03-04-2004, 01:05 PM
48 minutes ago
By The Associated Press
After missing a game to attend a court proceeding in Eagle, Colo., Kobe Bryant return to the Los Angeles Lakers (news) and made a fadeaway jumper over Yao Ming with 32 seconds left to give his team the lead for good in a 96-93 win over the Houston Rockets (news) on Wednesday night.
"I only missed one game. It wasn't tough to get back," Bryant said. "I was shocked when I saw the score last night. So, this game was critical. We couldn't come out and drop another one. We've got to turn it up right now."
Bryant, who missed Tuesday night's loss at Atlanta, finished with 18 points. He shot 7-for-19 from the field and his 13 assists were two short of his career high for the Lakers, who have won eight of 10. Los Angeles beat the Rockets for the first time in three games this season.
After Jim Jackson gave Houston a 93-92 lead with 39 seconds remaining, Bryant made a 22-footer over Yao to complete the Lakers' comeback from 10 points down with 7:45 to play.
"He brought a lot of energy to us," O'Neal said of Bryant. "He played particularly well in the fourth quarter. We made a lot of mistakes in the third quarter, a lot of turnovers and he helped us overcome that down the stretch."
In other NBA games, it was: Cleveland 112, Atlanta 80; Washington 84, Toronto 70; Milwaukee 105, Orlando 97; New York 88, Philadelphia 77; Minnesota 121, Dallas 97; New Orleans 100, Chicago 97 in OT; San Antonio 88, Seattle 84; Phoenix 87, New Jersey 74; Memphis 97, Portland 88; and Indiana 101, L.A. Clippers 94 in OT.
Shaquille O'Neal, who had 28 points, started the fourth-quarter rally with a three-point play and a goaltending basket. Derek Fisher hit a 3-pointer and Luke Walton's 3 with 5:16 to play gave Los Angeles an 82-81 lead.
Walton tied it again at 87 with another 3-pointer. After missing two free throws that would have given the Lakers the lead, O'Neal scooped up a loose ball and slammed it home with 2:19 to play.
Steve Francis made a layup with 1:48 to go, but Gary Payton sank a go-ahead 3-pointer for a 92-89 lead. Francis hit two free throws before Jackson's basket gave the Rockets their final lead.
"We had a double-digit lead and they were able to close it," said Yao, who had 33 points. "They just made a few less mistakes, but I didn't think we made a lot of mistakes."
Cavaliers 112, Hawks 80
At Cleveland, LeBron James scored 24 points in three quarters and Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 17, and the Cavaliers rolled to a win over Atlanta.
Carlos Boozer added 12 points and 15 rebounds, and Lee Nailon added 10 points in his first game for Cleveland.
Stephen Jackson led Atlanta with 20 points.
Wizards 84, Raptors 70
At Washington, Gilbert Arenas scored 27 points and the Wizards won for the fourth time in five games.
Etan Thomas finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds for Washington.
Donyell Marshall scored 22 to lead Toronto.
Bucks 105, Magic 97
At Orlando, Fla., Keith Van Horn scored 25 points and Damon Jones tied the NBA's season high with 17 assists in leading Milwaukee to its fourth straight victory.
Michael Redd added 24 points, 16 after halftime, and Desmond Mason scored 22 for Milwaukee.
Tracy McGrady scored 20 of his 31 points after halftime for the Magic.
Knicks 88, 76ers 77
At New York, Stephon Marbury scored six of his 36 points during an 8-0 run midway through the fourth quarter as the Knicks snapped a six-game losing streak.
Philadelphia's Allen Iverson returned after a four-game absence due to a bruised shoulder and shot 2-for-21 and had 11 points.
Minnesota 121, Dallas 97
At Minneapolis, Kevin Garnett had 28 points and 19 rebounds to lead Minnesota.
Troy Hudson scored 22 points and Latrell Sprewell added 20 for the Timberwolves, who shot 55.2 percent from the field.
Marquis Daniels and Michael Finley each scored 16 points for Dallas.
Spurs 88, SuperSonics 84
At San Antonio, Tony Parker had 11 points and three steals in the fourth quarter to help the Spurs hang on after blowing a 13-point lead to start the period.
Hedo Turkoglu led San Antonio with 18 points, and Parker had 17 points and a career-high six steals.
Flip Murray led Seattle with 24 points.
Hornets 100, Bulls 97, OT
At New Orleans, Jamal Mashburn made a turnaround 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Hornets a win in overtime.
Mashburn scored 27 points on 9-of-26 shooting. His 3 with 33 seconds to go in regulation forced the extra period. P.J. Brown scored a season-high 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.
Jamaal Crawford led Chicago with 34, including six 3-pointers.
Suns 87, Nets 74
At Phoenix, Amare Stoudemire had 32 points to become the first Suns player in eight years to score at least 20 in 10 consecutive games.
The last Suns player with a double-digit, 20-point streak was Charles Barkley, who did it twice during the 1995-96 season, his last in Phoenix.
Richard Jefferson had 26 points for New Jersey, which was without injured Jason Kidd for the second straight game.
Grizzlies 97, Trail Blazers 88
Bonzi Wells scored 28 points for Memphis in his first trip to Portland since being traded Dec. 3. The game was originally scheduled for Jan. 6, but an intense snowstorm in Portland forced its postponement until Wednesday.
Pau Gasol added 25 points and 11 rebounds for the Grizzlies, while Ruben Patterson led the Blazers with 19 points.
Pacers 101, Clippers 94, OT
At Los Angeles, Reggie Miller hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 1:49 left in overtime for Indiana.
Elton Brand scored 24 points for the Clippers, who have lost 10 of 13.
By The Associated Press
After missing a game to attend a court proceeding in Eagle, Colo., Kobe Bryant return to the Los Angeles Lakers (news) and made a fadeaway jumper over Yao Ming with 32 seconds left to give his team the lead for good in a 96-93 win over the Houston Rockets (news) on Wednesday night.
"I only missed one game. It wasn't tough to get back," Bryant said. "I was shocked when I saw the score last night. So, this game was critical. We couldn't come out and drop another one. We've got to turn it up right now."
Bryant, who missed Tuesday night's loss at Atlanta, finished with 18 points. He shot 7-for-19 from the field and his 13 assists were two short of his career high for the Lakers, who have won eight of 10. Los Angeles beat the Rockets for the first time in three games this season.
After Jim Jackson gave Houston a 93-92 lead with 39 seconds remaining, Bryant made a 22-footer over Yao to complete the Lakers' comeback from 10 points down with 7:45 to play.
"He brought a lot of energy to us," O'Neal said of Bryant. "He played particularly well in the fourth quarter. We made a lot of mistakes in the third quarter, a lot of turnovers and he helped us overcome that down the stretch."
In other NBA games, it was: Cleveland 112, Atlanta 80; Washington 84, Toronto 70; Milwaukee 105, Orlando 97; New York 88, Philadelphia 77; Minnesota 121, Dallas 97; New Orleans 100, Chicago 97 in OT; San Antonio 88, Seattle 84; Phoenix 87, New Jersey 74; Memphis 97, Portland 88; and Indiana 101, L.A. Clippers 94 in OT.
Shaquille O'Neal, who had 28 points, started the fourth-quarter rally with a three-point play and a goaltending basket. Derek Fisher hit a 3-pointer and Luke Walton's 3 with 5:16 to play gave Los Angeles an 82-81 lead.
Walton tied it again at 87 with another 3-pointer. After missing two free throws that would have given the Lakers the lead, O'Neal scooped up a loose ball and slammed it home with 2:19 to play.
Steve Francis made a layup with 1:48 to go, but Gary Payton sank a go-ahead 3-pointer for a 92-89 lead. Francis hit two free throws before Jackson's basket gave the Rockets their final lead.
"We had a double-digit lead and they were able to close it," said Yao, who had 33 points. "They just made a few less mistakes, but I didn't think we made a lot of mistakes."
Cavaliers 112, Hawks 80
At Cleveland, LeBron James scored 24 points in three quarters and Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 17, and the Cavaliers rolled to a win over Atlanta.
Carlos Boozer added 12 points and 15 rebounds, and Lee Nailon added 10 points in his first game for Cleveland.
Stephen Jackson led Atlanta with 20 points.
Wizards 84, Raptors 70
At Washington, Gilbert Arenas scored 27 points and the Wizards won for the fourth time in five games.
Etan Thomas finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds for Washington.
Donyell Marshall scored 22 to lead Toronto.
Bucks 105, Magic 97
At Orlando, Fla., Keith Van Horn scored 25 points and Damon Jones tied the NBA's season high with 17 assists in leading Milwaukee to its fourth straight victory.
Michael Redd added 24 points, 16 after halftime, and Desmond Mason scored 22 for Milwaukee.
Tracy McGrady scored 20 of his 31 points after halftime for the Magic.
Knicks 88, 76ers 77
At New York, Stephon Marbury scored six of his 36 points during an 8-0 run midway through the fourth quarter as the Knicks snapped a six-game losing streak.
Philadelphia's Allen Iverson returned after a four-game absence due to a bruised shoulder and shot 2-for-21 and had 11 points.
Minnesota 121, Dallas 97
At Minneapolis, Kevin Garnett had 28 points and 19 rebounds to lead Minnesota.
Troy Hudson scored 22 points and Latrell Sprewell added 20 for the Timberwolves, who shot 55.2 percent from the field.
Marquis Daniels and Michael Finley each scored 16 points for Dallas.
Spurs 88, SuperSonics 84
At San Antonio, Tony Parker had 11 points and three steals in the fourth quarter to help the Spurs hang on after blowing a 13-point lead to start the period.
Hedo Turkoglu led San Antonio with 18 points, and Parker had 17 points and a career-high six steals.
Flip Murray led Seattle with 24 points.
Hornets 100, Bulls 97, OT
At New Orleans, Jamal Mashburn made a turnaround 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Hornets a win in overtime.
Mashburn scored 27 points on 9-of-26 shooting. His 3 with 33 seconds to go in regulation forced the extra period. P.J. Brown scored a season-high 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.
Jamaal Crawford led Chicago with 34, including six 3-pointers.
Suns 87, Nets 74
At Phoenix, Amare Stoudemire had 32 points to become the first Suns player in eight years to score at least 20 in 10 consecutive games.
The last Suns player with a double-digit, 20-point streak was Charles Barkley, who did it twice during the 1995-96 season, his last in Phoenix.
Richard Jefferson had 26 points for New Jersey, which was without injured Jason Kidd for the second straight game.
Grizzlies 97, Trail Blazers 88
Bonzi Wells scored 28 points for Memphis in his first trip to Portland since being traded Dec. 3. The game was originally scheduled for Jan. 6, but an intense snowstorm in Portland forced its postponement until Wednesday.
Pau Gasol added 25 points and 11 rebounds for the Grizzlies, while Ruben Patterson led the Blazers with 19 points.
Pacers 101, Clippers 94, OT
At Los Angeles, Reggie Miller hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 1:49 left in overtime for Indiana.
Elton Brand scored 24 points for the Clippers, who have lost 10 of 13.
