Kobe Bryant nails game-winning jumper against the Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers are two NBA franchises that have no love lost between each other and have one of the best rivalries in sports today. 

Ever since both the Lakers and the Celtics met in the 2008 NBA Finals the two teams have given their heated rivalry a rebirth of sorts as they have become title contenders on an annual basis in the NBA once again. 

This season the Lakers are coming off their fourth NBA title in the Kobe Bryant era after convincingly beating the Orlando Magic in the NBA Finals last season. Coming into this season in their title defense, the Lakers were relatively the same team with the exception of the loss of Trevor Ariza to free agency and the addition of defensive specialist Ron Artest. 

The Boston Celtics on the other hand came into this season hoping to get back to dominant status in the Eastern Conference after having a disappointing run in the playoffs due to the lack of a presence in the paint without Kevin Garnett, who missed the postseason with a knee injury. 

So far the Celtics have been back on pace to make another run at a title as they have their old team intact with the addition of versatile big man Rasheed Wallace who they signed in the offseason. Boston has been a little banged up with some injuries to KG and Paul Pierce throughout the season, but coming into their matchup with their hated rivals in the Los Angeles Lakers everyone was ready to go to take on Kobe Bryant and company.

In the first quarter of this game the Lakers dominated on both sides of the floor and looked like they could be on their way to big win over their rivals, but in the second quarter Rajon Rondo and company were able to turn it around and go into halftime with a 52-47 lead after holding the Lakers to just 17 points in the quarter.

No matter what the Lakers did or who they threw at the up and coming Celtics point guard, Rajon Rondo just craved up the Lakers defense and was able to keep Boston in the lead for most of the game. Rondo finished the game with 21 points, 12 assists, two steals and five assists.

Despite the Celtics being in control for the majority of the second half led by Rondo's inspired play, the Lakers had no intentions of leaving Boston with a loss and were able to get back on track in the fourth quarter. 

The two Lakers bigs in Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol had trouble at times with the physicality of the Celtics in the paints, especially Pau, but in the end they both finished with double-doubles with the most impressive numbers coming from Bynum who had 19 points (tied for team high with Kobe), 11 rebounds (five offensive), two steals and two blocks. 

With 8.5 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter the Lakers were down by one point 89-88 and everyone in the building in Boston knew the ball would end up in Kobe Bryant's hands and that it did. 

Kobe Bryant was having a bad night shooting the basketball with eight out of 19 shooting, but Kobe got his opportunity to be the hero on the big stage once again as he hit the game winning jumper while being well defended by Ray Allen near the top of the key.

Even though Kobe struggled for most of the game, he the most important shot of the game and has led the Los Angeles Lakers to a 5-2 record on this eight game road trip so far! 

Hopefully the Lakers can keep it up as they will go into Memphis tomorrow to face one of the best young teams in the league in Pau Gasol's former team the Memphis Grizzlies.