Subs support Kobe in Lakers win
Kobe Bryant again hit the big shots. But this victory belonged to the Lakers bench.
Amid a mix of "M-V-P" chants and passionate boos, Bryant scored 46 points, 31 in the second half, and the Los Angeles bench added 33 points in the Lakers’ 112-109 win over the Seattle SuperSonics on Friday night.
Bryant made 13 of 27 shots, including a 19-footer with 1:41 left that gave the Lakers a 105-103 lead they wouldn’t relinquish. It was Bryant’s 16th game this season of 40 points or more, and the Lakers picked up a crucial victory in their ongoing fight with Denver and the Clippers for the sixth seed in the Western Conference.
Los Angeles had lost four of five.
Chris Wilcox scored a career-high 32 points and grabbed 18 rebounds. Seattle led for much of the game, despite an off-shooting performance from Rashard Lewis and Luke Ridnour going down late in the first quarter with a left ankle injury.
Seattle has lost four straight.
After scoring 20 in the third quarter, Bryant was quiet until midway through the fourth. His first basket came with 6:37 left and gave the Lakers a 94-93 lead. Wilcox converted a three-point play to put Seattle up 96-94, but Bryant spun through the lane and found Maurice Evans open for a 3-pointer that gave the Lakers the lead at 97-96 with 6 minutes left.
Seattle would tie the score twice more, but could never get the lead back.
Two Earl Watson free throws pulled Seattle even at 103-all with 1:55 left. Bryant then caught the ball near the top of the key, dribbled once to his left and hit a 19-footer with Damien Wilkins and Watson in his face for a 105-103 lead.
Jordan Farmar and Ronny Turiaf then came up with steals on Seattle’s next two possessions and when the Sonics finally got a shot off, Nick Collison missed on the baseline against tough defense from Luke Walton and Turiaf. Walton was fouled and made both free throws.
Turiaf was part of the Lakers crucial bench effort, with 10 points, four rebounds and four blocked shots. Brian Cook added 11 points, including three 3-pointers, and Farmar scored seven points with three rebounds and two assists in 14 minutes.
Lamar Odom scored 20, making 9 of 11 shots for Los Angeles, who trailed by 12 midway through the third quarter. The Lakers were outrebounded 50-31, playing their second straight game without center Kwame Brown, out with a sprained left ankle.
Wilkins scored 25 for Seattle, and Watson finished with 16, but Lewis was harassed by Odom all night and scored just nine points, missing 10 of his 14 shots.
Even for most of the first half, Seattle sprinted to a 12-point advantage late in the first half behind a 18-4 run. The spurt was highlighted by Wilcox and Watson, and some carelessness by Odom.
With the Lakers about to call timeout, Odom became lax with the ball near midcourt. Watson jarred the ball loose, as coach Phil Jackson walked on the court assuming the timeout was about to be called.
Wilcox grabbed the loose ball, passed to Watson, who drove and passed off the backboard to a trailing Wilcox for a two-handed slam.
Four of Wilcox’s seven first-half field goals came on dunks.
Notes: Before the game Jackson tried to diffuse any controversy over the benching of Smush Parker on Wednesday night against the Clippers saying he was a Parker supporter. Parker did little to back Jackson’s support with just 3 points in 24 minutes. … Seattle All-Star Ray Allen is scheduled to have surgery in Los Angeles on Saturday to remove bone spurs from his left ankle.
