BRYANT'S 51 NOT ENOUGH KINGS TIE SCORE ON 3-POINTER, WIN IN OT SAC. 118, LAKERS 109.Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer SACRAMENTO - No team in the NBA NBA abbr. 1. National Basketball Association 2. National Boxing Association NBA (US) n abbr (= National Basketball Association) → Basketball-Dachverband (= has played more close games this season than the Lakers See Lake poets . No player in the league has delivered more big fourth quarters than 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. . It was a formula that had worked so well for the Lakers, until the final seconds Thursday night at Arco Arena Current arenas in the National Basketball Association Western Conference Eastern Conference . What looked like a magical night for the Lakers as Bryant and Lamar Odom Lamar Joseph Odom (born November 6 1979, in South Jamaica, Queens, New York) is an American professional basketball player who currently plays power forward (also plays both forward spots and is a "point-forward") for the National Basketball Association's Los Angeles Lakers. leaped to bump chests with 35.5 seconds left in regulation ended with an agonizing 118-109 overtime loss to the Sacramento Kings. ``We beat the team,'' Odom said, ``but they won.'' ``A lot of crazy things can happen in the NBA,'' Bryant added, ``and tonight was one of those nights.'' With only the clock standing between them and their seventh victory in eight games, the Lakers gave away the game, winding up in overtime as Brad Miller Brad Miller can refer to any of several people:
It wasn't quite payback for Robert Horry's shot in the 2002 Western Conference finals, but the Kings' faithful would take it. Bryant finished with 51 points, the eighth 50-point game of his career, but it wasn't enough. ``They played well enough to win but they didn't finish,'' Lakers 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. said, ``and on the road, you have to do some things that are a little bit extra special.'' If the Lakers thought their days of late-game meltdowns were behind them - they had won their previous four games decided by six points or fewer - they were sorely mistaken. They led 102-97 with 35.5 seconds to play as Odom connected on a 3-pointer. It came after Bryant, who had taken shots on five consecutive possessions down the stretch, kicked a pass to Odom at the top of the key. He made only 1 of 5 3-pointers for the night, but hit the shot that counted. But Odom made a critical mistake after Miller made one of two free throws for the Kings. With the Kings electing not to foul, Odom drove to the basket with 16 seconds left on the shot clock. The Lakers could have taken the clock inside of the final 10 seconds, but Odom was called for a charge with 22 seconds remaining against Kenny Thomas Kenny Thomas may refer to:
``I take the blame for that one,'' Odom said. ``I should have ran the clock down a little bit more. First time in a long time that my aggressiveness beat me. But I had just hit that shot and I was thinking, `Get to the basket.' ``I just wish I had put my team in a better position. A flop call on a team that's dead, though, that kind of gave them new life.'' The Lakers still had a chance to win, but Mike Bibby Michael (Mike) Bibby (born May 13, 1978 in Cherry Hill, New Jersey) is an American professional basketball point guard for the NBA's Sacramento Kings, and the son of former NBA and UCLA player and former USC basketball coach and current Philadelphia 76ers assistant coach Henry (40 points) connected on a 3-pointer to make it 102-101 with 18.7 seconds left. Bryant sank two free throws for the Lakers - he set the franchise record for consecutive foul shots made Thursday - but Sacramento got the ball with a chance to tie. The Lakers denied Bibby a shot on the Kings' final play of regulation only to watch as Kwame Brown tried to help inside and left Miller alone beyond the arc. Miller, a 32 percent 3-point shooter, drilled the shot. ``I should have stayed at home,'' Brown said. ``He hit a desperation shot and I should have hugged him closer. I trusted my quickness to get back to him. I got back, I just should have stayed at home.'' Jackson let Odom have the final shot of regulation for the Lakers, hoping he would redeem himself, but Odom couldn't connect. The Lakers fell apart in overtime, as they were outscored 14-5 and Odom fouled out. Thomas had a triple-double (16 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists) for the Kings. Bryant scored 21 points in the first quarter and now has hit 48 straight free throws. The Lakers have played 22 games decided by six points or fewer, the most in the NBA. Bryant, meanwhile, leads all players in fourth-quarter scoring, averaging 9.1 points per game. His last seven fourth quarters, in order: 12 points, 12, 10, 10, 13, 17 and 22. Bryant was especially aggressive Thursday against a Sacramento team that was forced to use Kevin Martin Kevin Martin may refer to one of several people:
Bryant looked to be up to his old tricks in the final four minutes, taking the game upon himself. He posted up Garcia with the Kings sending Miller to double-team. They couldn't get Bryant, however, to give up the ball. Only once before has Bryant scored 50 points or more and the Lakers lost the game. Ross Siler, (818) 713-3610 ross.siler(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (color) Kobe Bryant tries to drive against the Kings' Shareef Abdur-Rahim Julius Shareef Abdur-Rahim (born December 11, 1976 in Marietta, Georgia) is an American professional basketball player. Presently, he plays for the Sacramento Kings, a member of the National Basketball Association (NBA). during Thursday's game. Steve Yeater/Associated Press |
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