A "Willis Reed" moment from Paul Pierce guided the Celtics to a win in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night. Boston and Los Angeles return to the court Sunday night, with the Celtics looking to take a 2-0 series lead to the west coast.

The Celtics handled Kobe Bryant and got supreme efforts from both Kevin Garnett and Pierce in their 98-88 victory in Game 1. Boston was a 3-point favorite on the odds in the win and easily covered the spread. Garnett led the Celtics with 24 points and 13 rebounds, while Pierce chipped in with a gutsy 22-point performance.

It looked like Pierce was lost after he couldn't even leave the floor under his own power; a collision with teammate Kendrick Perkins in the third quarter caused him to suffer a sprained knee. However, Pierce emerged from the locker room moments later and breathed new life into the Celtics and their ecstatic fans.

For the Lakers, Bryant scored a team-high 24 points, but it was a disappointing 24 as he shot only 9-for-26 from the floor. Derek Fisher and Pau Gasol each added 15 points for the Lakers, who need to bounce back quickly in Game 2.

Heading into Sunday's game it is unknown how Pierce will be affected by the knee sprain. There is also some worry over Perkins, who suffered a sprained left ankle just minutes after Pierce's departure in Game 1. Both Pierce and Perkins are expected to play on Sunday, but they may be limited by their injuries.

The early odds for Game 2 at had the Celtics listed as a 1.5-point favorite. Check out the latest NBA playoff odds in our live odds section.