INQUIRER Sports

BOSTON -- Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson, a nine-time National Basketball Association champion, ripped referees for giving Boston a huge free throw edge that helped the Celtics win Sunday.

Boston had 38 free throws to only 10 for the Lakers in a 108-102 NBA Finals victory that gave the Celtics a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven championship series, which now shifts to Los Angeles for games Tuesday and Thursday.

The Celtics made 27-of-38 free throws while the Lakers made only 10 trips to the line, hitting them all.

But with Boston reserve Leon Powe alone sinking 9-of-13 free throws, the disparity in foul calls irked the Lakers, particularly Jackson.

"I'm more struck at the fact that Leon Powe gets more foul shots in 14 minutes of play than our whole team does," Jackson said. "That's ridiculous."

Boston had 19 free throws in the first half to only two for the Lakers, who trailed 54-42 at halftime and 95-71 with 7:40 remaining until the Celtics collapsed and gave the Lakers a chance to steal a victory in the last seconds.

"You can't play from a deficit like that, 19-2 in the first half," Jackson said. "I've never seen a game like that in all these years I've coached in the finals -- unbelievable.

"My guys got fouled but didn't get to the line."

NBA Most Valuable Player Kobe Bryant scored 30 points, hitting 7-of-7 from the free throw line, but smiled as he said he "didn't notice" the disparity in foul calls.

"Guys were getting hit going to the basket and not always getting called," Bryant said. "You can't lose your aggressiveness. You've still got to go through it and do your best."

Jackson was upset that fouls when several players were crowded together were seemingly ignored.

"The referees referee an illusion," Jackson said. "Our guys look like the ball was partially stripped when they were getting raked but it was in the crowd so the referees let that type of thing go.

"We have to create the spacing that gives the right impression. That will have to get accomplished."

That means more aggressive play from the Lakers at home in order to become just the fourth team to take the title when losing the first two games of the final, Jackson said.

"Aggressiveness swayed the effective calls," Jackson said. "They went to the basket. We didn't take charges that we had chances to take."