COLD NIGHT FOR KOBE AGAINST SHAQ, HEAT SECOND-HALF SLUMP SINKS LAKERS AGAIN MIAMI 102, LAKERS 89.Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer MIAMI Miami, cities, United States Miami (mīăm`ē, –ə). 1 City (1990 pop. 358,548), seat of Dade co., SE Fla., on Biscayne Bay at the mouth of the Miami River; inc. 1896. - As sure as 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). called it before their Christmas showdown, 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. took the court again Thursday night at American Airlines American Airlines Major U.S. airline. American was created through a merger of several smaller U.S. airlines and incorporated in 1934. It continued to buy the routes of other airlines, becoming an international carrier in the 1970s; its routes include South America, the Arena and ran smack into a brick wall. It came not in the form of the 7-foot-1, 325-pound center like everyone expected, however. Instead, Bryant suffered through a bewildering be·wil·der tr.v. be·wil·dered, be·wil·der·ing, be·wil·ders 1. To confuse or befuddle, especially with numerous conflicting situations, objects, or statements. See Synonyms at puzzle. 2. second-half shooting slump that left the Lakers dead in their tracks and doomed to another defeat. Bryant missed 10 of 11 shots after halftime, raising a host of issues, as the Lakers faded in the fourth quarter and lost 102-89 to the Miami Heat The Miami Heat (known as the HEAT [in all capital letters] on official team publications) are a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). . It was the third consecutive double-digit loss for the Lakers on this trip and 11th victory in a row for the Heat. Since he scored 21 points in the fourth quarter Saturday and hit a last-second shot to beat the Charlotte Bobcats The Charlotte Bobcats are a professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association. , Bryant has gone just 3 for 28 (10.7 percent) in the second half of losses to Washington, Philadelphia and now Miami. ``He knows how to get through it better than anybody,'' Caron Butler James Caron Butler, known as Caron Butler (pronounced Kuh-RONN) (born March 13 1980, in Racine, Wisconsin), is an American professional basketball player, currently starting at small forward for the NBA's Washington Wizards. said. ``We've just got to continue to play hard, do the little things.'' Before hitting a 3-pointer with 1 minute, 38 seconds remaining and the Lakers trailing by 16, Bryant had missed his first nine shots of the second half. It was a fitting end on a night in which Bryant couldn't even connect with O'Neal on a pregame fist-bump. O'Neal finished with 25 points and 12 rebounds, saying afterward: ``It was a good team against a so-so team.'' Dwyane Wade Dwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. (born January 17, 1982) is an American basketball player who currently plays for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association (NBA). His nicknames include "Flash" and "D-Wade". led all scorers with 27 and Bryant had 26 on 8-for-23 shooting in a marathon 46 minutes. The Lakers (32-32) fell 1 1/2 games behind In sports, the phrase games behind, often abbreviated as GB in tables, is a common way to reflect the gap between a leading team and another team in a sports league, conference, or division. Denver for the Western Conference's eighth and final playoff spot. They will play Indiana tonight in an attempt to salvage something from the six-game road trip they opened with two victories and good feelings. ``We've got to learn how to win the game when we have a bad offensive game,'' Lamar Odom said. ``You've got to win the game defensively sometimes. Until we do that, we're going to have games like that.'' Numerous explanations for Bryant's night were thrown around afterward. Interim coach Frank Hamblen was asked if his superstar guard was tired after a season of playing major minutes and doing everything for the post-O'Neal Lakers. ``He missed 14 games,'' Hamblen said, referring to the month Bryant spent on the injured list, ``so he didn't work that hard for 14 games. I know we play him a lot of minutes but you have to ask him. I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. how he feels. I know he's playing hurt to some degree.'' That would be the right ankle that Bryant severely sprained Jan. 13 and said Thursday still is bothering him. He played against the Heat with the top flap of his sneakers sneakers Noun, pl US, Canad, Austral & NZ canvas shoes with rubber soles sneakers npl (US) → zapatos mpl de lona; zapatillas fpl unfastened and said he needed to ice the ankle on the flight to Indiana afterward. There also was the matchup with Wade, and whether Bryant became consumed by it. Bryant came up barking in the opening minute, when Wade blocked him from behind as Bryant tried for continuation after Damon Jones fouled him on the fastbreak. The two later exchanged words just before the end of the first half as Wade grew upset with Bryant's hands-on defense. ``I pretty much told him a lot of stuff,'' Wade said. ``I don't want to get into it.'' To start the third quarter, Wade delivered a windmill block of Bryant's first shot, sending the Lakers' guard tumbling to the floor. But Bryant said the night was not about him and Wade, or for that matter, him and O'Neal. ``It's not about an individual matchup whatsoever,'' said Bryant, who attributed his troubles to facing endless double teams playing in the backcourt of the triangle offense. ``It's about us trying to get into the playoffs and them doing a great job.'' Hamblen didn't sound so sure, saying: ``Sometimes great players like to go at each other. He knows he has to have a big night against good teams in order for us to be successful.'' The Lakers went into the fourth quarter trailing 69-67 but fell behind by 11 points not even five minutes in. Wade hit two jumpers and Keyon Dooling scored eight of his season-high 17 points in the quarter. ``Every night we pick out somebody to have either their career or season high,'' Hamblen said, and Thursday it was Dooling. Ross Siler, (818) 713-3610 ross.siler(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 boxes Box: (1) STANDINGS (2) GAME RECAP |
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