BOSTONDown to the wire.
Regardless of the records, regardless of who is on the floor, doesn't it seem like it's always like that when the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers get together?
Thursday night's matchup was no exception, with the game's outcome very much up in the air until the final seconds of overtime.
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In the overtime period, the Lakers opened with a 4-0 run and seemed on their way to victory, only for the Celtics to storm back with five straight, which included a 3-pointer by Paul Pierce with less than two minutes to play.
After a back-and-forth tussle for most of the fourth quarter and overtime, the Celtics simply couldn't make the plays needed as the Lakers hung on for an 88-87 win.
Pierce had a chance to win it for the Celtics, but his step-back jumper was off the mark. Ray Allen grabbed the rebound, but had his shot blocked by Pau Gasol as time expired.
For most of the game, Boston maintained a slim lead while Kobe Bryant, the NBA's top scorer, did what he does best -- score.
He finished with a game-high 27 points, which included back-to-back baskets in the third as part of an 8-0 Lakers run that put them ahead, 67-64, going into the fourth.
Pierce, who did very little offensively through the first three quarters, got a quick basket in the fourth to make it a one-point game. He finished with 18 points.
The Lakers were able to maintain the lead until Mickael Pietrus put the Celtics ahead, 77-75. But moments later, Bryant tied the game on a mid-range jumper.
Coming into Thursday's game, the Celtics' five-game winning streak was fueled in part because of their ability to score in the paint. For most of Thursday's game, the Lakers controlled the point production around the basket.
To some degree, that was because for most of the night, they were the more physical, more aggressive team. Nowhere was this more apparent than in the free throw difference. The Celtics took just five free throw attempts -- and made them all.
Meanwhile, the Lakers were 15-for-20 from the line.
Still, the Celtics found themselves clinging to a 79-77 lead following a running bank shot by Rajon Rondo.
Andrew Bynum put the Lakers back on top, 80-79, following a 3-point play.