AN EPISODE OF VEX IN THE CITY LAKERS STIFLE PUNCHLESS KNICKS; KOBE EMBRACED LAKERS 104, NEW YORK 83.Byline: Howard Beck Staff Writer NEW YORK New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of - This could have been the place where Kobe Bryant's nerves were rubbed raw and his game muted by a chorus of derision, where the Lakers would be trampled by the animosity and the emotional overload, not to mention Karl Malone's aching hamstring and Derek Fisher's shooting slump. Instead, they found a remarkable sense of comfort and cohesion under the roof of basketball's Mecca, where the fans were more supportive than anyone dared expect, and the local team was as bad as advertised. Bryant was eager and upbeat, playing to as many cheers as he did heckles in the Lakers' 104-83 rout of the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden Current arenas in the National Hockey League Western Conference Eastern Conference . It was good for Bryant, who had braced himself for the worst, and even better for his team, which needed to straighten itself out in the worst way after suffering a 10-point loss at Detroit the night before. ``This is the best reception I've had, and I didn't really know what to expect,'' Bryant said after scoring 21 points. ``It's always been one of my favorite My Favorite is an independent synthpop band from Long Island, New York. They released two CDs: Love at Absolute Zero and Happiest Days of Our Lives. My Favorite broke up on September 14, 2005, when singer Andrea Vaughn left the band. places to play, and I just appreciate all of the support I have here, and it really makes me feel good.'' In a visitors' locker room stuffed with several dozen reporters, the mood was considerably lighter than it had been 24 hours earlier in Michigan. The Lakers tightened up their defense, pushed the Knicks into 34 fouls and dictated the game from start to finish. O'Neal joyfully put Dikembe Mutombo ``It was a big win for us,'' said O'Neal, who rarely places such emphasis on a game in November. ``We felt that we should have been 2-0 on this road trip. We let one slip away, and we didn't want to lose four in a row on the road. What New York lacked in stars on the court it made up for in celebrities at courtside court·side n. The area immediately bordering the official court of play, as in tennis or basketball. , from Spike Lee Noun 1. Spike Lee - United States filmmaker whose works explore the richness of black culture in America (born in 1957) Lee, Shelton Jackson Lee and P. Diddy to Denzel Washington Denzel Hayes Washington, Jr. (born December 28, 1954) is a two-time Academy Award and Golden Globe Award-winning American actor and director. He has garnered much critical acclaim for his portrayals of several real-life figures, such as Steve Biko, Malcolm X, Rubin "Hurricane" and Kristen Davis to Ashanti and Elijah Wood. The Knicks, who lost for the eighth time in 11 games, got a career performance out of young Frank Williams (14 points), but just 10 points out of a hobbled Allan Houston, who was draped drape v. draped, drap·ing, drapes v.tr. 1. To cover, dress, or hang with or as if with cloth in loose folds: draped the coffin with a flag; a robe that draped her figure. alternately by Bryant and Devean George. New York had little to counter the Lakers' Fab Four. As Knicks coach Don Chaney observed a day earlier, ``They don't look like an All-Star team. They are an All-Star team.'' Although they led throughout, the Lakers clung to a 51-49 margin at halftime, and before they walked off the court, coach Phil Jackson heard a fan shout that the Knicks had yet to score 50 in a half this season. ``So I took that in the locker room with us at halftime,'' Jackson said. ``You're not going to win ballgames if you allow teams like this to get consistently to 100 points.'' The Lakers had given up 100-plus in their previous five road games, three of them losses. They stopped the trend by holding the Knicks in the second half to 34 points - one more than the Pistons scored in the fourth quarter the night before. And they benefited greatly from a superior inside game, shooting 47 free throws to the Knicks' six. The 41-free throw discrepancy was the largest for New York since 1985. New York might have ruined its reputation as a merciless sports town. Given their chance to harangue Bryant, who is battling sexual-assault charges, the crowd split. Indeed, the boos were louder and more consistent the night before, in Auburn Hills. Knicks fans had saved most of their verbal derision for Keith Van Horn For the American football player, see . Keith Adam Van Horn (born October 23 1975, in Fullerton, California) is an American basketball player who last played for the Dallas Mavericks. Van Horn graduated from Diamond Bar High School and played for the University of Utah. , who drew their ire by sitting out the game with a sprained ankle. As for the tabloids, the back pages were filled by Andy Pettitte's free agency, and the front pages splashed with the more spectacular scandal surrounding Michael Jackson (aka ``Jacko''). Phil Jackson, who called this building home during his playing days, enjoyed his annual return. ``Best place to win a road game there is,'' he said. Howard Beck, (818) 713-3613 howard.beck(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: (color) The Lakers' Gary Payton (20) draws a foul on Charlie Ward at Madison Square Garden, where fans didn't heckle heck·le tr.v. heck·led, heck·ling, heck·les 1. To try to embarrass and annoy (someone speaking or performing in public) by questions, gibes, or objections; badger. 2. To comb (flax or hemp) with a hatchel. Kobe Bryant. Julie Jacobson/Associated Press Box: GAME RECAP |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion