LOS ANGELES -- Ray Allen set an NBA finals record with seven three-pointers in a half and scored 27 points, leading the Boston Celtics to a 54-48 lead at the break over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 2 of the NBA finals on Sunday night.
Allen tied the finals record for a game by hitting his first seven three-pointers before his final attempt of the half spun out. He equalled the mark for a game he shares with Scottie Pippen and Kenny Smith.
Allen, Smith and Michael Jordan all previously made 6 three-pointers in a half.
Rajon Rondo had the Celtics off and running as they tried to even the series before it moved to Boston. He was on pace for another playoff triple-double with six points, six rebounds and eight assists.
Kobe Bryant was only 4 of 11 and had three fouls, but his steal and three-pointer with 0.2 seconds left sent the Lakers to the locker-room with momentum after being outplayed for nearly the entire half.
Allen, in foul trouble throughout Game 1, kept the Celtics in it early during the Lakers' strong start, then helped them build a 14-point lead in the second quarter.
Following a tribute to John Wooden from Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Walton, Los Angeles jumped to an 8-2 lead. The Celtics' foul woes continued when Kevin Garnett was forced to the bench after picking up two within the first three minutes.
But Rondo pushed the pace and the Lakers kept losing track of Allen, who managed only 12 points in 27 minutes in Boston's 102-89 loss in the opener.
Pau Gasol scored 14 points, while Bryant and Andrew Bynum both had 11 for the Lakers.
A flurry of seven straight points late in the first period sent the Celtics to the second ahead 29-22. Bryant was just 1 of 5 for two points in the quarter.
The Celtics' lead reached double digits for the first time when Rondo grabbed a rebound and pushed the ball up the court to set up Allen's three-pointer for a 36-26 advantage with 9:15 remaining in the half. Allen later knocked down consecutive threes to make it 42-28 before the Lakers got close late in the half.
The series shifts to Boston for Game 3 on Tuesday night.
