LAKERS EARN A KEY WIN BRYANT SCORES 46, L.A. KEEPS PACE IN WEST LAKERS 112, SEATTLE 109.Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer SEATTLE - There was no way to go but down for the Lakers on Friday night as they fell behind by 12 points in the second half against a Seattle SuperSonics The Seattle SuperSonics (or simply Sonics) are an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington. They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Their mascot's name is Squatch. team playing fast and loose and counting down the games in the regular season. As sunny as it was outside the Key Arena, it was grim inside for the Lakers, who faced the prospect of ceding cede tr.v. ced·ed, ced·ing, cedes 1. To surrender possession of, especially by treaty. See Synonyms at relinquish. 2. sixth place in the Western Conference standings to Denver with only six games to play. It took 46 points from 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. , 31 of which came in the second half, but the Lakers survived with a 112-109 victory in what will be the first of many crossroads games the rest of the way. The Lakers stayed a half-game ahead of the Nuggets Nuggets can refer to several branches of interest:
After losing four of their last five games, the Lakers faced as close to a must-win game as they have seen. There is no soft spot in their schedule in the coming week, with two games against Phoenix as well as rematches with Denver and the Clippers. Bryant made 13 of 27 shots and 19 of 24 free throws along with six assists and five rebounds. 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. added 20 points and made 9 of 11 shots for the Lakers, who played with Jordan Farmar Jordan Robert Farmar (born November 30, 1986) is an American professional basketball player at starting point guard for the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers. He was previously the starting point guard for the UCLA men's basketball team. and Ronny Turiaf Ronny Turiaf (born January 13, 1983 in Le Robert, Martinique) is a French basketball player, selected in the second round (37th pick overall) of the 2005 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers. down the stretch. The Sonics tied the game 103-103 with 1:55 left as Earl Watson Earl Joseph Watson Jr. (born June 12, 1979 in Kansas City, Kansas) is an American professional basketball player currently with the Seattle SuperSonics of the NBA. A 6'1", 195 lbs. (16 points) went crashing into Turiaf and headed to the foul line foul line n. 1. Baseball Either of two straight lines extending from the rear of home plate to the outer edge of the playing field and indicating the area in which a fair ball can be hit. 2. . Turiaf ended up the worse for wear as Watson caught him in the mouth with an elbow. Bryant answered at the other end with a 20-footer over Damien Wilkins Damien Lamont Wilkins (born January 11, 1980 in Washington, North Carolina) is an American professional basketball player currently with the Seattle SuperSonics of the National Basketball Association. He attended Dr. and Watson. Farmar, playing in the fourth quarter ahead of Smush Parker, then stripped Rashard Lewis in what looked like the defensive play of the game. The Lakers were unable to capitalize, however, as Bryant missed a jumper with 1:03 left. But Watson threw away a pass to Wilcox and Bryant made 1 of 2 free throws to leave the Lakers with a 106-103 lead with 42.2 seconds to play. Luke Walton made a key defensive play in forcing Nick Collison to the baseline, where he couldn't reach around with a shot with 25.3 seconds remaining. Walton made two free throws after being fouled and the five-point cushion was enough for the Lakers. After losing two games each to Memphis, Portland, Milwaukee, Charlotte and New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of this season, the Lakers avoided the same fate against Seattle. They last saw the Sonics in the first week of the season, when the teams played a home-and-home set. There was no showdown between Bryant and Ray Allen, his sometimes nemesis, with Allen out for the season with bone spurs in his left ankle. Allen will undergo surgery today; Wilkins started in his place Friday. The Sonics were left even more short-handed when starting guard Luke Ridnour went down clutching his left ankle after driving to the basket in the final minute of the first quarter. But the Sonics, who brought the Western Conference's second-worst record (30-45) into Friday and had lost their last three games, had no problem finding the energizing energizing, adj giving energy to; revitalizing; rejuvenating. 3-pointers and fast-break dunks they rely on. The Lakers trailed by as many as 12 points in the third quarter and opened the fourth quarter down 86-82 with Bryant on the bench. That left Brian Cook to shoot a technical free throw after a defensive three seconds call on Seattle. Cook missed the free throw in the unfamiliar role but connected on two 3-pointers as the Lakers took their first lead of the second half. Bryant returned with 8:04 left and set up Maurice Evans for a 3-pointer and Turiaf for a basket inside. With the game slipping away in the third quarter, Bryant was on the receiving end of a flagrant foul by Nick Collison on the fast break.He split his free throws and went to the line again after a Wilcox technical foul on his way to scoring 20 points in the third. Things went from bad to worse in the second quarter as Jackson brought back Bryant and Smush Parker for the final 4:49 of the half. The Lakers were outscored 16-4 as Seattle broke open what had been a tie game to take a 55-43 lead. ross.siler@dailynews.com (818) 713-3610 CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- color) The Lakers' Kobe Bryant shoots between Seattle's Johan Petro, left, and Nick Collison on Friday. (2) Seattle's Damien Wilkins drives against the Lakers' Smush Parker in the first half Friday. John Froschauer/Associated Pres |
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