LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Lakers saved their best for the very last.
What was nearly one of the greatest collapses in NBA playoff history instead became one of the most unexpected comebacks.The Lakers, on the verge of losing three straight games for the first time all season, scored 15 consecutive points in the fourth quarter to erase a 15-point Portland lead and went on to beat the Trail Blazers 89-84 Sunday in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals.
Los Angeles advances to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1991 with Game 1 on Wednesday against the Indiana Pacers in the Staples Center. The Lakers will be hard-pressed to top this one, though.
Shaquille O'Neal, rendered ineffective most of the game by Portland's double- and triple-teaming defense, scored nine points in the fourth quarter, punctuating the rally with a thundering dunk on a lob pass from Kobe Bryant that put Los Angeles ahead 85-79 with 40 seconds to play.
The usually unemotional O'Neal waved his index fingers at the crowd with an amazed expression on his face as he ran downcourt.
O'Neal had 18 points and nine rebounds and was 8-of-12 from the free throws line, including two that tied the game 77-77 with 2:44 to play.
Bryant, the other half of the superstar tandem that is supposed to lead this franchise back to its historic greatness, had 25 points and 11 rebounds. Bryant, who made just six of 12 free throws in the game, made two to put Los Angeles ahead for good, 81-79 with 1:34 remaining.
Rasheed Wallace scored 30 points on 13-for-26 shooting but had six of the Blazers' 13 consecutive misses during the Lakers' run that wiped out a 75-60 lead. Wallace also missed two free throws with Portland trailing 81-79 with 1:25 to go.
Scottie Pippen, brought to Portland to provide the leadership the team needed to win a championship, fouled out with 25 seconds to go with 12 points and 10 rebounds. He was just 3-of-10 from the field.
Steve Smith scored 18 points for Portland but was just 1-for-5 from the field in the fourth quarter.
The Lakers trailed 71-58 after three quarters but outscored Portland 31-13 in the fourth.
After Ron Harper made one of two free throws to put the Lakers ahead 86-82 with 32 seconds remaining, Smith drove the lane but the ball was knocked away with no foul called.
Bryant missed two free throws with 25 seconds to go, but again Portland couldn't capitalize. Horry, who was 4-for-6 from the line in the final minute and scored 12 points, made two free throws with 17 seconds to go to boost the lead to 88-82, and the Blazers were finished.
Pippen, who has six championship rings but none without Michael Jordan as a teammate, scored nine points in the first quarter but made one of seven shots after that.
The Trail Blazers, who had beaten the Lakers twice in Los Angeles in the playoffs, were trying to become the seventh team to come back from being down 3-1 to win a series and the first to do it in the conference finals.
Most of the evening, they looked as if they would.
As had been the case throughout the series, Portland took an early lead.
Damon Stoudamire, Smith and Pippen hit consecutive 3-pointers in a 13-0 run that put Portland ahead 19-9.
The Lakers cut it to three late in the second half, the last time on Bryant's stuff shot that made it 42-39 just before the halftime buzzer.
Los Angeles outscored Portland 10-4 to start the third quarter.