Dec

23

Kobe Drains 40, Lakers Escape Thunder 111-108

Posted by Stephen Rhodes under NBA Game Recap 

Kobe Bryant

One of these days, the Los Angeles Lakers will need to learn not to subsist on Kobe Bryant’s offense in order to win on a daily basis, because some unsuspecting team will come and expose them. The Lakers on Tuesday night hosted the Oklahoma City Thunder at Staples Center and truth be told, they got a scare of sorts as the Thunder gave as good as they got for 48 minutes; as has been the custom, Bryant came to the rescue as he drained a pair of free throws with 19 seconds left, giving Los Angeles the hard-fought 111-108 win over Oklahoma City.

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook led the Thunder to a 61-54 halftime lead. Bryant scored 18 points in the first half, but his fellow starters managed just eight field goals — including none for Andrew Bynum, who went 0 for 5. Los Angeles made a 13-4 run to open the third quarter, taking the lead on Fisher’s 3-pointer. After trailing by 12 in the first half, Los Angeles blew most of an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter.

Playing at home for the first time since breaking his right index finger in a game against Minnesota, Bryant had another injury scare when he landed awkwardly on his left knee while putting up a backward layup with 5:08 to play. Bryant stayed down on the court for several moments, but shot his own free throws after a timeout — only to take an elbow to the jaw from Westbrook with 3:55 left. Bryant persevered, drawing Durant’s sixth foul before hitting two free throws with 19.5 seconds left in the 102nd 40-point game of his career.

Bryant was the high scorer for the Lakers with 40 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals while Pau Gasol and Derek Fisher added 15 each – with Gasol grabbing 11 rebounds, dishing out an assist along with blocking 6 shots while Fisher hit three treys, grabbed a rebound, dished out 4 assists along with a steal.

Durant led the Thunder with 30 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists and a steal while Westbroook added 21 with 7 rebounds, 13 assists and a steal; Thabo Sefolosha and James Harden scored 16 apiece – with Sefolosha grabbing 5 rebounds, dishing out 3 assists along with a steal and blocking 2 shots while Harden grabbed 2 rebounds.

Los Angeles (23-4) plays again on Friday when they host the Cleveland Cavaliers while Oklahoma City (13-14) makes the short trip east to Phoenix to take on the Suns Wednesday.


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