[0] LAKERS GET HOT THEN BEAT UTAH SHAQ EJECTED, BRYANT GETS T LAKERS 82, UTAH 71.Byline: Howard Beck Staff Writer The Lakers beat the Utah Jazz on Wednesday. Next up: their own tempers. If the Lakers need a way to pass the time during their 19 off days this month, they just might register for anger-management classes at the local adult school. With an impressive fourth-quarter run led by Kobe Bryant Kobe Bean Bryant (born July 23 1978) is an American All-Star shooting guard in the National Basketball Association (NBA) who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers. , the Lakers avenged a·venge tr.v. a·venged, a·veng·ing, a·veng·es 1. To inflict a punishment or penalty in return for; revenge: avenge a murder. 2. an opening night loss and beat the Jazz 82-71. But not until after Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal (pronounced "shak-KEEL") (born March 6, 1972 in Newark, New Jersey), frequently referred to simply as Shaq, is an American professional basketball player, generally regarded as one of the most dominant in the National Basketball Association (NBA). got himself ejected, and after Bryant received yet another technical foul technical foul n. Sports A foul, especially in basketball, that is called on a player, coach, or team for unsportsmanlike conduct or infringement of a rule and does not usually involve physical contact with an opponent during play. , all just four days after Bryant's ejection against the Clippers on Saturday. But the Lakers survived their own testiness and behind Bryant's 31 points, survived the Jazz as well. It was a close, offensively impaired game until the fourth quarter. That's when the Jazz hacked Shaq. And Shaq got hacked. O'Neal was sent to the foul line foul line n. 1. Baseball Either of two straight lines extending from the rear of home plate to the outer edge of the playing field and indicating the area in which a fair ball can be hit. 2. six times early in the fourth, then put himself out of harm's way beyond the danger limit; in a safe place. - Latimer. See also: Out - in the locker room. O'Neal got his sixth foul - a close call as he guarded John Stockton This article is about the professional basketball player. For the U.S. Senator from New Jersey, see John P. Stockton. John Houston Stockton (born March 26, 1962) is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career (1984–2003) as a along the baseline - with 6:10 left to play. But before O'Neal left the floor, he gave referee Ron Olesiak an earful ear·ful n. 1. An abundant or excessive amount of something heard, such as talk or music. 2. Gossip, especially of an intimate or scandalous nature. 3. A scolding or reprimand. of disagreement and was hit with consecutive technicals and a slightly redundant ejection. Minutes later, Olesiak himself left the game, apparently because he wasn't feeling well. O'Neal got his fifth foul with 6:59 left in the game, but coach Phil Jackson
Philip Douglas "Phil" Jackson (born September 17, 1945 in Deer Lodge, Montana) is the current coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, an American professional basketball team. chose to leave him on the floor. Trailing by 5, the Jazz sent O'Neal to the foul line four times to open the fourth quarter. He missed the first four free throws, making him 0 for 6, but hit six of his last eight from the line to finish 6 for 14 for the game. O'Neal left the game with 24 points and 17 rebounds. When last these teams met, on opening night, the Lakers were so blinded by their own greatness - or perhaps all the diamonds on their newly arrived championship rings - that they played in a fog for three and half quarters and lost. But coach Phil Jackson said the Lakers' lack of conditioning at the time, their retooled lineup and the Jazz all had more to do with the loss than any distraction caused by the ring ceremony. ``That would be to take something away from Utah, and I don't think that's fair to do,'' Jackson said before tipoff. ``I think that we played well enough to win that game, we came back to have a shot to win that ballgame in the last minute, and didn't finish it. . . . I think we are a better basketball club right now, I know we're in better condition as a basketball team.'' Utah's 10-point second quarter was the lowest of the season for a Lakers opponent, and yet the Lakers had just a 5-point lead at halftime. No, this was not a night for offense. After trailing for the entire first quarter, the Lakers opened the second with a 16-5 run to take the lead. Bryant scored six consecutive points, capped by a gravity-defying reverse jam along the baseline to make it 33-25. But the Lakers offense was choked by nine turnovers - three apiece by O'Neal and Rick Fox - and they settled for a 33-28 halftime lead. The Jazz cashed in those turnovers for 13 points - nearly half their production - and stayed close despite shooting a dreadful 27.8 percent from the field. Bryant finished the half with 13 points but was just 6 for 14 from the field and again found himself battling officials. Just four days after getting ejected for berating officials, Bryant picked up a technical in the first quarter from referee Steve Javie Steve Javie (born January 17, 1955 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)[1] is a professional basketball referee in the National Basketball Association (NBA) since the 1986-87 NBA season. . The Lakers looked like a team that hadn't played in four days as they fell to an early 0-7 deficit. CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: (color) Utah center Greg Ostertag Gregory Donovan Ostertag (born March 6 1973, in Dallas, Texas) is a retired American basketball player in the NBA, who spent most of his career with the Utah Jazz. He measures 7'2" (2.18 m) and played center. knocks the ball away from Shaquille O'Neal, who was later ejected in the fourth quarter. Kim D. Johnson/Associated Press Box: GAME RECAP |
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