around in the first quarter, only allowing the better Boston team to take a four-point advantage into the first quarter break of the game.

Kobe Bryant put up 22 points for Los Angeles, but couldn't stop the mighty Celtics alone.

Pau Gasol added 11 points and eight rebounds, much less than what was asked and expected of him. Lamar Odom played a decent game with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Ray Allen was also a key factor in the "Boston Blowout." He was absolutely on fire from beyond the arc, shooting 7-of-9 for a total of 26 points. He was taken out of the game after he was inadvertently poked in the eye by Odom, but returned to much applause from Celtics fans inside the Garden.

While the whole Boston team had plane troubles on the flight back to Boston after Game Five, Allen actually arrived even later. Taking time to visit his hospitalized son, Allen took a red-eye flight to Boston early Tuesday morning. He didn't talk about the situation when he arrived.

With the win, head coach Doc Rivers and his Boston team completed the most prolific turnaround in NBA history. After winning only 24 games and being a lottery team in 2007, the Celtics are NBA Champions in 2008.

On an interesting side note, Boston finished 24 games behind then-first-place Toronto in 2007, but finished the 2008 season 25 games ahead of the second-place Raptors.

Los Angeles Lakers fans will have to wait at least another year to win another title. Bryant has added pressure to throw the monkey off his back because he hasn't won a title without former teammate Shaquille O'Neal.

Just to make sure there was no sympathy floating around the Banknorth Garden in the closing minutes of the game, the Celtics faithful chanted, "You're not Jordan," referring to recent comparisons between Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.

Although the season ended short of what Los Angeles was wanting, Bostonians are living in paradise.

Their 17th NBA Championship. On the 17th of June. Perfect.

As Kevin Garnett screamed Tuesday night, "that's that."