EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Throughout the NBA Finals, Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant has worn a procession of replica jerseys of legends from other sports for post-game interviews, from Jackie Robinson to Joe Namath.
After last night's 106-103 victory over the New Jersey Nets at Continental Airlines Arena, Bryant sported the Edmonton Oilers sweater of Wayne Gretzky, and why not?
Like Gretzky, Bryant - who had 36 points and six rebounds last night - has become quite proficient in delivering big shots in clutch situations, as he did last night, nailing a tough jumper in the lane over two defenders with 19.1 seconds to go, helping the Lakers put a 3-0 hammerlock on the series.
"We're playing extremely well together," Bryant said. "We're starting to hit our stride offensively. Defensively, we're really closing out and helping each other out. We're focused. We register the game plan, and we go out and we execute."
For a change in this series, Bryant's heroics made those of Shaquille O'Neal and New Jersey's Jason Kidd take a backseat, though it wasn't easy.
"You guys were treated to seeing three of the best players in the world," said New Jersey coach Byron Scott. "Unfortunately, they had two of them. Kobe hit some big shots, and Shaq was being Shaq.
"Great players make great plays, and Kobe made two of them. Jason hit a big shot. Those guys were going back and forth, and Kobe got the last say."
For his part Bryant shrugs off talk of himself as a giant. "Shaq is a Goliath; I'm just playing off him," he said. "When they collapse on him and make it hard for him to breathe, that's when I take over."
Bryant, who is just 23 years old despite being a six-year veteran, is among the elite players in large part because of his ability to rise to the occasion.
"I think Kobe enjoys those situations of stepping up and making the basket or being involved in a key play," Kidd said.
O'Neal had 35 points and 11 rebounds - his third straight double double in the series.
Kidd, meanwhile, was brilliant in defeat, with 30 points, 10 assists and five rebounds, seemingly willing the Nets back from an 11-point third-quarter deficit. He gave New Jersey its first lead since the first period, with a jumper on the first possession of the fourth quarter.
Later in the period, after the Lakers regained the lead on Robert Horry's three-pointer with 3:04 to go to cap a 15-4 spurt, Kidd hit a 21-footer just inside two minutes to keep the Nets within two.
But on the game's deciding play, Kidd, who drew defense in back of Bryant while Kerry Kittles tried to strip the ball in front, was unable to make a stop. After Bryant's basket, Kidd's three-pointer with five seconds left cut the deficit to one, but Los Angeles' Rick Fox hit two free throws to ice it.
"It was one of the toughest [shots of his career] because, Kidd is a first-team, all-defensive player," Bryant said. "He was coming after the ball. He has great hands. It was a matter of wanting it. If I would have lost possession of the basketball, we would have been in overtime and who knows what might have happened."
The Nets, playing in their first NBA Finals home game in the 26-year NBA existence of the franchise, played their best overall game of the series, starting well, falling behind in the middle of the game, then coming on strong late in the third and into the fourth quarters.
"The light is starting to flicker a little bit," said Scott. "But this team hasn't quit all year long. I expect we want to play at least two more games at home, bottom line."
The Lakers, who led through most of the first three quarters, seemed to tail off late in the third and into the fourth as New Jersey made its run. But, for a team that won a league-record 11 straight road games through the last two postseasons, quieting a crowd away from home is usually a simple task, made even more simple by the presence of Bryant and O'Neal.
"Usually, [O'Neal] can get something going at the right particular time, and combined with Kobe, it's very important that they stilled the crowd," said Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson. "You could see that we were going to gain that momentum back again, and that's just the poise and character of this team. They're very good on the road, and that's really been a trademark, and a worthy one for this team. It gives them great distinction as a team."
These Lakers can get one more distinction that the other two championship teams in this recent sequence didn't have: a Finals sweep. For O'Neal, a Newark, N.J., native, closing things out at home would be especially sweet.
"I gave out about 80 tickets. It felt good, but we're here to do a job. Kobe won in his hometown [Philadelphia] last year, and I have the opportunity to win in my hometown this year. For us, it's about the opportunity to win one more game.
"We have to take our time, not really get too happy and take care of the business at hand. If we do that, we should be fine."
NBA Finals
Los Angeles Lakers vs. New Jersey Nets (Best of seven; *-if necessary; Lakers lead series 3-0) Game 1: Lakers, 99-94
Game 2: Lakers, 106-83
Last night:Lakers, 106-103
Wednesday: at New Jersey, 9 p.m.*Friday: at New Jersey, 9 p.m.*June 17: at L.A., 9 p.m.*June 19: at L.A., 9 p.m. TV:All games on chs. 11, 4