L.A.'S GOOD ENOUGH LAKERS PREPARE FOR HEAT BY HOLDING OFF HORNETS LAKERS 101, N.O. 89.Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer The collision course collision course n. A course, as of moving objects or opposing philosophies, that will end in a collision or conflict if left unchanged: two planes on a collision course; dissidents on a collision course with the regime. between the Corvette corvette, small warship, classed between a frigate and a sloop-of-war. Corvettes usually were flush-decked and carried fewer than 28 guns. They were widely employed in escorting convoys and attacking merchant ships during the great naval wars of the late 18th and (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. ) and brick wall (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). ), and everything that comes with their Christmas showdown, had to be put aside for one night. First, the Ford Taurus Not to be confused with Ford Taunus. The Ford Taurus is currently a full-size, front-wheel drive or all wheel drive automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in North America. had to get over the parking-lot speed bump. Those were the roles that belonged to the Lakers and New Orleans Hornets The New Orleans Hornets are a professional basketball team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They play in the Southwest Division of the National Basketball Association (NBA). on Wednesday night in a game played before the Lakers' most-hyped matchup of the NBA NBA abbr. 1. National Basketball Association 2. National Boxing Association NBA (US) n abbr (= National Basketball Association) → Basketball-Dachverband (= season. The Lakers never got out of first gear, but they did enough to avoid a disastrous loss, prevailing 101-89 at Staples Center over the league's worst team. O'Neal and Bryant renew acquaintances Saturday at noon. Bryant endured his second consecutive tough-shooting game, but Chucky Atkins picked up the slack with 30 points, and Chris Mihm added 11 points and 21 rebounds, matching the NBA high for a single game this season. The Lakers could be without Caron Butler for Saturday's game. With 3:27 left, Butler got tangled up with New Orleans guard Dan Dickau as Bryant headed down court for a breakaway dunk. Butler and Dickau fell to the ground, and Butler punched Dickau once in the midsection mid·sec·tion n. A middle section, especially the midriff of the body. . Lee Nailon and Lamar Odom separated the two. Butler was ejected, and Dickau was assessed a technical foul. It was O'Neal who offered the sports car-solid object analogy to describe his relationship with Bryant in an interview earlier this week. If O'Neal was watching somewhere in Sacramento, where the Eastern Conference-leading Heat play tonight, he had to be puzzled by what he saw. The Lakers (14-11) led by 15 points in the third quarter but lost it all, almost entirely because of the 3-pointer shooting of New Orleans' Baron Davis, who buried two shots from beyond the arc at the end of the third quarter and stayed hot into the fourth. Back from an 18-game stay on the injured list with back trouble, the former UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX standout Davis (17 points) opened the final period by draining back-to-back 3-pointers, and the Lakers officially were in trouble. Bryant hung in the air on a reverse layup, but Davis hit a floater Floater A bond or other type of debt whose coupon rate changes with market conditions (short-term interest rates). Also known as "floating-rate debt". Notes: For example, a floater bond may have the coupon rate set at "T-bill rate plus 0.5%". , and J.R. Smith ran the break for a basket as the Hornets closed to 77-74 with 9:25 left. The Lakers eked back in front again, but David Wesley hit a 3-pointer off an offensive rebound and Bryant uncharacteristically missed two free throws with 4:42 to go. New Orleans trailed 85-82. The Hornets had a chance to get closer, but Nailon missed inside. Atkins then connected on a 3-pointer, and the Lakers pulled away. After his team lost consecutive home games to the Washington Wizards and Memphis Grizzlies, Lakers coach Rudy Tomjanovich said there would be no overlooking the Hornets, even if their starting lineup would stump the most die-hard fan. ``You start thinking tune-up,'' Tomjanovich said, ``you get tuned up.'' Atkins got hot at the end of the second quarter and stayed that way through halftime. He hit a 3-pointer with 1.4 seconds left in the first half to put the Lakers ahead 48-43, then connected on another three shots from beyond the arc in the third quarter. Ross Siler, (818) 713-3610 ross.siler(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos, 2 boxes Photo: (1 -- color) New Orleans' J.R. Smith, left, knocks the ball away from Kobe Bryant early in the Lakers' win Wednesday. (2) The Lakers' Lamar Odom, left, bumps New Orleans' P.J. Brown near the hoop. Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer Box: (1) STORY LINES (2) GAME RECAP |
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