For all the triumphant moments Kobe Bryant has experienced in this city, from the second championship he won with the Lakers to the state title he brought his high school, came a Friday night the superstar guard would have rather forgotten.
He arrived at Wachovia Center averaging an NBA-leading 34.8 points per game, starting this season in a fashion not seen since Michael Jordan a decade ago. Yet Bryant found himself in an abyss all game against his hometown Philadelphia 76ers.
There was still a chance in the end, but that went like nearly all of Bryant's shots on the night. He clanked a 3-pointer off the side of the rim with 5.9 seconds left as the Lakers lost 85-81, with Bryant finishing with just 17 points on 7-for-27 shooting.
PHOTO: REUTERS
"I'm not going to shoot the ball great every night," Bryant said. "I'm going to have off nights and tonight was one of them."
That capped the second consecutive late-game collapse by the Lakers, who scored only 12 points in the fourth quarter. Bryant helped lead them back from a five-point deficit in the final two minutes but could not come through at the most critical moment.
With 7.9 seconds left, Bryant took an inbounds pass a little left of straightaway and fired immediately over Philadelphia's second-year guard Andre Iguodala, who harassed Bryant all night.
Whether it was the shot Lakers coach Phil Jackson was looking for was another story. Jackson had diagrammed the final play hoping Bryant would drive and Sixers star Allen Iverson would help on defense, leaving guard Smush Parker open in the corner.
Instead, Bryant took the shot himself, with Jackson saying afterward, "I have to give him the credit that he can shoot that shot." Bryant also pulled up for a long jumper at the end of regulation at Denver when Jackson wanted him to drive.
Said Bryant: "I was going to read the defense and see if I had an open look. My balance was off, though. I was leaning left when I shot it. Those are the type of shots that you just kick yourself because you know if you square up and just get your balance, you'll knock it down."
The final shot by Bryant was one of two possessions that decided the game. The first came after Bryant faked Iguodala into the air and pushed in a five-footer with 37.8 seconds left to tie the score at 81.
Out of a timeout, Parker was supposed to stay with Iverson as the Sixers tried to get him the ball. But Parker, who came into Friday leading the league in steals, gambled and tried to get a hand on a pass to Kyle Korver at the top of the floor.
Parker did just that, but Korver came up with the ball and slid a pass to Iverson, who knocked down an open jumper with 22.3 seconds remaining.
"The ball was in my hands," Parker said. "I had it in my head I was going down the other way and dunking. Next thing I know Iverson is shooting a 15-footer for the game-winning basket."
That the Lakers were in the game at all in the end was remarkable considering the minefield the fourth quarter was for them. They led 69-62 entering the quarter, then went scoreless for more than five minutes before center Chris Mihm pounded in a basket.
Jackson played Laron Profit and Sasha Vujacic in the backcourt to start the quarter while Bryant rested and the Lakers buckled. Profit had the ball stolen and missed two critical free throws after the Sixers closed to three points.
"Whenever you miss two free throws, it's a real spell of doom," Jackson said.
The homecoming for Bryant, meanwhile, didn't go as planned, even though he spoke glowingly of returning to Philadelphia before the game. Bryant was booed loudly by the crowd, as he always is.
"I love it because this is where it all began for me," he said. "Despite the reaction I get from the crowd, this is where I honed my skills. It's exciting to be able to come back and show everybody how I've matured as a basketball player."
But Bryant missed his first eight shots and was smothered by Iguodala, with help from Korver and John Salmons, all game. He even was called for an offensive foul trying to free himself from Iguodala in the fourth quarter.
Cavaliers 89, Grizzlies 70
At Cleveland, LeBron James scored 16 points, Zydrunas Ilgauskas had 14 points and 12 rebounds and Cleveland clamped down defensively on Memphis.
The Cavs, improving each time out under first-year coach Mike Brown, contested every shot, outhustled the Grizzlies to every loose ball and dominated the boards, outrebounding Memphis 49-29 while holding it to a season low in points.
James added six rebounds and two assists in 26 foul-plagued minutes for Cleveland. He needs 10 points to become the youngest player in NBA history to reach 4,000 career points. James (20 years, 316 days) will likely hit the mark and pass Kobe Bryant (21 years, 216 days) when the Cavaliers play at Orlando on Sunday.
Eddie Jones scored 15 points for Memphis.
Wizards 137, SuperSonics 96
At Washington, Gilbert Arenas scored 32 points in 31 minutes, Butler had a season-high 24, and Antawn Jamison added 19 points and 11 rebounds as Washington downed Seattle.
It was the first time since Feb. 22, 2000, against Milwaukee that Washington scored at least 100 before the fourth quarter. The Wizards' point total also eclipsed their MCI Center record of 126 from that 2000 game. The arena opened in December 1997.
Rashard Lewis and Ray Allen each had 17 points for Seattle.
Pacers 102, Nets 90
At Indianapolis, Ron Artest scored a season-high 30 points on 10-for-15 shooting to lead Indiana over New Jersey.
Jermaine O'Neal added 20 points, Anthony Johnson scored 15 of his 19 points in the third quarter, and Stephen Jackson had 15.
Vince Carter led the Nets with 18 points.
Spurs 103, Celtics 82
At Boston, Tim Duncan had 29 points and 12 rebounds to help San Antonio beat Boston for the 16th consecutive time.
Tony Parker added 23 points and Bruce Bowen had 12 for the Spurs (5-1). Paul Pierce had 20 points and 10 rebounds for Boston, which last beat the Spurs on Jan. 8, 1997.
Mavericks 98, Bobcats 88
At Charlotte, North Carolina, Dirk Nowitzki shrugged off a back problem to score 23 points and grab 16 rebounds for Dallas.
Devin Harris added 21 points for the Mavericks, Keith Van Horn had 16 and Josh Howard 12. Melvin Ely led Charlotte with 14 points.
Jazz 99, Raptors 84
At Toronto, Mehmet Okur had 29 points and 12 rebounds as Utah beat Toronto.
Deron Williams and Andre Owens each added 15 points for the Jazz. Chris Bosh had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Raptors, 0-5 for the first time in their 11-year history.
Kings 101, Nuggets 85
At Sacramento, California, Peja Stojakovic scored 23 points to lead Sacramento over Denver.
Shareef Abdur-Rahim and reserve Kevin Martin each scored 14 points to help the Kings beat the Nuggets for the 18th straight time at Arco Arena. The Nuggets last won in Sacramento on Jan. 7, 1997. Marcus Camby led Denver with 20 points and 17 rebounds.
Warriors 86, Knicks 84
At Oakland, California, Adonal Foyle scored the go-ahead basket with 48.9 seconds left, then grabbed a crucial rebound on the other end and Golden State survived a frantic final minute to beat Larry Brown's winless New York.
Baron Davis stripped the ball from Jamal Crawford on the Knicks' final possession, and New York (0-5) didn't even get a shot off to try to tie it.
Jason Richardson had 24 points and six assists and Troy Murphy added 19 points and 11 rebounds for the Warriors. Stephon Marbury had 22 points for New York.
Pistons 84, Trail Blazers 81
At Portland, Oregon, Chauncey Billups had 21 points and 10 assists in Detroit's win over Portland.
The Pistons (6-0) are the only undefeated team in the NBA and are off to their best start since going 8-0 in 1988-1989 en route to the first of consecutive NBA championships.
Darius Miles had 23 points for Portland.
More than 100 million Chinese were expected to watch LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers play live on TV on Friday. But only 1,000 of them will have a chance to be the first to own his new shoes.
Nike will launch James' new sneaker line, Zoom LeBron III, in China this weekend. The footwear maker was making a limited number of them available to the Chinese first.
The Cavaliers' NBA All-Star visited the communist country last summer on a promotional tour, when James gave the Chinese a "sneak peak" of his new shoe, dedicated a basketball court in Beijing, and put on several clinics.
"It was crazy," James said of his trip before the Cavs hosted the Memphis Grizzlies. "I had a great time. It was a great experience."
Beijing will host the Summer Olympics in 2008, and James said he'll consider playing on the US team a second time. He won a bronze medal in Athens, but spent much of the time on coach Larry Brown's bench.
"If I'm in the same situation, no," he said when asked if he'll participate in three years. "If I'm in a better situation, yes."
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