Kobe Bryant puts up a shot during the Los Angeles Lakers' 96-87 victory over the visiting Denver Nuggets in Game 7 of their first-round series on Saturday night. Bryant finished with 17 points as the Lakers advanced to face the top-seeded Thunder in the next round.

Lakers forward Metta World Peace, who returned from a seven-game suspension, battles with Nuggets forward Corey Brewer for a rebound. World Peace finished with 15 points and five boards in the Lakers win.

Lakers forward Pau Gasol (right) reacts after scoring a basket against Denver and Kenneth Faried during the second half of Game 7. Gasol scored a team-high 23 points and grabbed 17 rebounds in the victory.

Zac Efron reveals a picture of Kobe Bryant on his shirt as he watches the Lakers and Nuggets battle in the decisive Game 7.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West take in Game 7 between the Lakers and Nuggets.

Lakers forward Pau Gasol growls his satisfaction after making a shot as time expired in the second quarter of Game 7 of the Western Conference quarterfinals Saturday against the Denver Nuggets at the Staples Center.
 

Metta World Peace returned to action for the Lakers Saturday after serving a suspension and here looks happy to see Denver Nuggets point guard Andre Miller. World Peace was rusty at first, but found his groove and ended the game with 15 points.

Kobe Bryant, who played through illness in Game 6, finished Saturday's Game 7 with 17 points and eight assists.
 

Lakers point guard Steve Blake grabs a rebound in front of Denver Nuggets small forward Corey Brewer in the first half Saturday in Game 7 at Staples Center. Blake came up huge, finishing the game with 19 points — second-most on the team.
 

Lakers center Jordan Hill and Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried battle for a rebound in the first quarter. With the win, the Lakers advance to the next round and will face the Thunder Monday night in Oklahoma City.
 

Denver Nuggets' Arron Afflalo can't get high enough to block a shot by the Lakers' Kobe Bryant in the first half. On the offensive side, Afflalo scored 15 points for the Nuggets, who came back from a 16-point deficit in the second half to make it interesting, only to come up short.
 

The Philadelphia 76ers led nearly the entire game, but the Boston Celtics surged past them down the stretch for a 92-91 win in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals Saturday in Boston. Rajon Rondo (9) had a triple-double with 13 points, 17 assists and 12 rebounds.
 

Celtics power forward Kevin Garnett scored a season-high 29 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in the win. His previous season high came two days earlier when he scored 28 in a series-clinching Game 6 win over the Hawks.
 

Sixers forward Andre Iguodala posts up on Celtics forward Paul Pierce. Iguodala finished with 19 points, six rebounds and six assists.
 

Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce (34) chest-bumps Mickael Pietrus, left, after Pierce scored a basket late in the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 1 of the NBA basketball Eastern Conference semifinal playoff series, Saturday, May 12, 2012, in Boston. The Celtics won 92-91. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
 

Sixers forward Andre Iguodala dunks the ball in the third quarter, when Philly built a double-digit lead before Boston's comeback.
 

Celtics center Greg Stiemsma and Sixers center Spencer Hawes battle for a loose ball.
 

Sixers shooting guard Evan Turner shoots a left-handed layup for two of his 16 points. Turner also grabbed 10 rebounds.
 

Sixers point guard Jrue Holiday dunks the ball in the first half, but he missed 10 of his 13 shots and finished with eight points.
 

Celtics forward Paul Pierce shoots the ball against Sixers center Spencer Hawes. Pierce missed eight of his 11 shots but made all eight free throws to finish with 14 points, six rebounds and six assists.

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft was among the fans with good seats at the game.