Mickael Pietrus came off the bench to score 18 points, as Orlando used an NBA finals record 63 percent shooting to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers 108-104.

Pietrus shot 4-6 in the fourth and scored 10 of his 18 points in the final period. Those ten points included a crucial offensive putback dunk with 2:19 left in the game.

On the play, Hedo Turkoglu’s jumpshot would fall off to the left side where Air France was positioned perfectly to swoop in, and slam the ball in with two hands. The basket would give the Orlando Magic a 101-99 lead, a lead they would not relinquish to the determined Lakers.

But it wasn’t just offense, Pietrus also played great defense. Against Kobe Bryant no less.

With Orlando up 104-102 and Kobe Bryant about to run a pick and roll with Pau Gasol, Pietrus would team up with Dwight Howard to strip the Lakers’ superstar as he tried to dribble between the two Magic players.

The turnover would eventually be credited to Gasol, but make no mistake, it was Bryant that was stripped.  Pietrus would be fouled by Bryant, and the French forward calmly hit both free throws.

Pietrus shot 7-11 from the field, and also had 2 steals in 31 minutes of play.

Pietrus switched his sneakers against the Lakers:  Mickael had been wearing Nike Hyperdunks endorsed by Kobe Bryant all season, but for the finals, the 6-6 forward from France, changed up his footwear. “I have [Kobe's shoe] at my house, but I’m going to play with Michael Jordan shoes,” Pietrus told the Orlando Sentinel.

More on Pietrus’s shoes: During game three Mickael Pietrus’ shoes had the flight number of the Air France plane that went missing on its way to Brazil.  The shoes read “AF 447″

Links and Resources: NBA Playoff Basketball Forum (Interbasket), Pietrus to ditch Kobe-endorsed shoes for NBA finals (Ball Don’t Lie), French Basketball Forum (Interbasket)