BRYANT IS TOUGH ENOUGH STAR OVERCOMES ROUGH PLAY, SCORES 43 POINTS IN VICTORY LAKERS 106, SEATTLE 93.Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer SEATTLE - All 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. wanted was a foul call on Ray Allen Not to be confused with Ray Alan or Allan Ray. Walter Ray Allen (born July 20, 1975) is an American professional basketball player for the NBA's Boston Celtics, for whom he plays shooting guard. He has also played for the Milwaukee Bucks and Seattle SuperSonics. after running through so many screens and taking so many forearms to the midsection mid·sec·tion n. A middle section, especially the midriff of the body. as the Seattle SuperSonics' All-Star guard fought to create space. When Bryant didn't get it in the third quarter, the superstar guard took over the game. Bryant scored 14 points in the quarter after he - not Allen - was whistled for his third personal as the Lakers went on to a 106-93 victory at Key Arena. Bryant finished with 43 points on 17-of-38 shooting, hitting an array of jumpers over Allen and beating the Sonics down court for dunks and layups. Allen had 29 points but hit just 5 of 16 shots in the second half. The Lakers avenged a disappointing loss to Seattle earlier this month, stayed 1 1/2 games ahead of Sacramento for seventh in the Western Conference standings and won in the second game of a tough back-to-back set. It was Bryant's 22nd 40-point game of the season, one shy of Elgin Baylor's franchise record. Bryant had 24 points to Allen's 13 in the second half. The Sonics connected on back-to-back 3-pointers by Allen and Rashard Lewis Rashard Quovon Lewis (born August 8, 1979 in Pineville, Louisiana) is an American professional basketball player. After playing his first nine seasons for the Seattle SuperSonics, Lewis joined the Orlando Magic having agreed to a 6-year sign-and-trade deal (believed to be worth at as they closed to 89-83 with seven minutes left. Mikki Moore Clinton Renard "Mikki" Moore[1] (pronounced "Mikey") (born November 4, 1975 in Orangeburg, South Carolina) is an American professional basketball player, currently with the NBA's Sacramento Kings. and Devean George Devean Jamar George (born August 29 1977 in Minneapolis, Minnesota) is an American professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA. He typically plays small forward but because of his athleticism and defensive activity, can defend many shooting guards as well. wound up in a jump-ball situation under the Lakers basket but Moore injured his finger on the play. Moore left for the locker room and 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. chose to bring guard Luke Ridnour Lucas Robin (Luke) Ridnour (born February 13 1981 in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) is an American professional basketball player for the Seattle SuperSonics of the NBA. He was born in Idaho and grew up in Blaine, Washington. off the bench to take Moore's place. But the Sonics were able to rush Moore back into the game to roars from the crowd. Even so, the Lakers won the jump ball in the end. And George knocked down a big 3-pointer with 5:23 remaining as the Sonics doubled Bryant and the Lakers rotated the ball to the open man. The Bryant-Allen matchup, as always, was the featured attraction, and Bryant's frustration was evident early in the third quarter. He pleaded for an offensive foul call on Allen after being pushed off on so many possessions. Instead, Bryant was called for his third foul with 9:26 left in the third quarter. But Bryant found his outlet, running out for a reverse dunk after Allen missed a 3-pointer and drilling a seemingly impossible turnaround over the Sonics guard a minute later. The Lakers went on to take their first lead at 63-61 after Smush Parker William Henry "Smush" Parker (born June 1 1981, in New York, New York) is an American professional basketball player, currently with the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association.[1] Parker played shooting guard in college, but moved to point guard in the NBA. drove and Chris Wilcox 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 . It set the tone as the Lakers closed out the third quarter (never their strength) on a 16-7 run. They took an 81-73 lead into the fourth quarter as Ronny Turiaf - playing as Kwame Brown sat with four fouls - stepped up in the lane to block Lewis. Bryant ran ahead for a layup at the other end. The Lakers spent the entire first half trying to get back to even after the Sonics sprinted to a 9-2 lead. They trailed 42-36 with 5:26 left in the second quarter when Bryant beat Allen baseline and collided with Moore at the basket. Bryant was called for an offensive foul, then was whistled for his 14th technical foul of the season by referee Greg Willard. Bryant was left mouthing the words ``For what?'' at Willard after the technical. Under a new NBA NBA abbr. 1. National Basketball Association 2. National Boxing Association NBA (US) n abbr (= National Basketball Association) → Basketball-Dachverband (= rule, Bryant faces a one-game suspension if he is called for 16 technical fouls this season. With eight games remaining after Friday, the superstar guard will have to watch his words. The Lakers have had countless head-shaking losses this season but few were as painful as their 120-113 loss to the Sonics on March 12 at Staples Center. After beating San Antonio on the road, the Lakers returned home and let Seattle run them out of the game. Jackson talked before Friday's game about the big picture of his return to coaching this season as well as just what the Lakers had to do against the Sonics. Their challenge was to regroup re·group v. re·grouped, re·group·ing, re·groups v.tr. To arrange in a new grouping. v.intr. 1. To come back together in a tactical formation, as after a dispersal in a retreat. after their four-game winning streak ended the night before to the Spurs. ``You have a little bit of a run and you look at the fact that you want to be better immediately,'' Jackson said. ``We just don't have games that we can really turn around sometimes, we can't right ourselves in the course of a game. We're learning to do that. ``We hopefully can right ourselves after losing a game, not extend it over a night or two.'' Ross Siler, (818) 713-3610 ross.siler(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: The Lakers' Ronny Turiaf tries to get around Seattle's Robert Swift during the first quarter on Friday. Elaine Thompson/Associated Press Box: STORY LINES |
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