Bryant passes Baylor
Kobe Bryant broke Elgin Baylor’s team single-season scoring record with 50 points as the Los Angeles Lakers posted a 110-99 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night at Los Angeles.
Bryant, closing in on his first NBA scoring title, reached the 50-point mark for the sixth time this season and 11th time in his career. The Lakers are 8-3 in those games.
He eclipsed two other franchise records this season that Baylor held – most points in a game and most 40-point games in a season. Bryant, whose 81 points against Toronto on Jan. 22 were the second-most total in an NBA game, came in needing only 16 to pass Baylor’s mark of 2,719 points in 1962-63. He surpassed that in the third quarter, draining a 3-pointer after missing two free throws 44 seconds earlier. He finished the game with 2,754.
Lamar Odom recorded his second straight triple-double, finishing with 16 points and 12 rebounds, and tied a career high with 12 assists, after going 15-13-10 against Golden State on Tuesday for his first triple-double with the Lakers. He’s the first Laker with consecutive triple-doubles since December 2004, when Bryant did it against Golden State and Phoenix.
Kwame Brown had 20 points and nine rebounds for the Lakers, who sent the Blazers to their 15th straight road loss with their ninth win in 12 games.
The only thing that prevented Los Angeles from clinching a playoff berth was Utah’s 105-104 victory over New Orleans, which was completed shortly before the Lakers and Blazers tipped off their game.
Bulls 103, Wizards 101: At Chicago, Ben Gordon made nine 3-pointers without a miss to tie the NBA record and scored 32 points to help his team defeat Washington and take sole possession of eighth place in the Eastern Conference. Gordon matched the record set by Latrell Sprewell for New York against the Clippers on Feb. 4, 2003.
Heat 104, Sixers 85: At Miami, Dwyane Wade had 25 points and eight assists to lead Miami to a win over Philadelphia that secured the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 playoff seed and home-court advantage for the first two postseason rounds.
Bucks 97, Knicks 80: At New York, Michael Redd scored 18 of his 23 points in the first half, then Milwaukee blew open the game in the third quarter as New York coach Larry Brown missed his first game of the season.
Brown was hospitalized in Cleveland on Thursday night with a stomach ailment. He returned to New York, but assistant coach Herb Williams led the team.
Raptors 108, Pistons 103: At Toronto, Mike James scored 20 of his career-high 39 points in the fourth quarter to help Toronto defeat Detroit and end a 10-game losing streak.
Nets 79, Celtics 74: At Boston, Richard Jefferson made five clutch free throws down the stretch and New Jersey played stellar defense to beat Boston.
Bobcats 116, Hawks 110: At Atlanta, Raymond Felton scored 27 points and Melvin Ely had 21 as Charlotte beat Atlanta to win the season series.
Pacers 89, Timberwolves 77: At Indianapolis, Jermaine O’Neal had 29 points and 12 rebounds to help Indiana stop Minnesota and draw closer to clinching a playoff berth.
Jazz 105, Hornets 104: At Oklahoma City, Andrei Kirilenko had 25 points and nine rebounds and Deron Williams hit two free throws with 18 seconds left as Utah defeated New Orleans and pulled closer in the race for the final playoff spot in the West.
Warriors 110, Suns 102: At Oakland, Calif., Jason Richardson scored 27 points and Derek Fisher added 19 as Golden State knocked off Phoenix.