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November 20, 2012

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High-flying Lakers shoot down Rockets

MIKE D'Antoni's coaching debut was put on hold but the Los Angeles Lakers won anyway on Sunday, beating the Houston Rockets 119-108 behind a triple double performance from superstar Kobe Bryant.

D'Antoni was hoping to make his Lakers head coaching debut on Sunday night, but decided hours before the game that he was not quite ready to return. He is recovering from knee replacement surgery earlier this month and is still on crutches.

Bryant finished with 22 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists and Dwight Howard had 28 points and 13 rebounds in the victory for Los Angeles, which recorded a season-high point total.

"We shot the ball fairly well," Bryant said. "We seemed to make the right decisions. We got to keep playing with a lot of energy, execute well and read the defences well."

D'Antoni conducted the Lakers' practice for the first time on Thursday, but wasn't on the bench for their 114-102 win against Phoenix on Friday or Sunday.

He is now planning on being ready to coach his first game on Tuesday at home against Brooklyn.

"I am hoping but it is day-to-day," D'Antoni said. "I am not going to compromise any kind of energy problems I might have on the bench.

"Bernie (Bickerstaff) does a great job and I have terrific faith in him so hopefully Tuesday is a go."

The Lakers have gone 4-1 under interim head coach Bickerstaff.

Los Angeles began the year 1-4, which resulted in the sacking of Mike Brown.

Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant notched his first career triple-double with 25 points, 13 rebounds and a career-high 10 assists to lead Oklahoma City past Golden State 119-109.

Russell Westbrook had 30 points and Kevin Martin scored 23 for Oklahoma City, while Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 22 points and David Lee had 19 points and 10 rebounds.

Carmelo Anthony had 26 points and nine rebounds to help the New York Knicks back from its first loss of the season with an 88-76 victory over the Indiana Pacers.

 

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