LOW FIVES ALL AROUND FOR LAKERS PLAYOFF HOPES DWINDLING WITH LOSS TO SONICS SEATTLE 102, LAKERS 100.Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer It was the first time 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. suffered a five-game losing streak since his freshman year of high school, the first time the Lakers had done so in more than a decade and the first time this season the team was left to question everything about itself. On a Sunday night Sunday Night, later named Michelob Presents Night Music, was an NBC late-night television show which aired for two seasons between 1988 and 1990 as a showcase for jazz and eclectic musical artists. when the Lakers faced no alternative but to win, they chose the other option, falling 102-100 to the shorthanded 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. at Staples Center This article has multiple issues: * Its neutrality is disputed. * It may contain original research or unverifiable claims. * It does not cite any references or sources. and leaving their faint playoff hopes flickering with 16 games left in the regular season. The locker room was almost empty after interim coach Frank Hamblen Frank Hamblen is a National Basketball Association (NBA) coach and scout, and a college basketball player at Syracuse University. He has served as an interim head coach for two different teams; for the Milwaukee Bucks in 1992 and the Los Angeles Lakers in 2005. finished talking about his team playing until it was mathematically eliminated, and Kobe Bryant spoke of dragging his teammates along if they were unwilling to put in the effort necessary. But the possibility existed that the Lakers played their last meaningful home game of the season Sunday. They dropped 3 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. the Denver Nuggets Nuggets can refer to several branches of interest:
The Lakers (32-34) also now have to pass the Minnesota Timberwolves The Minnesota Timberwolves are a professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Their organization is a member of the National Basketball Association (NBA). to get there. Minnesota beat Houston 94-86 and moved a game ahead of the 10th-place Lakers in the standings. They will leave today for two road games - against Utah on Tuesday and Denver on Thursday - and still have one of the NBA's toughest remaining schedules, featuring 11 games against teams that would be in the playoffs if the season ended today. In addition, the Lakers do not know when forward 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. will return from a strained left shoulder. Odom missed Sunday's game and has been ruled out of Tuesday's game as well, amid fears that he will have to go on the injured list. Even with Seattle losing All-Star guard Ray Allen Not to be confused with Ray Alan or Allan Ray. Walter Ray Allen (born July 20, 1975) is an American professional basketball player for the NBA's Boston Celtics, for whom he plays shooting guard. He has also played for the Milwaukee Bucks and Seattle SuperSonics. to a sprained ankle A sprained ankle, also known as a ankle sprain, ankle injury or ankle ligament injury, is a common medical condition where one or more of the ligaments of the ankle is torn or partially torn. in the first quarter, the Lakers couldn't figure out a way to win. They lost their fifth game in a row for the first time since the end of the 1993-94 season, which also ended with no playoff spot. The final minute once again was especially unkind. It started with Brian Cook For other persons named Brian Cook, see Brian Cook (disambiguation). Brian Joshua Cook (born December 4, 1980 in Lincoln, Illinois) is a power forward for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association. missing the second of two free throws with a chance to make it a two-point game. Caron Butler then fouled Flip Murray in the backcourt, much to Bryant's visible dismay. With 29 seconds left, the Lakers watched as Antonio Daniels used a screen to get into the lane from the left side, then slid a pass to Nick Collison. Cook was late in stepping up to stop Daniels, then shoved Collison to the floor with two hands trying to recover. Collison made the layup and added the free throw for a three-point play to make it 98-93, and still the Lakers weren't done. Bryant bounced a 3- pointer off the front rim but Butler was there for the putback, was fouled, and went to the foul line with the chance make it a two-point game once again. But Butler, an 86.8 percent free-throw shooter entering Sunday, missed. Bryant tore away the rebound, then missed another 3-pointer. And the Lakers couldn't get the benefit of a call in the scramble for the rebound that followed. Cook and Daniels both went up for the ball, with replays showing that Daniels touched it last as it went out of bounds. Referee Scott Wall, however, gave possession to the Sonics. Luke Ridnour sank two free throws for Seattle to all but finish things. It was the fourth consecutive game the Lakers gave up more than 100 points. They are 6-30 when the opposition does that. Bryant finished with 30 points on 12 for 30 shooting and brought the Lakers back from 11 points down in the fourth quarter by connecting on three successive 3-pointers over Flip Murray. Butler added 29 points and had four steals while trying to fill the void left by Odom. But Murray more than replaced Allen with 25 points and Rashard Lewis contributed 27 for the Sonics. The only teams in the NBA NBA abbr. 1. National Basketball Association 2. National Boxing Association NBA (US) n abbr (= National Basketball Association) → Basketball-Dachverband (= colder right now than the Lakers are the expansion Charlotte Bobcats, who have lost 10 consecutive games, and the Jazz, losers of nine in a row. Bryant never had lost five consecutive before in his NBA career. Every bit of prosperity the Lakers got Sunday, they gave back right away. Chris Mihm blocked a shot at one end, then was blocked at the other. Murray hit a jumper and Hamblen had to yell at Chucky Atkins to push the ball back at Seattle. The Lakers shifted to a zone defense and Murray paraded down the middle for a layup. Brian Grant took a 20-foot jumper at the start of the fourth quarter, missed and then fouled Daniels as part of a three-point play. Ross Siler, (818) 713-3610 ross.siler(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: Kobe Bryant puts ice on his sore jaw during the Lakers' loss to Seattle on Sunday night. Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer Box: GAME RECAP |
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