Halftime: Lakers 51, Celtics 31

The Lakers played the first half of Game 6 tonight like their season depended on it, which it did. They took the lead midway through the first quarter and never let off the gas. Kobe Bryant got plenty of help, with Ron Artest scoring 10 points, Lamar Odom adding six points and six rebounds and Sasha Vujacic scoring five points. Bryant scored 15 points, grabbed seven rebounds and added two assists. Ray Allen had 13 for Boston, which lost Kendrick Perkins to an undisclosed leg injury with 5:30 left in the first quarter. The Lakers held the Celtics to 13 points in the second quarter and built a 22-point lead. The Lakers’ second unit outscored Boston’s subs, 15-0, in the first half.