Boston ? Kobe Bryant heard the “Beat L.A.” chants bouncing around the FleetCenter and knew he was involved in something special.

“I told Paul (Pierce) it was just like the old days,” Bryant said. “It felt like we were part of history. The old days of Larry and Magic. But that leprechaun is still walking around the rafters.”

Former Jayhawk Pierce scored 28 points, including a 3-pointer with 1:54 left in overtime that gave the Celtics the lead for good Thursday night as Boston beat the depleted Los Angeles Lakers 98-95.

Bryant had 41 points on an inconsistent night in which he shot just 4-of-15 in the first half, scored 18 in the third quarter and then missed 10 consecutive field-goal attempts down the stretch. He was 17-for-47 from the field overall, and 0-for-8 from 3-point range.

“I haven’t seen anybody shoot 47 shots before, ever. There’s a limitation to what you can do,” Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. “I was telling the team, ‘He carried us back into the game. Now stop going to the well. It can dry up.”‘

Tony Delk scored 26 for Boston, making a pair of free throws with 9.3 seconds left to make it 98-95. Bryant’s 3-point attempt to tie it with 1 second remaining bounced off the front of the rim.

Playing without Shaquille O’Neal and Rick Fox and coming off their lowest-scoring game in four decades, the Lakers had just 35 points at halftime. But Bryant was hot in the third quarter, scoring eight in a row as Los Angeles rallied from a 50-35 halftime deficit to take the lead.

But that’s when he started missing again, thanks in part to Pierce’s defense.

L.A. Lakers forward Devean George, bottom, slams into Boston forward Paul Pierce during the first quarter of Thursday's game in Boston. At rear is Celtics forward Eric Williams.

“You can’t let him go out there and get an easy 41. He scored 41, but he had to take 47 shots,” Pierce said. “He’s their best player. He has to carry most of the load because Shaq is not out there.”

Relying on Bryant and the equally cold Robert Horry (2-for-9) for all of their offense, the Lakers allowed Boston to erase an 84-77 deficit and take an 87-86 lead on Pierce’s jumper with 1:55 left in the fourth. Devean George scored on a pass from Bryant, then sank a free throw to give Los Angeles an 89-87 lead.

Walker then blocked Bryant’s shot and made a basket from the lane at the other end to tie it with 35 seconds left in regulation. Bryant missed again, and Boston had two chances to win it in but couldn’t sink either.

O’Neal, who has missed eight weeks since having surgery on his arthritic right big toe, is expected to return no sooner than Tuesday. Fox sat out the last game of his six-game suspension for fighting.

Los Angeles lost 81-70 on Tuesday night to the Cleveland Cavaliers ” the Lakers’ lowest point total since moving from Minneapolis in 1960.

T’wolves 114, Bucks 110

Minneapolis ” Kevin Garnett had 28 points and 24 rebounds, and Wally Szczerbiak returned to the lineup with 19 points as Minnesota beat Milwaukee.

Minnesota overcame 22 first-half points from the Bucks’ Sam Cassell and 18 third-quarter points from teammate Ray Allen. Cassell finished with 32 points and Allen had 27.

Troy Hudson clinched the game with two free throws with 0.7 seconds remaining.

Pistons 89, Nuggets 63

Denver ” Chauncey Billups scored 21 points, including five 3-pointers, helping Detroit Pistons beat Denver.

Billups, who shot 5-of-8 from 3-point range, had 10 points in the third quarter to help the Pistons increase a 10-point lead to as much as 27. He did not play in the fourth quarter.

Richard Hamilton added 15 points, and Ben Wallace had 13 rebounds.

James Posey led Denver with 21 points.