SKYWARD MINUS STAR LAKERS RALLY FOR GREAT WIN AS BRYANT SITS LAKERS 105, MINNESOTA 96.Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer MINNEAPOLIS - 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. was slouching slouch v. slouched, slouch·ing, slouch·es v.intr. 1. To sit, stand, or walk with an awkward, drooping, excessively relaxed posture. 2. To droop or hang carelessly, as a hat. v. against the scorer's table, his back to the stands, with six minutes left in the fourth quarter Monday night when a voice from the Target Center crowd reached his ears. ``They don't need you, Kobe,'' a fan cried, and Bryant pumped his right fist to answer that, yes, he knew it. For the first time all season, the Lakers didn't need their superstar. Bryant spent the first seven minutes of the fourth quarter on the sidelines On the sidelines An investor who decides not to invest due to market uncertainty. on the sidelines Of or relating to investors who, having assessed the market, have decided to avoid committing their funds. as his team fought back from nine points down in an improbable 105-96 victory over 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). . It was the Lakers' biggest win of the season, as they agreed afterward, and the most unlikely, too. They fell behind by 16 points in the first quarter, when the Lakers' four starters other than Bryant shot a combined 1 for 20. Then they rallied in the fourth quarter, making six 3-pointers and scoring 38 points, with a lineup of 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. , 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. , Jumaine Jones Jumaine Lanard Jones (born February 10 1979, in Cocoa, Florida) is an American professional basketball player. He is currently a free agent after playing for the Phoenix Suns in the NBA. His position is small forward, but he plays power forward occasionally. , Chris Mihm Christopher (Chris) Steven Mihm (born July 16, 1979 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. He stands 7 feet tall (213 cm) and weighs 265 pounds (120 kg). and Chucky Atkins Kenneth Lavon "Chucky" Atkins (born August 14 1974 in Orlando, Florida) is an American professional basketball player currently with the Denver Nuggets in the NBA. on the floor. That would be three starters, two bench players, no Bryant, no 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. . ``We're a team here,'' Bryant said. ``When I'm off the floor, it's not like everything goes to crap.'' After Bryant hadn't rested a second during the first three quarters, Lakers coach Rudy Tomjanovich Rudolph Tomjanovich, Jr. (born November 24 1948, in Hamtramck, Michigan), nicknamed Rudy T., is an American former basketball player and coach. Early life Tomjanovich was born to an American family of Croatian descent. tried to get him a few minutes off at the start of the fourth. They ended up doing a memorable sideline tango as a result. Cook hit two 3-pointers and Atkins added another as the Timberwolves' lead shrank to 79-78. Jones then made a 3-pointer with 8:07 left to give the Lakers their first lead (82-79) since the opening minute. Bryant was up off the bench, and Tomjanovich was trying to figure out how to get him back in. ``I was asking everybody, 'For who, who, which guy?''' Tomjanovich said. Bryant told him to wait a little longer. They ended up locking eyes as Jones drained another 3-pointer to put the Lakers ahead 85-81 with 7:15 left, and Bryant headed back to his seat. He bounded off the bench to congratulate his teammates and spent the next timeout standing with the coaching staff. Bryant finally got up to return after Trenton Hassell Trenton Lavar Hassell (born March 4, 1979 in Clarksville, Tennessee) is an American professional basketball player currently with the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA. A 6'5", 233 lbs guard-forward from Austin Peay State University, Hassell was selected by the Chicago Bulls with made a 16-footer but wasn't able to check in until the 4:28 mark, replacing Jones. ``They were playing in such a good rhythm,'' Bryant said. ``They had a flow going. So we just wanted to ride it out as long as possible. When I checked back in the game, I just did what this team needs me to do, which is to finish ballgames off.'' He did the deed with 1:44 to play, knocking down a 3-pointer to give the Lakers a 96-88 lead. Bryant finished with a game-high 31 points on 9-of-19 shooting in 40 minutes. The story was the rest of the Lakers. Atkins started the game missing his first six shots, four of them 3-point attempts, but finished with 23 points, making 9 of 13 from the second quarter on. ``I wasn't frustrated because I was getting good shots,'' Atkins said. ``If I wasn't getting good shots, then I'd be like, 'What's wrong?' But I was getting good shots. Kobe was finding me.'' Mihm ended up with 14 points and 17 rebounds, bodying up Kevin Garnett Kevin Garnett (born May 19, 1976) is an American professional basketball player for the NBA's Boston Celtics. The 6 ft 11 in, 220 lb (0 kg) power forward is regarded as one of the best all around players in the game today. in the fourth quarter with Odom on the bench. The Lakers gave up only 43 points in the second half and broke the Timberwolves' rhythm with a zone defense. ``We know that when we play defense,'' Mihm said, ``this is a damn good team.'' Said Garnett: ``It was like Pearl Harbor out there. ... Just bombs from everywhere.'' The Lakers (18-14) overcame their biggest deficit of the season in a win and did it during a game in which Tomjanovich exclaimed with 1:20 left in the first quarter, ``God, we can't make a shot,'' as Tierre Brown's jumper clanged off the rim. They could have used any offense in the first quarter - triangle or otherwise - and it wouldn't have mattered, the way they were shooting. Bryant hit a runner on the game's first possession, but the Lakers connected on only 5 of 26 shots in the quarter. ``It was kind of Kobe vs. the T'wolves there in the beginning,'' Mihm said. After suffering two blowout losses to San Antonio and Dallas last week, the Lakers' win was well-received. Minnesota (17-16) lost for the eighth time in 10 games, getting 23 points from Garnett and 20 from Troy Hudson. ``We knew after the end of the first quarter we were only down (by 13),'' Jones said. ``We played the worst basketball we could play, and we were still right there.'' Added Tomjanovich: ``It just shows believing in yourself.'' Ross Siler, (818) 713-3610 ross.siler(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos, 2 boxes Photo: (1 -- color) Kobe Bryant, guarded by Latrell Sprewell, was on the bench during the Lakers' big rally in a confidence-building win. (2) Caron Butler, right, pressures Minnesota's Kevin Garnett in the fourth quarter, when the Lakers made their run. Ann Heisenfelt/Associated Press Box: (1) STORY LINES (2) GAME RECAP |
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