Sunday night in Game 5, Paul Pierce tried to carry his team to a title on his back, playing all but two seconds of the contest, scoring a series-high 38 points, grabbing six boards and dishing out eight assists. But he just didn't get enough help from his teammates, and the Celtics failed to close out the series at STAPLES Center.

So, they'll head home and try again in Game 6 on Tuesday.

While Pierce left it all out on the floor, Kevin Garnett was hampered with foul trouble for most of the night and Ray Allen shot just 4-for-13 from the field. With Kendrick Perkins out and Rajon Rondo ineffective once again, the Celtics were outmuscled and outplayed by the Lakers.

Allen left immediately after the game to deal with a family matter, and it's unknown whether or not he knew of the issue during the game. But while he missed some big shots, it was Garnett's foul trouble that hampered the Celtics most. Not only was he forced to sit out almost all of the second quarter, he was also unable to play aggressive defense down the stretch.

"Kevin getting in foul trouble really hurt us," Doc Rivers said afterward. "When Perk is out, we just can't afford it. So we have to do a better job of keeping him on the floor because that was a big blow to us."

Garnett summed his performance up succinctly: "I played like garbage tonight."

For the second straight game, the Lakers built a big lead in the first quarter, and they were up 19 early in the second. With Garnett on the bench for all but 13 seconds of the period, Pierce led his team back. It starting with a series of drives and finished with a three over Derek Fisher to cut the lead down to three heading into halftime. Pierce scored 16 points in the period on 6-of-9 shooting.

"I just wanted to be aggressive and attack," Pierce said. "I notice when I'm aggressive, everybody else is aggressive, so I just wanted to make plays."

The Celtics then went ahead early in the third, and at that point, thinking back to how the Lakers folded in Game 4, you thought it might be time to get the champagne ready and start etching Pierce's name on the Finals MVP trophy. But the lead was short-lived and an 11-2 Lakers run gave them back control. L.A. closed the quarter up nine.

The lead was 14 early in the fourth when Pierce helped lead the Celtics back again. They used a 16-2 run to tie the game at 90 with four and a half minutes to go. But this time, they couldn't get over the hump. Garnett missed three of four from the line and Pierce was twice stripped by Kobe Bryant down the stretch. Even though he'd played the entire game, Pierce wouldn't blame fatigue on the two turnovers.

"He made two big steals on myself there in the fourth quarter that I shouldn't have allowed," he admitted.

After the second turnover and ensuing dunk from Bryant, the Lakers were up four and the Celtics never got another chance to tie.

Despite the late mistakes, Pierce was the best player on the floor in Game 5, and is now the overwhelming favorite to be named Finals MVP should the Celtics win the series.

"He was terrific," Rivers said. "I thought he was really aggressive to the basket, getting to the foul line 19 times tells you that. I thought he really went for it, if you want to put it that way."

He went for the ring, the Larry O'Brien trophy, the champagne and the enhanced stature that comes with being a champion. But all that will have to wait for another day. And Pierce will have to summon up the energy to lead his team again in Game 6 after a cross-country flight and just one day of rest beforehand.

"I really don't think about it," Pierce said of the travel schedule that has others wishing for an extra day off. "We'll get a nice flight home tomorrow, finally get in in the evening and just try to stay on my schedule, try to eat when we get in and go to bed at a good time and just try to stay on schedule. That's all you can do."

"I have plenty in the tank," Pierce assured the media. "It's not over. I've got to suck it up for two more games, if that. It'll all be worth it in the end."