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Lakers Rockets - Lakers vs Rockets 12/15/06 |
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Lakers 112 Rockets 101 - 12/15/06 |  |
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How to Buy Online: Houston 101, L.A. Lakers 112- 12/15/06 at the Staples Center- 12/15/06 LOS ANGELES - There wasn't an argument to be heard Friday night concerning the identity of the NBA's two best players this season. Or that the Lakers and Houston Rockets played one of the games of the year at Staples Center. The Lakers prevailed 112-101 in double overtime, coming back from 21 points down in the first half of what became a titanic battle between Kobe Bryant and Yao Ming, each of whom nearly finished with a triple-double. Bryant delivered a season-high 53 points on 17 of 38 shooting and played 54 of a possible 58 minutes. Yao finished with 35 points, pulled down 15 rebounds and blocked a career-high eight shots in 49 minutes. When the 3-hour game was over, the Lakers had outscored the Rockets 13-2 in the second overtime and recorded a memorable victory in their second full game without injured forward Lamar Odom. The Lakers came back from 13 down in the fourth quarter, seven down with 3 1-2 minutes to play and won even as Houston opted to intentionally foul Kwame Brown and send the 42.4 percent free-throw shooter to the line late in regulation. They also overcame the wreckage of a first quarter in which they scored all of 10 points, made 3 of 15 shots and totaled nine turnovers. But the Lakers still beat the Rockets for the second time in four days, this time in as dramatic fashion as possible. "It's a big victory for us, to fight from 21 down without our second-best player on the team," said guard Smush Parker, referring to Odom. "It says a lot about this team, first of all, and Kobe Bryant passes the ball around Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets during the Lakers', 112-101 double-overtime win Friday night. secondly we just take this momentum and roll on with the rest of the season." Bryant had chances to win at the end of regulation and the first overtime. He came back to make the play of the game in the first minute of the second overtime. Bryant dribbled into the lane and hesitated for a second before throwing down a reverse dunk over Yao. "It felt great for me," Bryant said, "and it confirmed for me that my legs are back because that's in the second overtime, I'm playing long minutes and I'm still able to get to the basket and explode." Parker knocked down an open 3-pointer to atone for a miss late in the first overtime and pumped his fist on the way to the bench as the Lakers pushed in front 104-99. He finished with a season-high 17 points, 13 from the fourth quarter on. Coming out of the subsequent timeout, Parker poked the ball free from Luther Head, which the Lakers turned into two points at the other end as Luke Walton was fouled on the fast break and Head was called for a technical foul. "I challenge myself every day," Parker said. "When I missed that 3, I felt like I had to make a play - a steal, a shot, good defense, a rebound - whatever it takes to win the ballgame." Bryant put the game away with a baseline jumper with 2:22 left, then spread his arms and swooped to the bench like a plane. Bryant usually reserves his signature move for one game a season and Friday's fit the bill. "Everybody's proud of the way that we played," Bryant said. "We're proud of ourselves and the way that we battled back." It was the 13th 50-point game of his career and came after he scored two points and had four turnovers in the first quarter. The Lakers also made a number of defensive plays in the second overtime. Brian Cook and Brown each blocked Yao and Parker came up with two steals. Yao was 0 for 3 in the final period. The Rockets, however, had their chances to win. They couldn't get off a final play in regulation but got the ball to Yao on one of his sweet spots to close the first overtime. Yao couldn't get his shot from the right side to fall. Lakers NOTES: Before the game, Jackson said he would have to watch Bryant's minutes as the Lakers head out on a six-game trip next week. But Jackson also noted that he has seen a change in Bryant in recent games, describing him as "really putting on the gas." Jackson noted, "I think he's taken a big leap in his conditioning and his strength."
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