Print

Mail

wiki links

NBA: Bryant, Lakers hold lead over struggling Wizards

The Houston Rockets’ Yao Ming, right, is fouled by the Golden State Warriors’ Andris Biedrins during the second half of their game in Houston, Texas, on Friday. PHOTO: AP

Kobe Bryant banked in a running 12-foot jump shot over Caron Butler with 25 seconds left, then went 1-for-2 on foul shots 10 seconds later in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 106-104 victory over the Washington Wizards on Friday.

After Bryant’s miss at the line — he made all of the 13 other free throws he took — Butler had a chance to win it for Washington, but missed a 3-point attempt at the buzzer.

Bryant was 5-for-17 from the field and finished with 23 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Andrew Bynum had a season-high 19 points, along with 10 rebounds.

Butler led Washington, down by 20 in the fourth quarter, with 26 points.

CELTICS 93, TRAIL BLAZERS 78

At Boston, Ray Allen scored 19 points and Rajon Rondo followed his first career triple-double with 16 points, eight rebounds and seven assists as Boston downed Portland.

Boston’s 11th straight win — its longest streak since its championship-winning season of 1985-1986 — snapped Portland’s six-game winning streak. It was the first time the Trail Blazers lost with Greg Oden in the starting lineup since the season opener, when he left scoreless with a sprained right foot after less than 13 minutes.

ROCKETS 131, WARRIORS 112

At Houston, Yao Ming scored 19 of his season-high 33 points in the fourth quarter and had 14 rebounds and five assists to Houston past Golden State.

Ron Artest added 28 points. Stephen Jackson scored 26 points for Golden State.

CAVALIERS 97, PACERS 73

At Cleveland, Anderson Varejao, with thousands of fans wearing curly, red-headed hair pieces in his honor, didn’t miss a shot and scored 17 points in the first half in Cleveland’s seventh straight victory.



In other games, it was:

• Magic 98, Thunder 89

• Jazz 114, Raptors 87

• 76ers 96, Pistons 91

• Nets 113, Timberwolves 84

• Grizzlies 93, Clippers 81

• Hawks 98, Knicks 95

• Bucks 101, Bobcats 96
This story has been viewed 580 times.