Lakers close on NBA crown

A dejected Allan Iverson watches the Lakers' victory

NBA Finals Game Four:
Philadelphia 76ers 86-100 LA Lakers
LA Lakers lead best-of-seven series 3-1

Shaquille O'Neal scored 34 points as the Los Angeles Lakers reached the brink of a second consecutive National Basketball Association crown on Wednesday.

The Lakers beat the Philadelphia 76ers 100-86 in Philadelphia, to take a three-one lead in the best-of-seven series.

The Lakers could now capture their 13th NBA title with victory in Philadelphia on Friday.

No team has ever ralled from a 3-1 deficit to win the NBA Finals. And only the 1951 New York Knicks and 1966 Lakers have ever recovered to force a seventh game.

It was not easy and it's not over

  Lakers coach Phil Jackson

The 76ers have come from behind to advance in all three rounds of this year's play-offs, but they have never come back from this far down.

To further underline the hot favourite status of the Lakers, games six of seven, if they are needed, would be played in Los Angeles.

The Lakers led by as much as 70-48 after a Kobe Bryant dunk with 3:34 to play in the third quarter and had a 77-57 edge before the 76ers came back with a run of 13 consecutive points.

Lifted

Allan Iverson, who finished with a game-high 35 points, scored six points and Tyrone Hill added five, including a three-point play off a pass from Iverson.

That lifted the 76ers to 77-70. But the Lakers answered with an 11-1 run of their own, with consecutive three-pointers by Brian Shaw, Tyronn Lue and Robert Horry sealing Philadelphia's fate.

Bryant finished 19 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.

Mutombo could do nothing to stop O'Neal dominating

After fouling out in game three, O'Neal had challenged 76ers rival Dikembe Mutombo to "play him like a man" after accusing the African of deliberate flops to induce foul calls.

Mutombo answered the taunts with a 19 points in a solid effort, but could not prevent O'Neal from another overwhelming performance.

O'Neal scored 20 points and pulled down 11 rebounds in the first half, often dunking at will as the Lakers seized a 51-37 half-time edge.

A 20-7 run over 4:52 resulted in the Lakers' largest first-half lead at 46-29.

Early command

When the 76ers double- and triple-teamed O'Neal, the Lakers burned them when unguarded sharpshooters sank critical long-range shots.

"I told you I was coming back with a vengeance, that's just the kind of guy I am

  Shaquille O'Neal

Three-pointers by Horry, Ron Harper and Lue capped the second-quarter Laker spurt, a precursor of their clutch fourth-quarter shooting.

Los Angeles seized command with a 17-4 run in the first quarter, with O'Neal scoring eight in the streak that produced a 20-10 edge.

The Lakers had missed their first six shots and made three turnovers in the first 3:40.

"It was not easy and it's not over," said coach Phil Jackson. "If Allen goes off in the first quarter it changes the whole game.

"The key is to slow him, make him use his energy coming back, and then we're in control. The first quarter is the key."