honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, January 12, 2009

Team effort boosts Lakers

Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Los Angeles' Kobe Bryant drives by Miami's Shawn Marion. Bryant shot just 5 of 14, but finished with 19 points and seven assists.

HECTOR MATA | Associated Press

spacer spacer

LOS ANGELES — When Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol both have below-par shooting nights in the same game, the Los Angeles Lakers are usually in trouble.

Not so last night.

Andrew Bynum scored a season-high 24 points, including a go-ahead follow shot with 18.5 seconds remaining, Vladimir Radmanovic added a season-high 18 points, and the Lakers beat the Miami Heat, 108-105, to become the first Western Conference team to reach 30 victories.

Bryant had 19 points and seven assists, but shot just 5 of 14. Gasol had 14 points and 18 rebounds to match his career high, but shot 4 of 15.

"You have to hand it to Miami's defense," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "They wanted to shut down those two players, and they did."

Outside of Bryant and Gasol, the Lakers shot 28 of 54 and scored 75 points.

"That's good. That's a good sign, a good thing," Gasol said. "We might be struggling offensively or shooting from the field, but we still get it done and we still come up with ways to win ballgames."

Bryant's performance on offense was probably affected by his work at the defensive end, where he guarded Miami star Dwyane Wade.

"We got other guys involved," Bryant said. "It's part of my responsibility to this team to try to do what it takes on every given night, any given night, to ensure victory for our ballclub and that includes chasing (Wade) around."

The two bumped heads late in the game, and Bryant needed four stitches to close a cut over his right eye. Wade also had a gash on his head.

"He just drove the ball, I was able to cut him off a little bit, our heads bumped," Bryant said.

Wade said he enjoyed going up against Bryant.

"You play for the matchups," said Wade, who scored 27 points on 10-of-22 shooting. "And it was in the concept of team ball. We both played hard. He was denying me all over the court. To me, it was fun. I had to figure out a way to get open. It was a good game, a competitive game and fun to be a part of. Games against guys like Kobe, you love to play those games."

The Lakers (30-6) won for the ninth time in 10 games. Orlando and Boston each got its 30th win earlier yesterday, but the Magic have eight losses and the Celtics nine.

CELTICS 94, RAPTORS 88

TORONTO — Ray Allen scored a season-high 36 points, including eight 3-pointers, and Boston withstood a late Toronto rally to snap a four-game losing streak. Allen, who made a career-high 10 3-pointers against Charlotte on April 14, 2002, finished 8-for-10 from 3-point range yesterday, making his first six attempts.

76ERS 109, HAWKS 94

ATLANTA — Andre Iguodala scored 27 points, and Philadelphia took advantage of Al Horford's absence to dominate near the basket and beat Atlanta for its first four-game winning streak of the season. The 76ers scored 56 points in the paint and had a combined 49 points by their starting forwards. Thaddeus Young added 22 points and nine rebounds as the Hawks struggled without Horford, the starting center who was held out with a knee injury.

SUNS 109, CLIPPERS 103

LOS ANGELES — Amare Stoudemire overcame early foul trouble to score 26 points, Jason Richardson and Grant Hill each had 21, and Phoenix sent Los Angeles to its 11th straight loss. Steve Nash had 14 points and 12 assists for the Suns, who blew a 15-point lead before moving a season-best eight games over .500.

MAGIC 105, SPURS 98

SAN ANTONIO — Dwight Howard scored 24 points, Jameer Nelson had eight of his 22 in the final two minutes, and Orlando snapped San Antonio's four-game winning streak. Hedo Turkoglu added 21 points for the Magic (30-8), who are tied with the Boston Celtics for the Eastern Conference lead in victories. Orlando has won four straight and 13 of 15 games.

KINGS 102, MAVERICKS 95

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Kevin Martin scored 21 points, Francisco Garcia had seven during a key fourth-quarter stretch, and Sacramento ended its five-game losing streak by beating Dallas. Beno Udrih had 16 points, five rebounds and six assists for Sacramento, which hadn't won since beating the Los Angeles Clippers, 92-90, on Dec. 30.

WARRIORS 120, PACERS 117

OAKLAND, Calif. — Jamal Crawford scored 32 points and hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 11.3 seconds left, and Golden State snapped its five-game losing streak with a victory over Indiana. Danny Granger scored 15 of his career high-tying 42 points for Indiana in the fourth quarter.

ELSEWHERE

Bobcats: Rookie point guard D.J. Augustin will be out a minimum of 10 days with a strained abdominal muscle. Augustin played only four minutes before leaving Saturday's win over Washington after aggravating the injury that has plagued him for several days. An MRI yesterday revealed the strain, leaving the Bobcats without a key member of the rotation. The ninth pick in June's draft, Augustin is averaging 12.1 points and 4.1 assists.

• • •