Basketball: Lakers now just one win away from title

PHILADELPHIA - Shaquille O'Neal scored 34 points and the Los Angeles Lakers reached the brink of a second consecutive National Basketball Association crown yesterday, defeating Philadelphia 100-86.

The Lakers, the defending champions, seized a 3-1 edge in the best-of-seven series and could capture their 13th title with a victory in Philadelphia tomorrow.

No team has ever ralled from a 1-3 deficit to win the NBA finals. Only the 1951 New York Knicks and 1966 Lakers have recovered to force a seventh game. But both fell at the last hurdle.

And while the 76ers have rallied to advance in all three rounds of this year's playoffs, they have never been this far down this late. Also, games six and seven, if needed, would be played in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles rose to 14-1 in these playoffs.

Only by squandering a five-point overtime lead in the opening game of the finals did the Lakers miss out on the first sweep to a championship in NBA history.

The Lakers led by as much as 70-48 yesterday after a Kobe Bryant dunk with 3m 34s to play in the third quarter, and had a 77-57 edge before the NBA's most valuable player, Allan Iverson, brought the 76ers back with a run of 13 consecutive points.

Iverson, who finished with a game-high 35 points, scored six and Tyrone Hill added five, including a three-point play off a pass from Iverson, to lift the 76ers to within 77-70.

But the Lakers answered with an 11-1 run of their own, with consecutive three-pointers by Brian Shaw, Tyronn Lue and Robert Horry sealing Philadelphia's fate.

- AGENCIES