Kobe Bryant scores 30000th career point; Lakers celebrate with a 103-87 win over Hornets: NBA Recap
Kobe Bryant became the fifth player to cross the 30000 point mark in the NBA history with a basket in the first half, as his 29 points lifted the Los Angeles Lakers to a 103-87 win over New Orleans Hornets, their second road win
of the season.
Bryant paced the Lakers in the first half as he scored 17 of his 29 points in the first half as most of his team mates struggled to get going early on. Dwight Howard had 18 points and 8 rebounds. His free throw woes continued as
he went 4 out of 8 from the foul line. Antawn Jamison who started for Lakers in place of Pau Gasol – out due to planar tendinitis in both his knees - finished off with 15 points for the night.
"Irony. It's funny how sports always seems to kind of have that connectivity in some shape, form or fashion. It just always seems to come full circle." Kobe said after he scored his 30000 career point against the team that drafted
him.
Ryan Anderson led the Hornets with the night high 31 points and grabbed 9 rebounds, Greivis Vasquez added 16 points and 9 assists while Robin Lopez chipped in with 15 points.
Jamison layup early in the period put the Lakers up 7-4 before the Hornets found their rhythm as they went for an 8-0 burst to go up 12-7. Bryant jumper closed the gap down to 11-12 before the Hornets went for a 9-3 run going up
21-14. Bryant scored the final six points of the period from the Lakers side to reduce the deficit down to 20-23 by the end of the period.
New Orleans looked good in the second period and did not allow the Lakers to go ahead in the entire quarter. Lance Thomas tipped one in for the Hornets to put them up 32-25 before two back to back three pointers by the Lakers made
it a one point game on 31-32. Vasquez jumper pushed them to 37-33 when Metta World Peace nailed one in from behind the arc to once again make it a one point game. A 7-0 burst put the Hornets up 44-36 but the Lakers finished the period strong to reduce the
deficit down to 47-48 by halftime.
A 13-0 scoring spree at the start of the second half put the Lakers up 60-48. The Veterans were in control of the game and the Hornets never really looked like threatening them in the second half. They maintained a reasonable
distance between themselves and the Hornets throughout the period and were leading 77-64 by the end of the quarter.
Morris nailed a three pointer early in the fourth period to extend their advantage to 87-68. A Bryant shot from distance put them up 97-80 with 4:26 on the regulation, and the Lakers cruised to a 103-87 win eventually.
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