CALL IT VITAMIN Z RESTED BRYANT SCORES 45 AS LAKERS CLIP HOUSTON LAKERS 99, HOUSTON 94.Byline: Howard Beck Staff Writer HOUSTON - Even with all of his incredible gifts, 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. can't take over a game just by slashing, dunking, shooting and strutting better than everyone else on the court. Sometimes, he does need a little help. And sometimes, all he needs is a good night's sleep. Bryant got his rest Wednesday, when the Lakers were idle. Then, he knocked the Houston Rockets flat-out unconscious Thursday night, scoring 45 points as the Lakers pulled out a 99-94 victory at Compaq Center Compaq Center may refer to:
He scorched scorch v. scorched, scorch·ing, scorch·es v.tr. 1. To burn superficially so as to discolor or damage the texture of. See Synonyms at burn1. 2. Shandon Anderson Shandon Rodriguez Anderson (born December 31, 1973 in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American professional basketball player in the NBA, currently a free agent who most recently played with the Miami Heat. , embarrassed Cuttino Mobley Cuttino Rashawn Mobley (born September 1, 1975 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American professional basketball player in the NBA who currently plays for the Los Angeles Clippers. and Steve Francis
It's all about the power nap A power-nap is a short sleep, usually 15-20 minutes, intended to revitalize the subject from drowsiness while working, coined by Cornell University social psychologist James Maas. . ``I think (the day off) had a lot to do with it. Yesterday I slept so much, man, I didn't even eat. I had one meal the whole day,'' Bryant said. ``I just slept all day long. I hadn't had a day where I could just relax, recuperate re·cu·per·ate v. To return to health or strength; recover. . I was dead tired.'' Bryant's point total was the highest of his five-year career for a regulation game, and this time it was no stretch to classify his efforts as Jordanesque. No one had scored 45 on the Rockets since Michael himself did it Jan. 18, 1998. ``Kobe Bryant,'' said Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich Rudolph Tomjanovich, Jr. (born November 24 1948, in Hamtramck, Michigan), nicknamed Rudy T., is an American former basketball player and coach. Early life Tomjanovich was born to an American family of Croatian descent. , ``is just too much. He was amazing.'' ``I think his game looks as good or better than anybody's in the league right now,'' said 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. . Yet the Lakers, who never seem to have a safe lead these days, almost squandered squan·der tr.v. squan·dered, squan·der·ing, squan·ders 1. To spend wastefully or extravagantly; dissipate. See Synonyms at waste. 2. Bryant's magic. Houston wiped out an early 10-point lead and were within a point with 40.3 seconds to go, thanks to 48.1 percent shooting and a 19-point effort from Maurice Taylor Maurice De Shawn Taylor (born October 30, 1976 in Detroit, Michigan) is an American professional basketball player at the power forward position. He was most recently with the NBA's Sacramento Kings, released on January 23, 2007. . It took a 21-foot jumper by Bryant, then a thunderous fast-break jam off a long pass from Shaquille O'Neal, to put the game away. O'Neal chipped in 25 points and 12 rebounds and Rick Fox scored 14 as the Lakers improved to 3-0 on the road trip that concludes tonight in Dallas. Bryant made his first 10 shots of the night and scored 18 points in the first quarter, but it was what he had left for the fourth that mattered. And his 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting was not coincidental. Jackson had noticed Bryant's fourth-quarter fades in Toronto and Miami. Some of it was shot selection, but some of it was heavy legs. Jackson said before tipoff that he would try to give Bryant a late rest to keep him fresh for crunch time, and he followed through - Bryant sat for the last three minutes of the third quarter. ``I think that had something to do with it,'' said Bryant, who nevertheless played 44 minutes. ``I think if you look at particularly the game against Miami, a lot of my shots were falling short. And no matter how much you push yourself mentally, when your legs are tired, they're not going to give you anything. I think him sitting me down towards the end of that third quarter there gave me a little boost, and I was able to come in in the fourth quarter and do what I normally do.'' It helped overcome another frustrating game by O'Neal, who missed 15 of 22 free throws. O'Neal made 3 of 6 in the final minutes, however, to help thwart Tomjanovich's Hack-a-Shaq approach. ``I think it backfired, even though I shot a horrible percentage like I have been,'' O'Neal said. ``I hit them when I needed to hit them and I'm known to do that. If teams want to do that, I just have to step up and hit them. I know that. And I'm working on them. A lot of them were in and out, so I'm just going to keep the faith and I know it can't get no worse.'' O'Neal played a particularly intense game and contributed six assists, plus a game-clinching steal in the final seconds, but he shot a modest 9 of 17 from the field. He's vowed to get his game back together. ``My knick-knack injuries are starting to go away, so I'm just going to have to pick my focus up and just get back on track,'' O'Neal said, ``and I will. I have no worries.'' CAPTION(S): 2 photos, box Photo: (1 -- color) Shaquille O'Neal pulls down one of his 12 rebounds during Lakers' 99-94 win. Tim Johnson/Associated Press (2) Kobe Bryant of the Lakers drives for a first-quarter basket during his 45-point performance Thursday night against the Houston Rockets. Michael Stravato/Associated Press Box: GAME RECAP |
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