LOS ANGELES, (Reuters) – The top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers finally saw off the under-strength Houston Rockets by crushing their opponents 89-70 yesterday to advance to the Western Conference final.
Spanish forward Pau Gasol recorded a game-high 21 points and had 18 rebounds while Trevor Ariza added 15 points as the Lakers clinched the best-of-seven series 4-3 at Staples Center.
Watched by a capacity crowd which included Hollywood actors Jack Nicholson and Dustin Hoffman, the home team charged 20 points clear by halftime and never relinquished their grip.
Houston, who had surprisingly forced a decider despite missing All-Star center Yao Ming since Game Three, were outclassed by a Los Angeles outfit continually mixing tight defence with swift counter-attacks.
Lakers center Andrew Bynum produced his best game of the series, registering 14 points and six rebounds, while All-Star guard Kobe Bryant weighed in with 14 points and seven rebounds.
Guard Aaron Brooks top-scored for the Rockets with 13 points and Argentine forward Luis Scola contributed 11 but the dangerous Ron Artest was limited to just seven.
The Lakers will meet the Denver Nuggets in the best-of-seven Conference finals, with the series opener in Los Angeles tomorrow.
Stung by their 95-80 loss in Houston three days earlier, the Lakers made a fast start, defending superbly and racing into an early 8-0 lead after Ariza made a three-point jumper.
Struggling to find the hoop, the Rockets finally got their first basket with a Brooks free throw after 5.07 minutes but rampant Los Angeles ended the opening quarter 22-10 ahead.
Although Gasol squandered a couple of scoring chances early in the second period, Los Angeles tightened their grip when Lamar Odom’s three-pointer jumper put them 29-15 clear.
The Lakers briefly stretched their lead to 25 points with an unanswered 8-0 run capped by a Gasol hooked shot before going into half-time with a commanding 51-31 cushion.
Helped by a couple of three-pointers by the fast-moving Brooks, the Rockets held Los Angeles to a 69-50 lead after the third quarter but had too much ground to make up in the final period.
