Kobe goes for 36 in L.A. win

The Lakers got back in the NBA Finals with an 87-81 home-floor win in Game 3.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — On his floor and on his game, Kobe Bryant revived the Los Angeles Lakers — and the NBA finals.

With his team one loss from having to make an impossible climb, Bryant was close to MVP form, scoring 36 points on an assortment of spins, drives and jumpers and reserve Sasha Vujacic added 20 points as the Lakers beat the Boston Celtics 87-81 in Game 3 on Tuesday night.

A change of time zones, jerseys and attitude did wonders for the Lakers, who staggered home from Boston in an 0-2 hole and couldn’t afford to fall any further behind in the first best-of-seven matchup between the league’s marquee teams since 1987.

No team in NBA playoff history has ever overcome an 0-3 deficit.

Bryant made sure the Lakers won’t have to.

Ray Allen broke out with 25 points — his second-best game of the playoffs so far — but Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett struggled to keep up.

Pierce, a native of the Los Angeles area playing his first playoff game in his hometown, fell into foul trouble early and never got going, missing his first five shots and going 2-for-14 in all while managing to stay on the court just 32 minutes.

Garnett wasn’t much better.

He missed his first seven shots and finished 6-for-21, with 13 points. Garnett also had 12 rebounds and five assists while making a few key shots to give the Celtics a short-lived lead in the third quarter.

Garnett’s only success came in the third quarter, when he scored on a baby hook in the lane to tie the game 49-all with 5:50 left. Next time down, he hit a baseline jumper on an assist from Pierce to give the Celtics the lead.

But the Lakers came back and pulled away down the stretch, with Pierce and Garnett passing up shots to get the ball to reserve Eddie House.

The Lakers led 78-72 when Pierce did make a couple of free throws, and Garnett banked in a one-hander to make it 78-76.

But Sasha Vujacic hit a 3-pointer, and Bryant made a pair of jumpers down the stretch to ice it.