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Bryant sparkles as Lakers honor ex-center Shaq
Source: AFP |
April 4, 2013, Thursday
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KOBE Bryant's 19th career triple-double lifted the Los Angeles Lakers to a 101-81 triumph over the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday in a duel between teams fighting for a Western Conference playoff spot.
On a night when the Lakers honored former center Shaquille O'Neal by retiring his jersey No. 34 in an extended halftime ceremony, Bryant and his current teammates showed their minds were firmly fixed on the future and not the past.
Bryant scored 23 points with 11 rebounds and 11 assists. Big man Dwight Howard scored a game-high 24 points and also grabbed 12 rebounds and Earl Clark had a double-double off the bench of 17 points and 12 rebounds.
Pau Gasol added 14 points, 10 rebounds and six assists and Steve Blake chipped in 11 points as the Lakers pulled level with the Utah Jazz for the eighth and final spot in the West - although Utah owns the tiebreaker between the two clubs.
"I just thought our defense in the first half was great," Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni said. "I didn't think we had a great game offensively ... didn't get 'hot'. But we were playing so hard defensively we won it that way."
The Mavericks were led by Chris Kaman, who scored 14 points before fouling out.
OJ Mayo added 12 points and Dirk Nowitzki, Darren Collison and Vince Carter each contributed 11 points.
Elsewhere in the National Basketball Association on Tuesday, it was: Wizards 90, Bulls 86; and Knicks 102, Heat 90.
In Los Angeles, in a pre-recorded video played at halftime, Bryant called former teammate O'Neal "the most gifted specimen I've ever seen play this game".
Former Lakers coach Phil Jackson then spoke about O'Neal, who played eight seasons with the Lakers from 1996-2004, wining three titles in four NBA finals appearances. "Fun, fun, fun, did we have fun!" said Jackson, who received a rapturous welcome from the Staples Center crowd.
"For me, Shaquille, I want to thank you for your dedication, leadership and the hard work you put in," he added.
O'Neal dedicated the night to late Lakers owner Jerry Buss. He thanked his parents and six children.
"It's a dream come true. It's a blessing," O'Neal said of the honor of having his jersey retired.
On a night when the Lakers honored former center Shaquille O'Neal by retiring his jersey No. 34 in an extended halftime ceremony, Bryant and his current teammates showed their minds were firmly fixed on the future and not the past.
Bryant scored 23 points with 11 rebounds and 11 assists. Big man Dwight Howard scored a game-high 24 points and also grabbed 12 rebounds and Earl Clark had a double-double off the bench of 17 points and 12 rebounds.
Pau Gasol added 14 points, 10 rebounds and six assists and Steve Blake chipped in 11 points as the Lakers pulled level with the Utah Jazz for the eighth and final spot in the West - although Utah owns the tiebreaker between the two clubs.
"I just thought our defense in the first half was great," Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni said. "I didn't think we had a great game offensively ... didn't get 'hot'. But we were playing so hard defensively we won it that way."
The Mavericks were led by Chris Kaman, who scored 14 points before fouling out.
OJ Mayo added 12 points and Dirk Nowitzki, Darren Collison and Vince Carter each contributed 11 points.
Elsewhere in the National Basketball Association on Tuesday, it was: Wizards 90, Bulls 86; and Knicks 102, Heat 90.
In Los Angeles, in a pre-recorded video played at halftime, Bryant called former teammate O'Neal "the most gifted specimen I've ever seen play this game".
Former Lakers coach Phil Jackson then spoke about O'Neal, who played eight seasons with the Lakers from 1996-2004, wining three titles in four NBA finals appearances. "Fun, fun, fun, did we have fun!" said Jackson, who received a rapturous welcome from the Staples Center crowd.
"For me, Shaquille, I want to thank you for your dedication, leadership and the hard work you put in," he added.
O'Neal dedicated the night to late Lakers owner Jerry Buss. He thanked his parents and six children.
"It's a dream come true. It's a blessing," O'Neal said of the honor of having his jersey retired.
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