LAKERS BOTTOM OUT IN DEFEAT LOSS TO HAWKS A DOWNER HEADING INTO BREAK ATLANTA 114, LAKERS 110.Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer There have been worse losses in the Lakers' season - falling to a 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. team that had lost 13 in a row springs first to mind - but as far as timing goes, nothing could have been worse than what happened Wednesday night. Now the Lakers have to spend six days thinking about a 114-110 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, who hadn't beaten a Western Conference team on the road in more than a year. 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. finished with 39 points but uncharacteristically missed 4 of 10 free throws in the fourth quarter. Josh Smith Joshua Smith (born December 5, 1985 in College Park, Georgia, U.S.) is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA. High school career led the Hawks with 21 points and 15 rebounds and Joe Johnson Joe Johnson may refer to:
It was a disastrous game for the Lakers, who led by 15 points in the first quarter and appeared on the way to an easy night. They went just 6 of 15 from the line in the fourth quarter, however, as the Hawks went 27 of 31 for the game. The Lakers had a chance to tie in the final minute as Bryant stole a Royal Ivey Royal Terence Ivey (born December 20, 1981, in Harlem, New York City) is an American professional basketball player in the NBA who plays for the Milwaukee Bucks. He started on the Cardozo High School in Queens, New York City. pass along the sideline and fed ahead to 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. . But Parker blew the dunk with Smith closing fast from behind from behind. Bryant and Parker ended up falling on top of each other and the Lakers couldn't grab the loose ball. At the other end, Johnson followed up Ivey's missed shot all alone with 22.7 seconds left. Bryant missed a 3-pointer with 15.9 seconds left. The Hawks had lost 23 consecutive road games to Western Conference teams, dating to a Nov. 12, 2004 victory over the 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). . But Atlanta had beaten both Detroit and San Antonio San Antonio (săn ăntō`nēō, əntōn`), city (1990 pop. 935,933), seat of Bexar co., S central Tex., at the source of the San Antonio River; inc. 1837. this season and was not to be taken lightly. The Lakers reached the All-Star break with a 26-26 record. They were 26-24 at the break last season and 24-23 back in 2003, their previous worst record at the break with 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. as coach. Jackson said before the game that he thought the Lakers should be about five games over .500 given how they've played, still waiting for some of his team's last-minute losses to come back around. They are 13-13 in games decided by six points or less. At least the Lakers will play 18 of their final 33 games at home, although the schedule stiffens in March. The Lakers closed to 105-104 as 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. , who struggled with foul trouble all game, curled around a screen and drilled a 3-pointer. But Johnson drew the entire Lakers defense with a drive and dropped a pass to rookie Marvin Williams at the other end. Williams scored, was fouled by Brian Cook and converted a three-point play to put he Hawks back ahead 108-104 with 1:38 left. The Lakers twice came up empty from the foul line in the final five minutes. Smush Parker missed two free throws with 4:58 left and Bryant - for one of the first times all season - missed two free throws with 4:21 left. Bryant last month shattered the Lakers franchise record by making 62 consecutive foul shots. But the Lakers stayed in the game as Brian Cook dunked as part of a three-point play and Bryant beat Smith, scored off a reverse layup and tumbled to the court. The Lakers fell behind 90-86 after a dreadful start to the fourth quarter, punctuated as Odom threw a lazy pass to Bryant that Smith took the other way for a reverse slam. Josh Childress (21 points) heated up for the Hawks and the Lakers were in trouble. They also settled for 3-pointers. Of their first 10 shots in the fourth quarter, seven were 3-pointers. The Lakers missed all of them, from Bryant to Cook to Devean George to Sasha Vujacic. At least Ronny Turiaf was able to get his first NBA NBA abbr. 1. National Basketball Association 2. National Boxing Association NBA (US) n abbr (= National Basketball Association) → Basketball-Dachverband (= points with 1.4 seconds left in the third. Turiaf got behind the defense for an outlet pass, took three steps without a dribble, but was hammered by Zaza Pachulia on a flagrant foul. Turiaf, who bricked two free throws earlier in the quarter, hit both free throws and smiled in relief. He celebrated so exuberantly heading back to the bench, the crowd laughed with him. Ross Siler, (818) 713-3610 ross.siler(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (color) The Lakers' Smush Parker passes around Atlanta's Zaza Pachulia. Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer |
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