Kevin Garnett soars as Lakers' Pau Gasol struggles

Battle of the power forwards in Game 5 clearly goes to Boston, which also gets some Zen-like leadership from Garnett.Boston The man who likes to abuse his own bald head  either as a way to psych himself up or express simple frustration  was the one trying to ramp down the energy on Sunday.Boston’s Kevin Garnett certainly won’t ever become Mr. Zen, but Celtics Coach Doc Rivers found himself somewhat amused when the emotional Garnett went against type in the Celtics’ 92-86 victory in Game 5 of the NBA Finals at TD Garden.

“That tells you how screwed up we are,” Rivers said. “Kevin Garnett is calming our team down. It’s funny now, but it was Kevin and Tony Allen in the huddle telling everyone to calm down. I jokingly told [assistant coach] Armond [Hill] this is a crazy basketball team.”Rivers thought it was Garnett’s best all-around game in this series against the Lakers. Not only did Garnett issue an emphatic double-double, scoring 18 points and adding 10 rebounds and two blocked shots, but he clearly got the best of the Lakers’ Pau Gasol in their key matchup.Though Gasol finished with 12 points and 12 rebounds, going five for 12 from the field, he was close to a non-factor in the first half, scoring two points and only taking four shots.

“He’s been consistent for us for a while now, so he can afford to have a bad game every once and a while,” Kobe Bryant said of Gasol.Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said he would have to look at the tape to get a complete analysis of Gasol’s game, of whether the Spaniard was tentative.

“He didn’t have a lot of opportunities in the first half, and in the second half it looked like he broke away, went by Garnett, got to the front of the hoop, and he blocked it from behind,” Jackson said.”… I thought Garnett made a couple good defensive plays.”Gasol averaged 20.5 points the first four games of the series, which is why the vanishing act seemed so startling in Game 5.

“I’ve got to find ways to get better looks than I did tonight throughout the game,” he said. “And when I do, just be assertive and be aggressive and don’t be hesitant when I get the ball. Just attack.”That was Garnett’s mantra after a rough go in Los Angeles, most notably in Game 1. Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo talked about the big turnaround in Garnett’s game.

“I think a couple of guys maybe thought KG lost a step or something when he struggled in the first few games,” Rondo said. “But he’s caught his rhythm, doing intangibles on the court, scoring, rebounding, assisting, blocking shots. He’s changing the game.”That’s what he’s been doing for us all year. He’s big for us. He may not score 27 points, 26 points. But he’s happy with his role and he’s doing it well.”

Garnett recognized the moment of truth in the series. “The severity of this game is huge, man,” he said. “You don’t want to go back to L.A. with them having a chance to close it out and it being on their floor.

“Tonight, I thought for the most part I was active. I got my hands on a lot of loose balls. Some knucklehead plays in the fourth quarter I would like to take back.”But for the most part, I was talkative. I was loud. Just got to carry that over and be all out.”

LeBron James and Shaquille O'Neal have only one goal

CLEVELAND LeBron James and Shaquille O’Neal have only one goal, and they moved one step closer to their objective on Saturday.Cleveland’s superstars, separated for a large chunk of the regular season, combined for 36 points and seven blocks as the Cavaliers opened the Eastern Conference playoffs with a 96-83 win over the Chicago Bulls.

James had 24 points and four blocks and a slimmed-down O’Neal, playing for the first time since Feb. 25, scored 12 in 24 minutes as the top-seeded Cavs won a testy opener between two teams that obviously don’t care for each other.Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Monday in Cleveland.

Derrick Rose had 28 points and 10 assists for Chicago, which trimmed a 22-point deficit in the third quarter down to seven in the fourth.But James converted a three-point play with 2:29 left and Mo Williams followed with a 3-pointer to put Cleveland up 94-81.

After they were eliminated in the Eastern Conference finals last May by Orlando, the Cavaliers went out and traded for O’Neal, a four-time NBA champion and icon. O’Neal was brought in not only to combat Magic center Dwight Howard but to help James win his first title and deliver Cleveland its first championship in any major pro sport since 1964.

The Cavs need 15 more wins to get it.Williams added 19 points and 10 assists, and Antawn Jamison, acquired at the trading deadline, finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Cleveland blocked 12 shots – 10 in the second half.

James was his usual MVP self, making plays at both ends. But unlike past postseasons, he doesn’t have to do it alone this time.O’Neal, who upon arriving in Cleveland promised to “win a ring for the King,” looked remarkably sharp despite missing the Cavs’ final 23 games after tearing a thumb ligament. He dropped 20 pounds while he was sidelined by watching his diet and swimming.

Cleveland’s offense ran smoothly while he was in the middle and he had the game’s signature play early in the third quarter.Posting up Joakim Noah in the foul lane, O’Neal made a quick spin move to fake out the Bulls center, who stumbled forward and nearly fell on his face. O’Neal then delivered a dunk and sprinted back down the floor scowling.

The Cavs quickly extended a 15-point halftime lead to 68-46, but the Bulls, who have been in playoff mode for the past two weeks as they fought for the No. 8 seed, wouldn’t go away.Chicago cut it to 82-75 while James was on the bench, but once he came back, the Cavs were on their way.The teams traded unpleasantness on more than one occasion. Noah, who said the Bulls would “try to shock the world” in the series, exchanged words with Cleveland’s Anderson Varejao and was booed every time he touched the ball. James and Brad Miller were assessed technicals in the first half following a collision, and James and Luol Deng had a discussion after the halftime horn.

As has become his ritual every postseason, James arrived extra early at Quicken Loans Arena. He was on the floor more than three hours before tip-off, getting in some extra shooting as he prepared for a postseason Cleveland fans hope ends like none before.

Taking passes from assistant coach Chris Jent, James intently worked on his inside game before moving outside to knock down jumpers. He maintained the serious demeanor he has displayed in recent days, a clear sign he’s locked in for this title run.”We’ve prepared for this moment,” he said, surrounded by reporters. “It’s here.”

Before taking the floor, James gathered his teammates in the hallway outside Cleveland’s locker room for a prayer and then broke the huddle.”One, two three,” James said.”Championship,” they responded.Anything less this time will be a disappointment.

NOTES: A diehard New York Yankees fan, James said he did not watch the Bronx Bombers receive their diamond-filled World Series rings earlier this week. “I saw them win it last year, though,” he said. “I knew the rings would come at some point.” … James entered the playoffs averaging 29.4 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.3 assists in 60 postseason games. No other player in NBA history (minimum 20 games) has averaged more than 25 points, seven rebounds and six assists. … Entering the game, Cleveland hadn’t won a playoff game against Chicago since 1992. The Bulls have won all five previous playoff series between the teams (1988, ’89, ’92, ’93, ’94). … The Bulls are the first team since Toronto (2001-02) to reach the playoffs despite a 10-game losing streak during the season.(AP)