Bench backs Bryant
SEATTLE – Kobe Bryant again hit the big shots. But this victory belonged to the Lakers bench.
Amid a mix of “M-V-P” chants and passionate boos, Bryant scored 46 points, 31 in the second half, and the Los Angeles bench added 33 points in the Lakers’ 112-109 win over the Seattle SuperSonics on Friday night.
“The second half I had to come out and jump-start us a little bit, but the bench came through for us there in the fourth quarter and gave us a huge lift,” Bryant said. “And that’s what we need, a team effort.”
Bryant made 13 of 27 shots, including a 19-footer with 1:41 left that gave the Lakers a 105-103 lead they wouldn’t relinquish. It was Bryant’s 16th game this season of 40 points or more, and the Lakers picked up a crucial victory in their ongoing fight with Denver and the Clippers for the sixth seed in the Western Conference.
Los Angeles had lost four of five.
“We know we have to have a sense of urgency out there,” said Ronny Turiaf, the former Gonzaga University star, a key contributor off the bench.
Chris Wilcox scored a career-high 32 points and grabbed 18 rebounds for the Sonics.
Seattle led for much of the game, despite an off-shooting performance from Rashard Lewis and Luke Ridnour going down late in the first quarter with a left ankle injury.
Seattle has lost four straight.
“We put ourselves in position to win the game but we lost another player,” Seattle coach Bob Hill said. “Think we can lose anyone else? I hope not. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anything like it.”
After scoring 20 in the third quarter, Bryant was quiet until midway through the fourth. His first basket came with 6:37 left and gave the Lakers a 94-93 lead. Wilcox converted a three-point play to put Seattle up 96-94, but Bryant spun through the lane and found Maurice Evans open for a 3-pointer that gave the Lakers the lead at 97-96 with 6 minutes left.
Seattle tied the score twice more, but could never get the lead back.
Two Earl Watson free throws pulled Seattle even at 103-all with 1:55 left. Bryant then caught the ball near the top of the key, dribbled once to his left and hit a 19-footer with Damien Wilkins and Watson in his face for 105-103.
Jordan Farmar and Turiaf then came up with steals on Seattle’s next two possessions, and when the Sonics finally got a shot off, Nick Collison missed on the baseline against tough defense from Luke Walton and Turiaf. Walton was fouled and made both free throws.
Turiaf had 10 points, four rebounds and four blocked shots. Brian Cook added 11 points, including three 3-pointers, and Farmar scored seven points with three rebounds and two assists in 14 minutes.
Lamar Odom scored 20, making 9 of 11 shots for Los Angeles, who trailed by 12 midway through the third quarter.
The Lakers were outrebounded 50-31, playing their second straight game without center Kwame Brown, out with a sprained left ankle.
Wilkins scored 25 for Seattle, and Watson finished with 16, but Lewis was harassed by Odom all night and scored just nine points, missing 10 of his 14 shots.
Four of Wilcox’s seven first-half field goals came on dunks.
Ridnour carried off
Seattle point guard Luke Ridnour sprained his left ankle late in the first quarter and had to be carried off the court.
With the shot clock winding down, Ridnour drove the lane on Luke Walton, flipped up a left-handed scoop shot that missed and came down on Walton’s right foot, severely rolling his ankle.
Ridnour immediately fell to the floor, rolling around on the baseline and grabbing at his ankle. After a couple of minutes, he was carried off by teammate Mike Wilks and trainer Mike Shimensky. X-rays were negative, but Ridnour isn’t expected to travel for today’s game at Utah.
Ridnour is averaging 11.1 points and 5.2 assists this season.
Seattle is already without All-Star guard Ray Allen, who is scheduled to have surgery in Los Angeles today to remove bone spurs from his left ankle.