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NBA: Bryant scores 52 to lift Lakers to victory
By The Associated Press
Monday, March 03, 2008 | No comments posted.
Without their biggest star, the Rockets keep on winning. The Lakers are doing it too, thanks to their own superstar.
Houston stretched its winning streak to 15 games, the last three without injured center Yao Ming, in a 103-89 victory over Denver on Sunday. Tracy McGrady scored 22 points and Shane Battier added 20 as the Rockets tied a franchise record for consecutive wins.
“We know how good we are and we’re showing it,” McGrady said. “We’re a focused group, a group that understands how to win ballgames.”
As do the Lakers — give the ball to Kobe Bryant.
Kobe Bryant scored 30 of his 52 points in the fourth quarter and overtime to lead Los Angeles to a 108-104 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. Bryant hit the 50-point mark for the 22nd time in his career and first time this season. He went 15-of-27 from the floor and, constantly driving and drawing fouls, was 20-of-27 from the line.
“We gave him a single look, then we double-teamed him, then we gave him a triple-team and he split the triple-team and scored,” Mavericks coach Avery Johnson said. “We tried to zone him, we tried to funnel him in the trap for a zone and he went the other way. He didn’t cooperate on any of our defenses.
“Obviously he milked the free-throw line on us and he just had it all going. He’s a great player. He has these (games). Lots of these.”
Rockets 103, Nuggets 89
The winning streak is the longest in the NBA this season and matches the longest in Rockets franchise history, reached twice, the last time in their championship season of 1993-94. Houston is 3-0 since losing All-Star center Yao for the season with a stress fracture in his foot. The Rockets have won their last six games by 10 points or more, extending a franchise record.
“It’s been fun ... but it’s a run that we’re not satisfied by,” Battier said. “We feel like we still have a lot of improvement and that’s the exciting part. I don’t think we’re playing our best.”
Denver’s Allen Iverson had a tough night, going 7-for-22 and finishing with a 17 points after scoring 38 on Friday.
Lakers 108, Mavericks 104, OT
Bryant also had 11 rebounds and four assists. Pau Gasol added 17 points and 14 rebounds for the Lakers, who are 12-2 since he played his first game for them on Feb. 5.
Bryant credited the defense as much as anything for the big win.
“All in all, we didn’t give them any good looks, and I think eventually that wears a team down,” Bryant said. “We really got it done on the defensive end.
“It was a physical game. It was back and forth. We didn’t play extremely well, but it felt good to get this one done.”
Dirk Nowitzki had 30 points for Dallas, including a 3-pointer with 2 seconds remaining in regulation to tie it at 93. He had nine points in the extra period, but missed a 3-point try that would have tied it again with 7 seconds remaining.
Cavaliers 95, Bulls 86
At Cleveland, LeBron James scored 37 points and took over down the stretch as the Cavaliers ended the game on a 12-3 run.
Larry Hughes led the Bulls with 23 points, shooting 8-of-20 shots from the field. Gooden scored 11 points with 10 rebounds.
Celtics 98, Hawks 88
At Boston, Paul Pierce scored 30 points, 17 in the pivotal third quarter, and Kevin Garnett had 20 points and 16 rebounds to lead the Celtics to their fifth consecutive win.
Josh Smith scored 20 points and added nine rebounds, and Al Horford had 14 and 11 for the Hawks, who missed a chance to move into a tie for the eighth playoff spot in the East.
Wizards 101, Hornets 84
At Washington, Antawn Jamison had 28 points and nine rebounds, and Washington beat New Orleans for its fourth win in five games and second over the Hornets in a week.
Stojakovic scored 17 points and Chris Paul had 16 to lead the Hornets.
Spurs 93, Nets 83
Tony Parker had 25 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and San Antonio won a season-high ninth straight.
Devin Harris and Vince Carter scored 21 points apiece for the Nets.
Bobcats 110, Raptors 98
At Charlotte, Jason Richardson scored 30 points and the Bobcats took advantage of Chris Bosh’s absence.
Anthony Parker scored 24 points for the Raptors.
Pacers 128, Bucks 106
At Indianapolis, Mike Dunleavy tied his career high of 36 points for the second straight game. Danny Granger had 27 points and nine rebounds as he returned to the starting lineup after being suspended a game for striking Chicago’s Andres Nocioni in the face on Wednesday.
Michael Redd led Milwaukee with 28 points.
SuperSonics 111, Timberwolves 108, OT
At Minneapolis, Kevin Durant scored 25 points, Chris Wilcox added 18 points and 15 rebounds, and Seattle snapped its four-game losing streak.
Al Jefferson led Minnesota with 30 points and 12 rebounds, while Rashad McCants had 18 points.
Kings 120, Heat 109
Ron Artest scored 32 points, Kevin Martin added 29 and host Sacramento overcame a 21-point deficit in the second half.
The victory was sweet revenge for Sacramento, which lost by 21 points last week in Miami when the Heat snapped an 11-game losing streak with their most lopsided victory of the season. Sunday’s victory also broke an eight-game win streak in the series by the Heat.
Dwyane Wade had 26 points and seven assists for Miami.
Houston stretched its winning streak to 15 games, the last three without injured center Yao Ming, in a 103-89 victory over Denver on Sunday. Tracy McGrady scored 22 points and Shane Battier added 20 as the Rockets tied a franchise record for consecutive wins.
“We know how good we are and we’re showing it,” McGrady said. “We’re a focused group, a group that understands how to win ballgames.”
As do the Lakers — give the ball to Kobe Bryant.
Kobe Bryant scored 30 of his 52 points in the fourth quarter and overtime to lead Los Angeles to a 108-104 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. Bryant hit the 50-point mark for the 22nd time in his career and first time this season. He went 15-of-27 from the floor and, constantly driving and drawing fouls, was 20-of-27 from the line.
“We gave him a single look, then we double-teamed him, then we gave him a triple-team and he split the triple-team and scored,” Mavericks coach Avery Johnson said. “We tried to zone him, we tried to funnel him in the trap for a zone and he went the other way. He didn’t cooperate on any of our defenses.
“Obviously he milked the free-throw line on us and he just had it all going. He’s a great player. He has these (games). Lots of these.”
Rockets 103, Nuggets 89
The winning streak is the longest in the NBA this season and matches the longest in Rockets franchise history, reached twice, the last time in their championship season of 1993-94. Houston is 3-0 since losing All-Star center Yao for the season with a stress fracture in his foot. The Rockets have won their last six games by 10 points or more, extending a franchise record.
“It’s been fun ... but it’s a run that we’re not satisfied by,” Battier said. “We feel like we still have a lot of improvement and that’s the exciting part. I don’t think we’re playing our best.”
Denver’s Allen Iverson had a tough night, going 7-for-22 and finishing with a 17 points after scoring 38 on Friday.
Lakers 108, Mavericks 104, OT
Bryant also had 11 rebounds and four assists. Pau Gasol added 17 points and 14 rebounds for the Lakers, who are 12-2 since he played his first game for them on Feb. 5.
Bryant credited the defense as much as anything for the big win.
“All in all, we didn’t give them any good looks, and I think eventually that wears a team down,” Bryant said. “We really got it done on the defensive end.
“It was a physical game. It was back and forth. We didn’t play extremely well, but it felt good to get this one done.”
Dirk Nowitzki had 30 points for Dallas, including a 3-pointer with 2 seconds remaining in regulation to tie it at 93. He had nine points in the extra period, but missed a 3-point try that would have tied it again with 7 seconds remaining.
Cavaliers 95, Bulls 86
At Cleveland, LeBron James scored 37 points and took over down the stretch as the Cavaliers ended the game on a 12-3 run.
Larry Hughes led the Bulls with 23 points, shooting 8-of-20 shots from the field. Gooden scored 11 points with 10 rebounds.
Celtics 98, Hawks 88
At Boston, Paul Pierce scored 30 points, 17 in the pivotal third quarter, and Kevin Garnett had 20 points and 16 rebounds to lead the Celtics to their fifth consecutive win.
Josh Smith scored 20 points and added nine rebounds, and Al Horford had 14 and 11 for the Hawks, who missed a chance to move into a tie for the eighth playoff spot in the East.
Wizards 101, Hornets 84
At Washington, Antawn Jamison had 28 points and nine rebounds, and Washington beat New Orleans for its fourth win in five games and second over the Hornets in a week.
Stojakovic scored 17 points and Chris Paul had 16 to lead the Hornets.
Spurs 93, Nets 83
Tony Parker had 25 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and San Antonio won a season-high ninth straight.
Devin Harris and Vince Carter scored 21 points apiece for the Nets.
Bobcats 110, Raptors 98
At Charlotte, Jason Richardson scored 30 points and the Bobcats took advantage of Chris Bosh’s absence.
Anthony Parker scored 24 points for the Raptors.
Pacers 128, Bucks 106
At Indianapolis, Mike Dunleavy tied his career high of 36 points for the second straight game. Danny Granger had 27 points and nine rebounds as he returned to the starting lineup after being suspended a game for striking Chicago’s Andres Nocioni in the face on Wednesday.
Michael Redd led Milwaukee with 28 points.
SuperSonics 111, Timberwolves 108, OT
At Minneapolis, Kevin Durant scored 25 points, Chris Wilcox added 18 points and 15 rebounds, and Seattle snapped its four-game losing streak.
Al Jefferson led Minnesota with 30 points and 12 rebounds, while Rashad McCants had 18 points.
Kings 120, Heat 109
Ron Artest scored 32 points, Kevin Martin added 29 and host Sacramento overcame a 21-point deficit in the second half.
The victory was sweet revenge for Sacramento, which lost by 21 points last week in Miami when the Heat snapped an 11-game losing streak with their most lopsided victory of the season. Sunday’s victory also broke an eight-game win streak in the series by the Heat.
Dwyane Wade had 26 points and seven assists for Miami.
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