AS O'NEAL BEARS LAKERS' LOAD, ANKLE GIVES OUT : LAKERS 95, VANCOUVER 82.Byline: Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. 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). carried the Lakers to a 95-82 victory over the Vancouver Grizzlies The name Grizzlies may refer to:
O'Neal scored 31 points - including 10 straight in the fourth quarter - while playing on a sprained right ankle which he re-aggravated in the third quarter. O'Neal's performance, especially down the stretch, and his injury overshadowed Lakers guard Nick Van Exel's season-high 23 assists as the Lakers won their sixth straight and 12th in 14 games. ``It's pretty obvious that Shaq is Shaq,'' Lakers coach Del Harris said of his center's dominating performance. ``He played on a sprained ankle A sprained ankle, also known as a ankle sprain, ankle injury or ankle ligament injury, is a common medical condition where one or more of the ligaments of the ankle is torn or partially torn. and it looks like it'll take four guys to carry him out of here.'' O'Neal, who originally injured the ankle in Thursday's 90-83 victory in Sacramento, did not dress when the teams met again Friday at the Forum. On Sunday, O'Neal started and played 40 minutes, including the final 15. After the game, O'Neal refused to speak to the media as he limped his way to the trainer's room for treatment. Lakers spokesman Raymond Ridder said O'Neal is listed as day-to-day, and his status will be determined prior to tonight's game in Portland. Ridder also relayed O'Neal's postgame comments to the media: ``I was happy we were able to pull out this game at the end. Every team in this league gets up to play against us, and Vancouver is no exception. I really have to congratulate Nick for an outstanding game. Without him, we might not have won this game tonight.'' O'Neal reinjured his ankle five minutes into the third quarter when he tumbled to the floor after missing a short jumper. He sat out the next four minutes before returning to action. The Lakers, whose offense sputtered all night, needed him. The Grizzlies rallied from a 14-point third-quarter deficit to tie the game 75-75 with 7:06 left in the fourth quarter. O'Neal, who had accounted for all of the Lakers' points - four - up to that point in the quarter, put his team ahead for good by making two free throws. He then made it a four-point lead when he was credited with two points after Vancouver's Roy Rogers
Leonard Franklin Slye (November 5, 1911 – July 6, 1998), who became famous as Roy Rogers, was a singer and cowboy actor. was called for goaltending goal·tend·ing n. 1. Sports The act of protecting a goal, as in hockey and other such sports. 2. Basketball . Eddie Jones scored 21 points while 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. added 16 for the Lakers, who improved their Pacific Division lead to two games over the idle Seattle SuperSonics The Seattle SuperSonics (or simply Sonics) are an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington. They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Their mascot's name is Squatch. . The former Lakers tandem of Peeler and George Lynch led the Grizzlies - Peeler with 17 points, Lynch with 12 points and a season-high 16 rebounds. It was Vancouver's fifth straight loss and NBA-high 27th of the season. Peeler admitted that he and Lynch may have been too psyched up at the start of the game for their first meeting against their former team. ``We weren't concentrating, we were over-concentrating,'' Peeler said. CAPTION(S): Photo, Box Photo: (color) Shaquille O'Neal of the Lakers, foreground, is fouled by Vancouver's Bryant Reeves. Associated Press Box: LAKERS BOX |
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