Lakers ready for rest

BOSTON – The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers are headed to a pivotal Game 5 of the NBA finals, the latest big moment in basketball’s biggest rivalry.

The Celtics can move a win away from an 18th championship, and a 10th in 12 meetings with the Lakers.

Kobe Bryant can inch closer to a fifth title, a chance to further cement his legacy.

Have to love it, right?

Not if you’re Bryant.

“I’m miserable,” he said Saturday.

That’s because of the Celtics, who guarded him well in the fourth quarter of their 96-89 victory Thursday that evened the series at two games apiece, and simply won’t allow him to be as spectacular as he was against Phoenix in the previous round.

Game 5 is today, and the Lakers expect to have center Andrew Bynum back after he played only 12 minutes in Game 4 because of a sore right knee.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson thought Bryant looked tired in that game, and Bryant was even asked if he’d tweaked his knee. Combine that with all the talk of how well the Celtics have defended him, and suddenly those doubters who surfaced when Bryant looked so worn down late in the regular season are popping up again.

“That’s what they do,” Bryant said. “They show up, disappear, show up, disappear.”

Bryant said he hadn’t been watching any coverage during the off days. But he may have heard some of the talk about how well another reserve – Tony Allen – and the Celtics have contained him, so Boston coach Doc Rivers would like to quiet that chatter so Bryant doesn’t find himself with even more motivation today.

“Definitely that’s one, but you also know it’s a Game 5 and it’s 2-2. I don’t think there’s anything either one of us can say that is going to rile us up any more than being in a Game 5 in the finals tied 2-2,” Rivers said.

The finals are tied after four games for the first time since 2006. Of the 25 series that were tied 2-all, the winner of Game 5 won 19 of them.

A victory in Boston today gives the Lakers two chances to wrap it up at home, while a loss means Bryant is closer to going 0-2 against Boston in the finals.

The Celtics are the older team but seem fresher, since a more productive bench has allowed their starters to get some rest during the series. Jackson would like to give Bryant the same opportunity.

“I’ve got to find a little space and time for him to give him some rest in that situation so he can come back with renewed energy,” Jackson said.