Lakers finish off Spurs in five
NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFFS/ LOS ANGELES LAKERS MOVE ON TO NBA FINALS

YOU'RE OUT! - Los Angeles' Kobe Bryant, (right) scores on a reverse layup as San Antonio's Tim Duncan defends during the second half of Game 5 of the NBA Western Conference basketball finals in Los Angeles on Thursday. The Lakers won 100-92 to advance to the NBA Championship. That begins next Thursday night, and they'll face either the Boston Celtics or the Detroit Pistons. The Pistons and Celtics play Game 6 in Detroit tonight.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - It was exactly a year ago that Kobe Bryant demanded a trade, ultimately saying he'd prefer playing on Pluto rather than return to the Los Angeles Lakers. But the Lakers kept him, and all parties are delighted with how things worked out.

Bryant scored 17 of his 39 points in the fourth quarter, and the Lakers rallied from an early 17-point deficit to beat the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs 100-92 on Thursday night and win the Western Conference in five games.

The Lakers get a week off before opening the NBA finals next Thursday night at Boston or Detroit. The Celtics led the Pistons 3-2 in the Eastern Conference finals entering Game 6 tonight.

"Feels great," Bryant said. "I think it started for us in training camp, when there was a lot of talk swirling around. We were always together, eating together, on the bus, joking around together. We built that unity from the first day and we carried that on throughout the season."

Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal teamed up to lead the Lakers to three straight championships starting in 2000, but O'Neal was traded a month after they lost to the Pistons in the 2004 NBA finals. The Lakers didn't win another playoff series since until last month, and that drought was the genesis of Bryant's anger last spring.

But the improvement of several young players and the acquisition of Pau Gasol from Memphis four months ago made a huge difference.

"I think it is a tremendous accomplishment," Bryant said of winning the conference championship. "I think the West is extremely tough. We're all extremely excited and proud about it. Now, it's time to go on and see if we can't finish it off."

The Lakers are 12-3 in the playoffs, including 8-0 at Staples Center, where they haven't lost in two months. They have won 14 straight home games and 21 of their last 24 postseason games at home.

"We came out here, played our game, and won," said Lamar Odom, who had 13 points and eight rebounds. "It's satisfying, but one more step."

Parker scored 23 points and Tim Duncan had 19 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists for the Spurs. Michael Finley scored 13 points, Barry and Kurt Thomas added 11 each and Manu Ginobili was held to nine, shooting just 3-for-9.

The Lakers' youth, quickness and athleticism determined this series. The turning point occurred in Game 1, when the Spurs took a 20-point third-quarter lead before the Lakers outscored them 44-20.

"Tough losses - Game 1, Game 4, this one," Parker said. "You have to give credit to the Lakers. Obviously, everybody is disappointed."

Lakers coach Phil Jackson has won nine championships, tied for the NBA record with former Boston coach Red Auerbach.

The Lakers will be playing in the finals for the 23rd time since moving from Minneapolis to Los Angeles in 1961 and the 29th time overall. They have won 14 championships - nine in Los Angeles and five in Minneapolis.

The Lakers and the Celtics have met 10 times in the finals, with Boston winning the first eight matchups and Los Angeles the last two - in 1985 and 1987. That's the last time the Celtics advanced to the championship round.

The Lakers and Pistons have met three times in the finals, with Detroit winning twice.