Too Much Kobe
HOUSTON, TX -- The Houston Rockets trailed the Los Angeles Lakers 75 to 73 with six minutes and fifty-four seconds left in the fourth quarter Wednesday night when Ron Artest fouled Kobe Bryant and both picked up a technical foul. Kobe responded to Artest's physical play in a way only Kobe can. After scoring zero points the first 5:06 of the fourth period, Kobe scored 18 points down the stretch and helped the Lakers defeat the Rockets 102 to 96 in front of 18,449 fans gathered inside Toyota Center.
For what it's worth, Artest scored four points during the final 6:54 of the game.
The loss snaps the Rockets' 12-game winning streak at home.
"It wasn't much of a battle," said Kobe describing his match up with Artest. "I kicked his ass!..We've had some battles in the past but he never talked trash, but he didn't stop all game until the end."
Artest said, "He's a great competitor. It was a fun game. It was a very competitive game. We are not friends out there at all. After the season, we might play pickup games or something but it's not like that now."
Bryant scored only six points (3 for 6 shooting from the field) in the first half; and, the Rockets took a 51 to 40 lead into halftime.
The Rockets (42-24) scored the first three points of the third quarter before Bryant decided to assert his will on the ball game. Bryant scored six of LA's first eight points in the third quarter before scoring four more points to knot the score at 60 with 3:52 left in the third period.
Bryant's three-point basket gave the Lakers a 65 to 64 lead with 1:53 remaining. The Rockets finished the quarter outscoring the Lakers (51-13) six to two to lead LA 70 to 67 entering the fourth period.
Rick Adelman, Rockets head coach said, "You probably could say that (Ron got caught up in a personal duel with Kobe), but you have to ask him (Ron Artest). You just got to make Kobe work. He started making shots and we missed a ton of shots. I thought in the first half we had good opportunities on three point shots that we didn't make, in the second half I thought we took some tough ones. But if he did (get caught up in a personal duel with Kobe), you just got to maintain your composure and play the game. It's the one thing that I said at the start of the game, we've got to play the game as a team on both ends of the court. We did not do that. Especially, on the offensive end in the second half, we really got out of sync. They put a little bit more pressure on us on the wings on the ball and we didn't respond to it very good which is something that we've got to work at and talk about and get better at because that's what's going to happen in the playoffs."
Despite shooting 51.3% (39 for 76) from the field, twenty-three turnovers doomed the Rockets.
"When you look at the stat sheet and you give up 23 turnovers," said Rockets forward Shane Battier. "It is tough to overcome against a really good team and we didn't respond to their pressure very well."
Bryant scored 31 of his game-high 37 points in the second half. Center Pau Gasol chipped in 20 points and forward Josh Powell added 17 points (8 for 14 from the field) and nine rebounds for the Lakers.
Von Wafer led the Rockets with 20 points off the Rockets' bench. Yao Ming was next with 16 points (7 for 9 shooting from the field) followed by 15 points (7 for 9 field goal shooting) from Luis Scola; 14 points (5 for 10 field goal shooting) from Aaron Brooks; 11 points (4 for 16 from the field) from Artest; and 10 points (4 for 6 shooting) from Carl Landry.
For what it's worth, Artest scored four points during the final 6:54 of the game.
The loss snaps the Rockets' 12-game winning streak at home.
"It wasn't much of a battle," said Kobe describing his match up with Artest. "I kicked his ass!..We've had some battles in the past but he never talked trash, but he didn't stop all game until the end."
Artest said, "He's a great competitor. It was a fun game. It was a very competitive game. We are not friends out there at all. After the season, we might play pickup games or something but it's not like that now."
Bryant scored only six points (3 for 6 shooting from the field) in the first half; and, the Rockets took a 51 to 40 lead into halftime.
The Rockets (42-24) scored the first three points of the third quarter before Bryant decided to assert his will on the ball game. Bryant scored six of LA's first eight points in the third quarter before scoring four more points to knot the score at 60 with 3:52 left in the third period.
Bryant's three-point basket gave the Lakers a 65 to 64 lead with 1:53 remaining. The Rockets finished the quarter outscoring the Lakers (51-13) six to two to lead LA 70 to 67 entering the fourth period.
Rick Adelman, Rockets head coach said, "You probably could say that (Ron got caught up in a personal duel with Kobe), but you have to ask him (Ron Artest). You just got to make Kobe work. He started making shots and we missed a ton of shots. I thought in the first half we had good opportunities on three point shots that we didn't make, in the second half I thought we took some tough ones. But if he did (get caught up in a personal duel with Kobe), you just got to maintain your composure and play the game. It's the one thing that I said at the start of the game, we've got to play the game as a team on both ends of the court. We did not do that. Especially, on the offensive end in the second half, we really got out of sync. They put a little bit more pressure on us on the wings on the ball and we didn't respond to it very good which is something that we've got to work at and talk about and get better at because that's what's going to happen in the playoffs."
Despite shooting 51.3% (39 for 76) from the field, twenty-three turnovers doomed the Rockets.
"When you look at the stat sheet and you give up 23 turnovers," said Rockets forward Shane Battier. "It is tough to overcome against a really good team and we didn't respond to their pressure very well."
Bryant scored 31 of his game-high 37 points in the second half. Center Pau Gasol chipped in 20 points and forward Josh Powell added 17 points (8 for 14 from the field) and nine rebounds for the Lakers.
Von Wafer led the Rockets with 20 points off the Rockets' bench. Yao Ming was next with 16 points (7 for 9 shooting from the field) followed by 15 points (7 for 9 field goal shooting) from Luis Scola; 14 points (5 for 10 field goal shooting) from Aaron Brooks; 11 points (4 for 16 from the field) from Artest; and 10 points (4 for 6 shooting) from Carl Landry.
posted by Kris G @ 11:06 PM
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