LOS ANGELES (AP) - The Los Angeles Lakers led the Boston Celtics 35-14 after the first quarter of Game 4 of the NBA finals on Thursday night - the biggest deficit after 12 minutes in the history of the league's championship series.

The previous record was a 36-16 lead that Los Angeles took in Game 6 of the 1970 finals against the New York Knicks. The Lakers won that game 135-113, but in the finale of that series Willis Reed famously limped back onto the court to inspire his New York teammates to victory in Game 7.

Eddie House's runner in the lane in the final minute of the opening period Thursday helped the Celtics avoid posting the lowest-scoring first quarter in NBA finals history. The record remains 13, by the Fort Wayne Pistons in 1955.Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.