Paul Pierce scores 15, Celtics shoot 66 percent, build 45-39 lead at halftime of Game 5

Pierce scores 15, Celtics lead LA 45-39 at half

BOSTON — Paul Pierce scored 15 points, Rajon Rondo added 10, and the Boston Celtics took a 45-39 lead over the Los Angeles Lakers into halftime of Game 5 of the NBA finals on Sunday night.

Kevin Garnett made all three shots and had eight points and seven rebounds as Boston had two of its Big Three playing well at the same time for one of the few occasions in the series. Pierce made 7-of-10 shots.

The Celtics were trying to take a 3-2 lead and move a win away from increasing their NBA-best total to 18 championships. They shot 66 percent and led at halftime for the first time since Game 2.

Kobe Bryant scored 10 points on just 4-of-12 shooting for the Lakers, who shot just 33 percent.

Andrew Bynum played 18 minutes and had six points, three nights after his sore right knee forced him to leave Game 4 after only 12 minutes. He and Derek Fisher (nine points) helped Los Angeles end a slow start.

A message on the overhead video board before the Celtics’ starting lineups were introduced read: “The final stand at the Garden.” They made it a good one in the first half.

The Lakers missed their first six shots as Boston jumped ahead 6-0, but Bynum and Fisher combined for the first 15 Los Angeles points for a 15-14 lead when Fisher hit three free throws with 4:58 remaining in the first quarter.

Pierce hit jumpers for the Celtics’ final two baskets of the period, sending them to the second with a 22-20 lead. Bryant was only 1 for 4, shooting an airball and missing badly on another jumper.

The Celtics’ second unit, who helped them pull away in their 96-89 victory Thursday, contributed to a flurry early in the second that extended the lead to 30-22.

Rondo picked up a technical foul for shoving Ron Artest after Artest’s hard foul on Garnett. That came as part of a Lakers surge that gave them a 37-36 lead on Bryant’s basket with 3:59 remaining, but Pierce answered with a 3-pointer and two late jumpers for a 45-39 advantage at the break.

The finals were deadlocked after four games for the first time since 2006, when Miami beat Dallas. Of the 25 series that have been tied at 2-all, the winner of Game 5 has won 19 of them.

Game 6 is Tuesday night in Los Angeles.