Los Angeles, CA (Best E Casino) - Paul Pierce scored 21 points, 16 in the second quarter as the Boston Celtics sliced a 19-point deficit to three by the half, and trail the Lakers 55-52 at halftime of Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

The only Celtics player in double figures, Pierce almost singlehandedly destroyed a huge Lakers lead as Boston, up 3-1 in the series, tries to wrap up the 17th title in franchise history, and first since 1986.

Kobe Bryant scored 15 points on 5-of-12 shooting, and was held scoreless in the second quarter. Lamar Odom added 11 points and seven rebounds, and Pau Gasol had nine points and seven boards for LA.

The first half was reminiscent of Game 4, with the Lakers running out to a big lead and then squandering it just as quickly as they built it. Bryant drained three three-pointers and scored 11 points on a 21-7 run to start the game. A Ray Allen three pulled the Celtics within 24-15 with 3:57 left, but the Lakers scored seven straight, taking a 31-15 lead on layup by Odom with 2:12 left in the quarter.

A Gasol layup in the final seconds of the quarter pushed the Lakers lead to 39-22 entering the second. The home club's lead ballooned to 19 points after Jordan Farmar dropped in a finger roll to start the period, but, unlike Thursday when Boston rallied from down 24 to win Game 4, this time the Celtics didn't wait until the second half to stage their comeback.

Pierce heated up to lead the way after scoring only five points in the opening 12 minutes. His three-point play keyed a 15-0 burst, during which Pierce poured in 11 points, including a three to finish the run and cut the Lakers lead to four, at 43-39, with 6:44 left.

Bryant, meanwhile, disappeared in the second quarter, and didn't score a point as LA's lead was whittled away. The Lakers went scoreless between a Sasha Vujacic jumper at the 11:08 mark and an Odom layup with 4:11 left, and it was only a quick offensive spurt from Odom, who scored nine points down the stretch in the quarter, that prevented Boston from moving in front.

LA could not pull away, though, and Pierce canned a three with 5.2 seconds left in the half that sliced the deficit to 55-52. Bryant missed a running jumper, and the Lakers, outscored 30-16 in the second quarter, took a tenuous three-point lead into the intermission.