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Lakers get the win over Timberwolves Kobe Bryant scored 35 points and Shaquille O'Neal had 22 points and 18 rebounds Friday night to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to their seventh consecutive victory, 90-73 over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Los Angeles' first win in four games against Minnesota this season moved the Lakers (49-23) ahead of the Timberwolves for the Western Conference's second-best record.
The Lakers, with all four of their superstars healthy again, were coming off a 24-point victory over Sacramento on Wednesday. Los Angeles trails the Kings by two games.
The game against Minnesota had a playoff-type atmosphere, with the sellout crowd of 18,997 loud and lively.
Karl Malone and Gary Payton were content to be mostly role players and let Bryant and O'Neal carry the offensive load. Malone had four points and Payton seven.
Latrell Sprewell led the Timberwolves, who have lost the first two games of a four-game road trip, with 19 points, but he was just 5-of-15 from the floor. Kevin Garnett, usually guarded by Malone, went 6-of-18 and had 16 points.
Minnesota shot a season-low 31.4 percent (27-86). The Lakers shot 39.3 percent (35-89).
Bryant had 11 points in the first quarter and the Lakers were up 25-21, then O'Neal scored 10 in the second and Los Angeles led 50-42 at halftime. Bryant had 13 in the third quarter as the Lakers outscored the Timberwolves 28-12 to open a 78-54 lead.
Bryant, coming off a 36-point performance against Sacramento, made several spectacular shots as the Lakers pulled away in the third.
Seemingly trapped under the basket by three defenders, Bryant whirled toward the free throw line and lofted the ball as he fell away. It went in to give Los Angeles a 57-42 lead.
Late in the game, Bryant got a defensive rebound, turned and fired a perfect lead pass to Rick Fox at the other end of the court for an easy layup. Bryant held his arms up and signaled touchdown as the crowd roared.
O'Neal also made some plays that brought the crowd to its feet, including in the second quarter when Michael Olowokandi blocked a shot by the Lakers' center. O'Neal jumped, grabbed the ball, feinted, then went back up to slam the ball in, was fouled by Garnett and made the free throw for a 37-27 lead. |
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