OddsPreview.com NBA: Boston crush Lakers to clinch title @ Wednesday June 18

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The Boston Celtics clinched the NBA Championship by crushing the Los Angeles Lakers 131-92 on Tuesday night.

Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen led the way with 26 points each, while Rajon Rondo posted 21 of his own. Paul Pierce, who provided the heroics in Game One of the titanic match-up, added 17.

Boston were so good that they led by 43 at one point. In contrast, the Lakers' biggest lead was just four points.

The victory was Boston's 17th NBA Championship, but their first in 22 years. The title comes just one year after Boston had one of the league's worst records with just 24 wins.

However, the arrival of Garnett and Allen in the off-season changed all of that.

"I got my own [ring]. I got my own," Garnett said to Boston legend Bill Russell after the game. "I hope we made you proud."

"You did," Russell replied.

Kobe Bryant managed 22 points in reply for the Lakers, but his team-mates once again couldn't provide any firepower, with Lamar Odom the next best with 14 points.

And Bryant was deferential towards Boston's defence.

"They were definitely the best defence I've seen the entire play-offs," Bryant said.

"I've seen some pretty stiff ones and this was right up there with them. The goal was to win a championship, it wasn't to win MVP or anything like that, it was to win a championship."

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