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Kobe shines as Lakers thwart Knicks
Source: Agencies |
December 31, 2011, Saturday
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KOBE Bryant's injured wrist did not prevent the All Star guard from lifting the Los Angeles Lakers to a 99-82 win over the visiting New York Knicks on Thursday.
Skipping, spinning and grinning, Bryant unleashed his full arsenal of moves while scoring 13 of his 28 points in the third quarter despite playing through a right wrist injury.
Bryant also dished out a pair of game-clinching assists in the final quarter to give the Lakers their second win in a row following an 0-2 start to the season.
Los Angeles also looked more comfortable with first-year coach Mike Brown's game plan as they took control in the first quarter and never let go.
"Obviously, Kobe is Kobe," Brown said. "You can't downplay what he does because he did everything for us."
The Lakers held the Knicks to just 31 percent shooting and never allowed the visitors to settle. Los Angeles, with Pau Gasol scoring 16 and grabbing 10 rebounds, took a 63-51 halftime lead and New York got no closer than eight in the second half.
"We're growing as a team," Lakers guard Steve Blake said after finishing with 11 points. "Every day in practice, every game we grow more comfortable."
New York's Carmelo Anthony scored a team-high 27 and Amar'e Stoudemire had 15 but made just 4 of 17 shots as the Knicks fell to 1-2.
"You have to be able to score," said New York coach Mike D'Antoni. "We just weren't able to make shots. We're not moving the ball and not playing real well as a team right now."
In other games, it was: Thunder 104, Mavericks 102; Rockets 105, Spurs 85; Magic 94, Nets 78; Trail Blazers 111, Nuggets 102; and Bulls 108, Kings 98.
In Oklahoma City, Kevin Durant scored 30 points and hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to lift the Thunder to a 104-102 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday.
The game was a rematch of last season's NBA Western Conference finals.
The Thunder let Dallas wipe away a five-point deficit in the final 46 seconds to go ahead on Vince Carter's 3-pointer with 1.4 seconds remaining.
That was just enough time for Oklahoma City to get the ball to Durant, who drilled a 3 from the right wing that improved his team to 4-0.
Dirk Nowitzki had 29 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Mavericks, whose title defense is off to an 0-3 start.
In Houston, Kevin Martin scored 25 points to lead Houston to a comfortable win over San Antonio.
Luis Scola added 18 for the Rockets, who took advantage of the Spurs' poor shooting at the start to build a big lead.
First-year Houston coach Kevin McHale was able to rest his starters in the fourth quarter, with his team playing the first of three games on consecutive nights.
Skipping, spinning and grinning, Bryant unleashed his full arsenal of moves while scoring 13 of his 28 points in the third quarter despite playing through a right wrist injury.
Bryant also dished out a pair of game-clinching assists in the final quarter to give the Lakers their second win in a row following an 0-2 start to the season.
Los Angeles also looked more comfortable with first-year coach Mike Brown's game plan as they took control in the first quarter and never let go.
"Obviously, Kobe is Kobe," Brown said. "You can't downplay what he does because he did everything for us."
The Lakers held the Knicks to just 31 percent shooting and never allowed the visitors to settle. Los Angeles, with Pau Gasol scoring 16 and grabbing 10 rebounds, took a 63-51 halftime lead and New York got no closer than eight in the second half.
"We're growing as a team," Lakers guard Steve Blake said after finishing with 11 points. "Every day in practice, every game we grow more comfortable."
New York's Carmelo Anthony scored a team-high 27 and Amar'e Stoudemire had 15 but made just 4 of 17 shots as the Knicks fell to 1-2.
"You have to be able to score," said New York coach Mike D'Antoni. "We just weren't able to make shots. We're not moving the ball and not playing real well as a team right now."
In other games, it was: Thunder 104, Mavericks 102; Rockets 105, Spurs 85; Magic 94, Nets 78; Trail Blazers 111, Nuggets 102; and Bulls 108, Kings 98.
In Oklahoma City, Kevin Durant scored 30 points and hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to lift the Thunder to a 104-102 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday.
The game was a rematch of last season's NBA Western Conference finals.
The Thunder let Dallas wipe away a five-point deficit in the final 46 seconds to go ahead on Vince Carter's 3-pointer with 1.4 seconds remaining.
That was just enough time for Oklahoma City to get the ball to Durant, who drilled a 3 from the right wing that improved his team to 4-0.
Dirk Nowitzki had 29 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Mavericks, whose title defense is off to an 0-3 start.
In Houston, Kevin Martin scored 25 points to lead Houston to a comfortable win over San Antonio.
Luis Scola added 18 for the Rockets, who took advantage of the Spurs' poor shooting at the start to build a big lead.
First-year Houston coach Kevin McHale was able to rest his starters in the fourth quarter, with his team playing the first of three games on consecutive nights.
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