Xs and O’s

Three keys from Game 5

Big steal: Kobe Bryant’s late steal and dunk seals victory for Lakers.

No Perkins: Boston struggles inside without injured center Kendrick Perkins.

Point guard: Lakers receive strong play from Derek Fisher and Jordan Farmar.

Three keys to Tuesday’s Game 6

Garden mystique: Celtics will try to clinch first NBA championship playing at TD Banknorth Garden and not the Boston Garden.

In reserve: Celtics’ bench has held an edge over the Lakers’ backup players throughout the Finals.

Best “Big Three” wins: In the end, it will come down to Garnett-Pierce-Allen or Bryant-Odom-Gasol.

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Scoreboard

How the scoring broke down:

*--* BOSTON LAKERS 70 STARTERS 86 28 BENCH 17 BY POSITION 40 GUARDS 55 54 FORWARDS 29 4 CENTERS 19 FROM WHERE 26 IN PAINT 44 24 PERIMETER 12 24 3-POINTERS 24 24 FREE THROWS 23 *--*