Kobe’s 44 push Lakers past Warriors 124-118
December 30, 2009Los Angeles (AP) By Greg Beacham, AP Sports Writer Kobe Bryant made 16 free throws without a miss despite a broken finger on his shooting hand. He played nearly 43 minutes against the run-and-gun Warriors in his fourth game in five nights. And in a feat of strength to match those marvels of skill and endurance, he put the Los Angeles Lakers on his back and carried them past Golden State. Bryant had a season-high 44 points and 11 assists amid perfection from the foul line, and Los Angeles survived Golden State’s 55-percent shooting for a 124-118 victory Tuesday night. “By his effort alone, I think we owe this game to him in the win column,” said Phil Jackson, who gave in to Bryant’s request to get back in the game even when his exhaustion was obvious. Pau Gasol had a season-high 27 points and 12 rebounds for the defending NBA champions, who have struggled without injured forward Ron Artest(notes) during a clear dip in their mostly trouble-free season. The Lakers relied even more heavily than usual on Bryant to avoid their third loss in four days. Bryant came through with 27 points in the second half and 17 in the fourth quarter, clinching his seventh 40-point game of the season on two free throws with 4:04 left. “That guy is amazing,” Warriors coach Don Nelson said. “To be able to shoot like he did with the finger problems that he has on his shooting hand, it’s amazing. I love watching him play, and it’s always a pleasure to coach against him.” The huge wrap on the index finger of Bryant’s right hand covers the most obvious of his several minor injuries. Bryant had said his free throws were particularly tough with that wrap—yet he was perfect, sealing the win with seven free throws in the final period. “It’s really just the up-and-downs of the season,” said Bryant, whose 103 40-point games are the third-most in NBA history. “You’re going to have stretches when you’re not playing well. It’s about how you deal with it and how you play through it.” Corey Maggette(notes) scored 25 points and Monta Ellis(notes) added 22 for the Warriors, who beat Phoenix and Boston in the previous three days during the best stretch of another rough start to a season. Golden State shot superbly and ran its uptempo offense well, but had nobody who could guard Bryant in the Warriors’ seventh straight loss to the Lakers. The Warriors haven’t won three straight games yet this season. “It’s a great stage to play on, and a lot of fun,” said Warriors rookie Stephen Curry(notes), who scored 15 points in his first road game in Hollywood. “We were right there with them. We’ve just got to figure out how to finish it out and close it. It was a great experience for me.” The Lakers still have the NBA’s best record (25-6) despite two 15-point losses in the previous three days, including their 102-87 Christmas flop against Cleveland. They also played their third straight game without Artest, who gave himself a concussion and a deep cut on his left elbow when he tripped and fell at his home on Christmas. In their first home game since their fans littered the court with foam hands in response to the Lakers’ gripes about the officiating, Bryant and Lamar Odom(notes) both got technical fouls for arguing calls in the final 4:16. Los Angeles’ complaining helped the Warriors keep within three points down the stretch until Bryant followed up Ronny Turiaf’s(notes) two missed free throws with two foul shots of his own with 1:05 to play. C.J. Watson(notes) scored 14 points while hitting four 3-pointers for the Warriors, who went 14 for 22 in the first quarter while opening with a clear burst of energy, perhaps still rolling from their impressive 103-99 win over the Celtics. Pushing the tempo and finding Maggette for open shots, the Warriors scored 29 points the first 8:03 to take an 11-point lead that grew to 15 in the second quarter. Los Angeles rallied after halftime and took the lead midway through the period, but the Warriors hung around with scoring from Maggette and Ellis, whose layup in traffic evened it at 104 with 5:24 to play. NOTES: Warriors C Andris Biedrins(notes), who returned Monday from a lengthy absence with an injured groin, had six points and eight rebounds before fouling out. … Artest plans to run on a treadmill Wednesday to see how his body responds. He might try to play Friday vs. Sacramento. … Vladimir Radmanovic(notes) scored 11 points for the Warriors. … Courtside fans included John McEnroe, Hayden Panettiere and Nicole Richie. Her longtime partner, rocker Joel Madden, wore a T-shirt reading “RIP The Rev” to honor Avenged Sevenfold drummer Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan, who was found dead in Huntington Beach on Monday.Continue reading
Lakers vs Suns 118-103
December 28, 2009PHOENIX -- Kobe Bryant used harsh language to describe how badly the Lakers beat the Pheonix Suns twice in Los Angeles earlier this season. "And they returned the favor," he said. Boy did they. The Suns reserves outscored their counterparts 52-31 to help Phoenix rout the reigning NBA champions 118-103 on Monday night. Amare Stoudemire scored 26 points and Jared Dudley matched his career best with 19 for the Suns. Bryant had 34 points but sat out the final 7:50 when the game was deemed out of reach by coach Phil Jackson. "I wasn't comfortable with my starters or my bench," Jackson said. "I didn't like either group. Guys didn't play right. We had the inside game going for us, yet we just didn't attack." Steve Nash had 16 points and 13 assists for the Suns, who led by as many as 12 in the second quarter, 19 in the third and 22 in the fourth to improve to 12-2 at home. "I thought we played with so much energy and did a great job defensively," said Phoenix coach Alvin Gentry, who had severely criticized his team for its play in a 132-127 loss Saturday night at Golden State. The Lakers were without Ron Artest for the second consecutive game. He sustained a concussion and injured his left elbow in a fall at his house on Christmas Day. "It's a big adjustment because we're a team that thrives on chemistry," Bryant said. "You take him out of the lineup, now you're mixing lineups." The margin matched Cleveland's 15-point victory over the Lakers in Los Angeles on Friday. Only a late spurt kept it from being the Lakers' most one-sided loss of the season. Los Angeles hadn't given up this many points in a regular-season game since the Suns did it in Phoenix last March 1. "They played much better than we did, in a nutshell," Bryant said. "That's all it was. They executed very well in transition, we didn't get back and it gave them a lot of easy opportunities, and that broke the game open." Los Angeles' lone win in the last three was a 112-103, double-overtime victory at Sacramento on Saturday night. Channing Frye had 14 points and a season-high 11 rebounds for the Suns, who fought the much bigger Lakers to a 43-43 standoff on the boards. The Suns had lost three of four. "Big win for us definitely," Stoudemire said. "Coming off a couple of tough losses, tonight was a big momentum change and a good confidence builder for us." The Lakers, playing the third of four games in five days, trailed virtually all night. Leading 56-50 at the half, Phoenix used a 17-4 outburst to go up 87-68 on the first of Dudley's three 3-pointers without a miss. Nash and Jason Richardson also had 3's in the run. Bryant scored nine straight Lakers points, but his driving layup at the third-quarter buzzer was blocked by Robin Lopez, and the Suns led 89-77 entering the fourth. Dudley and Goran Dragic sank consecutive 3's and Phoenix led 108-89 with 6:51 left. By then, Bryant had sat down for good. Continue reading
Sacramento Loses to the Lakers 112-103
December 26, 2009
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Devoid of any feeling in his right arm since late in the third quarter, Kobe Bryant still managed to do what he does best: make clutch shots.
Bryant ignored an arm that had no feeling and connected on two huge 3-pointers in the second overtime, finishing with 38 points as the Los Angeles Lakers bounced back from a humbling Christmas Day loss to Cleveland by beating the Sacramento Kings 112-103 on Saturday night.
Bryant wasn’t sure how the “funny bone” on his right elbow was hit, but went to the locker room briefly for some therapy, then returned for much of the fourth quarter, when he used primarily his left hand and attempted only one shot, which was blocked.
“My arm went numb and it spazzed up,” Bryant said. “My moment came for me to step up (in the second overtime). The defense relaxed, (Donte Greene) put his hands down and left me open for those shots.”
It felt like old times for Bryant, who grew accustomed to antagonistic crowds earlier in his career at Arco Arena. Only the second sellout of the season, Kings fans loudly booed the Lakers when starting lineups were announced and began chanting “Beat LA!” It was reminiscent of the crowds that cheered the Kings in the Chris Webber era, when Sacramento was typically battling the Lakers for supremacy in the Western Conference.
“To tell you the truth, it kind of (stunk) coming up here the last few years,” Bryant said. “It seems like they are getting behind this young team. It felt good to get booed like it used to be.”
It was another frustrating loss for the Kings, who went scoreless in the overtime period in a loss to Cleveland. Against the Lakers, the Kings squandered a seven-point lead in the first overtime and shot just 1-of 8 in the second OT.
Pau Gasol had 24 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers, who avoided losing consecutive games for the second time this season. Shannon Brown scored 15 points and Odom had 13 points and 15 rebounds.
They played without starting forward Ron Artest, who the team said suffered a concussion on Christmas evening, falling while carrying boxes down a flight of stairs and injuring his left elbow at his Los Angeles home.
Artest was treated at UCLA Medical Center, undergoing a CT scan and receiving stitches in the back of his head and his elbow. The team said a neurologist examined Artest on Saturday. He is day to day and didn’t travel with the team on its Saturday flight to Sacramento.
“With Ron out, it was definitely different,” Brown said. “Everyone on this team gets a chance to show their stuff at one time or another.”
After the Kings scored the first seven points in the first overtime, they went scoreless over the final 2:40 as the Lakers rallied. Gasol tipped in a missed shot by Derek Fisher from close range, tying the game at 101 with .04 seconds left.
Lamar Odom opened the second overtime with a putback basket that gave the Lakers the lead for good. Then Bryant took control, connecting on back-to-back 3-pointers to put the Lakers in front 109-103 with 2:37 left. Los Angeles outscored the Kings 11-2 in the second OT.
- NBC SportsContinue readingLakers loss against the Cavaliers 102-87
December 25, 2009
LOS ANGELES(AP) After the Cleveland Cavaliers made the defending NBA champions look ordinary, the Los Angeles Lakers' fans threw up their foam hands in frustration.
Mo Williams scored 28 points, LeBron James added 26 and the Cavaliers beat Los Angeles 102-87 Friday in a game that ended with angry Lakers fans throwing dozens of giveaway foam hands onto the court.
Shaquille O'Neal had 11 points in his latest Los Angeles return with the Cavaliers, who dominated the Lakers with sharp shooting and physical defense, prompting several technical fouls and retaliation hits in a one-sided matchup of title contenders. The Lakers' crowd lost its holiday spirit with 4:04 left when Lamar Odom's ejection and another T on the Lakers' infuriated bench prompted many fans to throw their pregame presents onto the court. After another foul with 3:45 left, several more foam hands were thrown along with a full water bottle, which skittered between players without hitting anyone. Kobe Bryant scored 35 points for the Lakers, who had won 16 of 17 before Cleveland's decisive victory behind Williams, James and the Cavs' impressive interior play, which negated the Lakers' usual advantages down low. After Odom got his second technical foul in an altercation with Williams, the Lakers' bench drew a T - apparently on purpose - for delay of game by failing to produce a substitute in a timely manner. When referee Dan Crawford whistled that T, the Staples Center crowd let its hands fly. The foam hands weren't the usual No. 1 finger normally found at sports events, but a representation of two puppet hands making the ``LA'' sign in a connection to Nike's advertising campaign featuring puppets of James and Bryant. But with Williams leading the way in his third straight impressive road game, the Cavs forced Bryant and the Lakers into their least impressive performance in six weeks. The loss dropped the Lakers (23-5) back into a tie with Boston atop the overall NBA standings. If this was an NBA finals preview of the matchup that many expected to materialize last summer before Orlando crashed the party, the Lakers should be wary. Cleveland's big men - O'Neal, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Anderson Varejao - allowed them to neutralize 7-foot starters Andrew Bynum, who managed just four points, and Pau Gasol, who had 11. Meanwhile, the Cavs are tough to guard when James' teammates hit their outside shots with Williams' accuracy. James wasn't omnipresent, but played well enough to force Ron Artest to foul out with 5:01 to play. The Cavaliers also made certain nobody will forget about them in the Eastern Conference race, where Boston and Orlando have dominated the discussion leading up to the Celtics' win over the Magic earlier Friday. Cleveland never trailed and streaked to a 20-point lead in the second quarter during a run that included little help from James, sitting out while Williams sparked the Cavs. James had just two points and four assists in the quarter, which he ended with a half-court shot just after the buzzer. Los Angeles got within six points in the third before Cleveland roared away again. Williams is on a three-game streak with at least 24 points in each of the Cavs' victories, nailing his outside shot while outrunning Derek Fisher and the Lakers' defense. He even bounced up after Bryant sent him to the floor in pain with a collision in the third quarter. There's no particular rivalry between these two franchises, or between James and Bryant, the Olympic teammates and top two vote-getters in All-Star balloting. Yet the high-profile matchup intrigued both players, with James flying his family to the West Coast for Christmas festivities. O'Neal's returns to Los Angeles, where he teamed with Bryant to win three titles in Staples Center's first three seasons, no longer include the obligatory questions about whether Kobe could finally win a title without Shaq, who got boos and cheers during pregame introductions.
- Older Posts /
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4