Cheers for Turiaf as Sonics fall
LOS ANGELES – A victory in the first days of November isn’t supposed to mean much when Kobe Bryant has so many of them from the (NBA) finals days of June. But this first victory of the 2006-07 Lakers season with Bryant in action – boosting the Lakers to a 3-0 start for the first time since 2003 – came in a much different manner than most.
It ended with Bryant fist-pumping time after time not in celebration of his own shots dropping, but because so many of his teammates succeeded. At the heart of the 118-112 victory over the Seattle SuperSonics on Friday night was former Gonzaga University star Ronny Turiaf – the Lakers’ second-round pick in his second NBA season who can best be described as a cross between Dennis Rodman and a Laker Girl.
“I really thought that they were chanting ‘Ko-be,’ “Turiaf said of Staples Center fans’ “Ron-ny” chant in the final moments.
Turiaf dominated the fourth quarter after surprisingly ruling the second half Sunday night in Oakland. This time, he delivered nine points, six rebounds and three blocks in 10 fourth-quarter minutes – and he wound up the star even though Lamar Odom (28 points on 7-of-12 shooting, six assists) was the leading scorer again and Bryant (23 points on 8-of-15 shooting, six assists) was good in his first game after July 15 right-knee surgery.
Turiaf, who finished with 13 points, deferred the individual praise afterward – which only drove home the fact that he epitomizes the team attitude that has been in evidence for the Lakers in their strong start.
“Really, honestly,” Turiaf said, “I don’t think about anything else but helping the team.”
Turiaf overcame sore hips late in training camp and has nicely applied the tweaks to his shooting stroke that Lakers coaches gave him, too. The result has been not just cheerleading from the bench, but production on the court – coming with Turiaf’s energetic flourishes and dances.
“My way of wanting it is just different than everybody else,” he said. “I express my feelings a little bit more.”
The Lakers also got a career-high 20 points from Luke Walton, who has stepped up big to start when free-agent signee Vladimir Radmanovic’s hand injury was supposed to hold back the offense. Walton also had eight rebounds and five assists.
The Lakers roared out from the start, riding the energy in the building from Bryant’s season debut. Once public-address announcer Lawrence Tanter got as far as “No.24…” in the pregame introductions, the fans leapt to their feet to celebrate their star’s return to health.
Ray Allen had 30 points and Rashard Lewis added 28 for Seattle (0-2), which trailed by 20 points in the first half.
The Sonics led 102-100 with 4:55 left in the game. But Turiaf’s two free throws pulled the Lakers even, and he added a jumper for a 104-102 lead shortly afterward, and L.A. didn’t trail again.
Allen hit a jumper, was fouled by Bryant and made the free throw to draw the Sonics even at 77-77 with 4:07 left in the third quarter. Down by 20 early in the game, the Sonics chipped away at the lead and pulled within 50-48 with 4:44 left in the second quarter. Los Angeles led 65-56 by halftime.
The Lakers led 33-13 lead in the opening nine minutes.