Vintage Bryant propels Lakers over Suns
Wright leads Warriors past Heat to spoil Wade’s return; Wizards break losing spell
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Lakers were scattered everywhere Tuesday: one player too nauseated to play, another celebrating the birth of twin daughters, yet another still fighting a turf-toe injury. But Kobe Bryant suited up. He turned back the clock with 48 points Tuesday, looking as spry as ever in the Lakers’ 99-83 victory over the Phoenix Suns at Staples Center.
Bryant recognized the Lakers’ needs, making 18 of 31 shots and 12 of 13 from the free throw line for the biggest scoring outburst of any NBA player this season. It was the 108th 40-point game of Bryant’s career, his first this season after only three last season.
In fact, it was his highest output since scoring 49 against Phoenix in March 2009.
He was a study in near-symmetry, scoring 17 points in the first quarter and, of greater importance, 16 in the final quarter as the Lakers (7-4) turned a one-point lead early in the quarter into a three-game winning streak.
There were other players on the court – Pau Gasol collecting 16 points and 12 rebounds, and Andrew Bynum scoring 12 points – but the story was Bryant, as it often had been through the years.
For those with short memories, he’s doing it with a torn ligament in his right wrist that normally requires surgery, followed by months of rest and rehabilitation.
:You have to figure out a way to get it done,” Bryant said. “There’s no time to make excuses. If I play bad or have one bad game like I did in Denver, everybody cries for a change or cries for the fact that I’m too old when it’s just a bad game or a bad wrist.
“Nobody wants to hear that, so I make adjustments and go from there.”
Bryant was solid from the start, making eight of 11 shots as the Lakers overcame a 19-10 deficit by scoring the last 15 points of the first quarter.
The Suns had a chance after three quarters but didn’t have much punch beyond Shannon Brown, who scored nine of his 11 points in the final quarter of his first game against his former team.
The night belonged to Bryant, not Brown. (Los Angeles Times/mct)
Warriors 111, Heat 106 (OT)
OAKLAND – Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade returned to lineup after missing three games and led his club with 34 points, but it was former Heat Dorell Wright who scored eight points in overtime to lift the Warriors to an upset win.
Golden State (3-6) snapped its fivegame losing streak. The Warriors had lost two straight at Oracle Arena.
The losing streak was largely due to Golden State’s offensive struggles. Wright came into the game averaging 5.8 points on 32.7 percent shooting. He had missed 22 of his 27 attempts from three-point range.
Tuesday, Wright knocked down six treys and finished with 20 points to go with nine rebounds.
Wright opened overtime with a threepointer. Minutes later, he scored five straight points, his break-away dunk putting the Warriors up 107-104 with 1:06 left.
Wade answered with a jumper. But guard Monta Ellis – who finished with 22 points–put Golden State back up by three, 109-106 with a pull-up over Miami forward Shane Battier.
The Warriors, needing one more stop, forced Wade into a missed bank shot and a bricked three by James. Guard Nate Robinson, who led the Warriors with 24 points off the bench, knocked down a pair of free throws to seal the victory. (Contra Costa Times/mct)
Wizards 93, Raptors 78 WASHINGTON (Reuters) – At the ninth time of asking, the Washington Wizards finally earned their first victory of the season with a surprisingly comfortable triumph over Toronto.
After opening the season with a record run of eight consecutive losses, the Wizards finally put a number in the win column with a performance built on a second quarter in which they outscored the Raptors 29-14.
Nick Young scored 15 points and Rashard Lewis added the same amount in a rare outing off the bench for the Wizards (1-8), who led by 19 after three quarters and coasted to the finish line.
Lewis was a part of a line-up change that also saw former starter Andray Blatche play a reserve role.
Despite trailing 20-17 after the first quarter, Washington kicked on in the second and left the Raptors behind.
Andrea Bargnani had a team-high 22 points to continue his strong start for the Raptors (4-6). He entered the night averaging 23.7 points per game this season.