Lakers eliminate Nuggets; Celtics win semis opener

Los Angeles — The Los Angeles Lakers outlasted the Denver Nuggets for a thrilling 96-87 victory in Game 7 on Saturday to win their first-round series and claim a berth in the NBA Conference semifinals.

Pau Gasol had 23 points, 17 rebounds and six assists for Los Angeles while Metta World Peace (formerly Ron Artest) scored 15 points in his return from a seven-game suspension.

Steve Blake scored a playoff career-high 19 points and Kobe Bryant had 17 points and eight assists for the Lakers, who blew a 16-point lead in the second half before surviving a finale with wild momentum swings and furious physical play.

With Gasol leading the way, Los Angeles narrowly avoided becoming the ninth team in NBA history to blow a 3-1 series lead.

Andrew Bynum had 16 points and a career playoff-high 18 rebounds for Los Angeles, which will open the second round Monday in Oklahoma City against the second-seeded Thunder.

Ty Lawson and Al Harrington scored 24 points apiece for the sixth-seeded Nuggets, who committed 19 turnovers and managed just 7-of-27 shooting in the fourth quarter.

Arron Afflalo scored 15 points for the Nuggets, who have lost in the first round in eight of the last nine postseasons — but never with this much excitement.

The Lakers appeared to be in control of the series after a narrow victory in Game 4 last weekend, but the Nuggets rallied for two straight dominant victories. On Saturday, both teams blowing significant leads in the final minutes.

World Peace hit four 3-pointers and energized Los Angeles with tough defense in his return from a ban for viciously elbowing Oklahoma City’s James Harden.

While World Peace shut down Danilo Gallinari and provided unexpected perimeter scoring, Gasol was the Lakers’ best player on both ends in the finale, playing with renewed passion after a poor Game 6. Bryant didn’t dominate with scoring, but his playmaking helped Blake hit five 3-pointers in a row before missing his sixth attempt.

Celtics 92, 76ers 91

In Boston, Kevin Garnett scored 29 points — his most this year — and added 11 rebounds to give Boston a thrilling win over Philadelphia in the opener of their Eastern Conference semifinal series.

Rajon Rondo had 17 assists, 13 points and 12 rebounds for his eighth career playoff triple-double. He ran the length of the court to receive the inbounds pass and dribble out the final 3.4 seconds of the game.

Game 2 is Monday (Tuesday in Manila) in Boston before the series shifts to Philadelphia for Games 3 and 4.

Andre Iguodala scored 19 points and Evan Turner had 16 points and 10 rebounds for the 76ers, who are in the second round for the first time since 2003, having beaten No. 1 seed Chicago.

The Sixers led 77-67 with 11 minutes to play before Boston scored 23 of the next 30 points, with Rondo making a jumper to cut it to 80-79, then another with 3:37 left to give Boston the lead. /ap