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Late Lakers surge steals Magic show
Source: Agencies |
January 20, 2010, Wednesday
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THE Los Angeles Lakers picked up where they left off in the NBA Finals last June by finishing strongly to beat the Orlando Magic 98-92 on Monday.
In a theme familiar from the Lakers' 4-1 championship series triumph last year, the Magic looked to be going well before a Los Angeles late surge stole the show.
Shannon Brown scored a career-high 22 points and Pau Gasol added 17 with 10 rebounds as the Lakers seized the momentum with a 23-2 run in a stretch extending from the third to the fourth quarter.
Orlando shook off an early deficit and led 67-58 with 3:15 left in the third but then failed to make a field goal for more than nine minutes.
"It was the defensive effort we brought," said Gasol, who was playing his second successive game after missing six in a row with a hamstring injury.
"We didn't start the third with any intensity and they took advantage of it. We started hustling and working and played (Dwight Howard) more physically."
Howard scored 18 of his 24 points in the first half but was subdued after the break as the Magic (26-15) slid to their seventh defeat in nine game.
Orlando has looked nothing like the Eastern Conference champions of a year ago, in terms of both effort and personnel. Offseason acquisition Vince Carter has struggled with his shooting and that trend continued on Monday as he managed just nine points on 3-for-11 shooting.
Kobe Bryant, playing with a broken finger on his shooting hand and a sore back, scored 11 on 4-for-19 shooting.
"I think he's OK physically but he didn't practice, and sometimes when you don't practice your rhythm is off a little bit," said Lakers coach Phil Jackson.
In Boston, Dirk Nowitzki had 37 points, scoring nine in a row during a third-quarter run as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Celtics 99-90.
Jason Kidd scored 13 points and added 17 assists for the Mavericks.
In Washington, Antawn Jamison scored 21 of his 28 points after halftime and Caron Butler made two big baskets down the stretch as the Wizards put together a rare winning streak with a 97-92 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.
In other action, it was: Knicks 99, Pistons 91; Thunder 94, Hawks 91; Bobcats 105, Kings 103; Rockets 101, Bucks 98, OT; Clippers 106, Nets 95; Timberwolves 108, 76ers 103, OT; Spurs 97, Hornets 90; Warriors 114, Bulls 97; and Grizzlies 125, Suns 118.
In a theme familiar from the Lakers' 4-1 championship series triumph last year, the Magic looked to be going well before a Los Angeles late surge stole the show.
Shannon Brown scored a career-high 22 points and Pau Gasol added 17 with 10 rebounds as the Lakers seized the momentum with a 23-2 run in a stretch extending from the third to the fourth quarter.
Orlando shook off an early deficit and led 67-58 with 3:15 left in the third but then failed to make a field goal for more than nine minutes.
"It was the defensive effort we brought," said Gasol, who was playing his second successive game after missing six in a row with a hamstring injury.
"We didn't start the third with any intensity and they took advantage of it. We started hustling and working and played (Dwight Howard) more physically."
Howard scored 18 of his 24 points in the first half but was subdued after the break as the Magic (26-15) slid to their seventh defeat in nine game.
Orlando has looked nothing like the Eastern Conference champions of a year ago, in terms of both effort and personnel. Offseason acquisition Vince Carter has struggled with his shooting and that trend continued on Monday as he managed just nine points on 3-for-11 shooting.
Kobe Bryant, playing with a broken finger on his shooting hand and a sore back, scored 11 on 4-for-19 shooting.
"I think he's OK physically but he didn't practice, and sometimes when you don't practice your rhythm is off a little bit," said Lakers coach Phil Jackson.
In Boston, Dirk Nowitzki had 37 points, scoring nine in a row during a third-quarter run as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Celtics 99-90.
Jason Kidd scored 13 points and added 17 assists for the Mavericks.
In Washington, Antawn Jamison scored 21 of his 28 points after halftime and Caron Butler made two big baskets down the stretch as the Wizards put together a rare winning streak with a 97-92 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.
In other action, it was: Knicks 99, Pistons 91; Thunder 94, Hawks 91; Bobcats 105, Kings 103; Rockets 101, Bucks 98, OT; Clippers 106, Nets 95; Timberwolves 108, 76ers 103, OT; Spurs 97, Hornets 90; Warriors 114, Bulls 97; and Grizzlies 125, Suns 118.
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