Lakers coach Phil Jackson said the key to beating the Celtics was slowing at least one of the trio. A Mack Truck wouldn't have succeeded Tuesday night.

Garnett, answering his brain-cramp from Game 5, scored 26 and pulled in a game-high 14 rebounds. Allen hit a playoff-high seven 3-pointers en route to 26 points of his own. And Pierce, the NBA finals MVP, had nine first-half assists when the score mattered a little bit.

But their points, assists and rebounds were an afterthought. They triple-handedly brought back Celtics Pride. They brought a defensive mentality — not in our house! — that defined this franchise since Nov. 2.

The Lakers were simply chum. They hit only eight of 27 shots in the first half (29.6 percent). They wanted no part of the pain Celtics defenders shelled out.

These thirtysomething superstars, all on the back side of their primes, all franchise players for different franchises, all playoff losers, all brought together this past summer in a moons-aligning-moment of their careers, did it.

The trio realized the Holy Grail was where NBA basketball was all but born. Right here in Boston.

What makes this extra special was the journey. It wasn't easy.