Recap: Boston vs. LA Lakers

By Sports Network

Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Boston's big three started the season with high hopes and finished with the Celtics' 17th championship in their storied franchise history with a record-setting performance.

Kevin Garnett scored 26 points and pulled down 14 rebounds as the Celtics pounded the Los Angeles Lakers, 131-92, in Game 6 of the NBA Finals.

Ray Allen overcame an eye injury and tied a Finals record by hitting seven shots from beyond the arc, on the way to 26 points, and Paul Pierce, the third in the monumental trio, hit for 17 points and dished out 10 assists.

Rajon Rondo had a solid all-around performance to cap his second season in the league with 21 points, seven rebounds and eight assists. He also had six of Boston's Finals-record 18 steals, as Boston wrapped up its first NBA title since 1986 and did it in probably the most memorable rivalry in league history. Boston has played the Lakers in the Finals 11 times, winning nine of those matchups.

Garnett and Allen joined Pierce prior to the season and immediately there were huge expectations. The trio, who until this year had never played in a Finals contest, had a signature moment, coming out of the game together late in the final quarter.

With the capacity crowd at TD Banknorth Garden chanting "17!, 17!" in the concluding minutes, Celtics head coach Doc Rivers hugged his players and was then the recipient of a celebratory bath of punch dumped over him by Pierce.

Allen, who left the game in the opening quarter after being poked in his left eye, but returned in the second, finished the Finals with a record in three- pointers made with 22.

Kobe Bryant had 22 points for the Lakers, who staved off elimination with a 103-98 victory Sunday night, only to fly across the country and get blown out to cap their first Finals appearance since 2004. They were trying to become the first team in Finals history to rally from a 3-1 deficit to become champions.