NBA: Oklahoma City Thunder scores final 9 points to beat Los Angeles Lakers 77 ... - San Jose Mercury News

Kevin Durant scored 22 points and rattled in the go-ahead basket on a baseline runner with 18 seconds left, and the host Oklahoma City Thunder scored the final nine points to rally for a 77-75 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals Wednesday.

Oklahoma City trailed by seven with 2 minutes left before surging back with a series of defensive stops by its stars to take a 2-0 lead.

Game 3 is Friday night in Los Angeles.

Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum scored 20 points apiece for the Lakers, who came up empty on their last six possessions after Bynum's hook shot made it 75-68 with 2:09 remaining. Russell Westbrook added 15 points for Oklahoma City.

Celtics 107, 76ers 91: Kevin Garnett yapped his way down the court after big baskets and clearly enjoyed taking it to the 76ers. Rajon Rondo pushed the ball and relentlessly attacked the lane.

Paul Pierce gutted out a knee injury and grinded his way to the free throw line.

Boston hears the whispers that it's too weary and too old to win another championship. By the time they forced host Sixers fans to flee their seats, the Celtics proved it's still too early to count them out.

Garnett scored 27 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, and used a dominant second quarter to help the Celtics beat the 76ers and take a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Whistled for a costly illegal pick late in a

Game 2 loss, Garnett crushed the Sixers early and never let them think about a fourth-quarter rally. Garnett scored 13 of Boston's 32 points in the second quarter and the Celtics became the first team to win by double digits. Game 1 and Game 2 were each decided by one point.

Rondo had 23 points and 14 assists. Pierce, playing with a banged-up knee, had 24 points and 12 rebounds. Game 4 is Friday in Philadelphia.

"We just wanted to come out and establish who we are as a team," Pierce said.

That started with making Garnett a focal point. Garnett had somehow become forgotten in Boston's offense in Game 2 until the fourth quarter.

Bird honored: Indiana's Larry Bird was voted the NBA's Executive of the Year, becoming the first person to be named the league's top executive, coach and MVP. "It was a long journey, it was a painful journey," Bird told reporters in Indianapolis. "But now we think it's going to pay dividends."

The three-time MVP and Hall of Famer received 12 first-place votes and 88 total points from a panel of team executives throughout the NBA.