Bryant OT Basket Boosts Lakers Past Thunder 101-98

Posted by Stephen Rhodes under NBA Game Recap

Kobe Bryant playing under the weather oftentimes is better than the vast majority of players who are feeling just fine; he got the opportunity to illustrate this as the Los Angeles Lakers visited Ford Center to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder Tuesday night. Prior to the game, Bryant had been suffering from flu-like symptoms, but his temperature went down just before tipoff.

And truth be told, this was one of those times where the Lakers truly needed Bryant – flu or not.

Both teams battled valiantly for 48 minutes but in overtime, Bryant hit a jumper with 2:29 remaining and would make a pair of free throws, giving Los Angeles a hard-fought 101-98 win over Oklahoma City.

The Lakers were hot early, manufacturing a 9-0 run, capped by an Andrew Bynum dunk; their lead increased 28-15 after Bryant completed a spurt of six points with a three-pointer. But Oklahoma City would storm back as Kevin Durant scored 10 points during a span bridging the first two quarters and his two free throws gave the Thunder their first lead of the game at 41-40; both teams traded 8-0 spurts just before halftime which set up a tight third quarter in which there were 13 lead changes.

Fast-forwarding to late in the fourth quarter, Oklahoma City had a pair of chances to tie the game, but Thabo Sefolosha and Russell Westbrook each missed treys surrounding a pair of free throws by the Lakers’ Lamar Odom. In overtime, Bryant sealed the win for the Lakers with a jumper with 2:29 left in overtime along with a pair of free throws with 18 ticks left on the game clock.

Bryant led the Lakers with 31 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals and a block while Bynum added 22 with 10 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals; Ron Artest scored 20 with 3 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 steals.

Durant led all Thunder players with 28 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists and a steal but committed 7 turnovers while Jeff Green added 18 with 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks. Los Angeles (3-1) plays again on Wednesday when they visit Toyota Center as they face the Houston Rockets while Oklahoma City (2-2) doesn’t play again until Friday when they visit Houston to take on the Rockets.

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