Lakers slump, fall behind 2-1 in series

LOS ANGELES -- Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers looked terrible until it was too late -- and this time, nobody can blame a Sacramento cheeseburger.

Chris Webber had 26 points and nine rebounds, and Mike Bibby scored 24 points as the Sacramento Kings grabbed a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference finals Friday night, beating the Lakers 103-90.

The two-time defending champions lost for just the fourth time in their last 28 playoff games -- but this one was shaping up as an embarrassment until a blistering fourth-quarter rally made the final margin respectable.

The loss, following a narrow defeat in Game 2, gave Los Angeles consecutive playoff defeats for the first time since the 2000 conference finals. It was the Kings' first playoff victory in Los Angeles.

Game 4 is Sunday in Los Angeles, with Game 5 back in Sacramento on Tuesday night.

Bryant scored 16 of his 22 points in the fourth as Los Angeles scored 14 points in 53 seconds during a 27-12 run -- yet the Lakers still never got within 10 points of the Kings, who weren't given much of a chance to threaten in the series despite their Pacific Division title.

CELTICS STIR MEMORIES: Bill Russell, Bob Cousy and Red Auerbach are "walking through the door" for the Boston Celtics, who are back in the conference finals for the first time since the championship years of the 1980s.

The most successful franchise in NBA history, Boston has a supply of former stars like no other team. Now that the current Celtics have restored some of the pride and swagger, players from years past have been showing up at the FleetCenter.

Two years after coach Rick Pitino chastised fans with his infamous line that "Larry Bird is not walking through that door," other stars are offering tips or just sitting in the stands and cheering.

"They give us a silent encouragement that we have to play up to par," center Tony Battie said Friday. "To impress those guys, you have to put up a banner. They're not impressed with any conference championship."

Winners of a league-record 16 titles, the Celtics are in the longest championship drought in team history. Before this year, Boston had not made the playoffs since 1995.

-- From wire reports