NBA: Bryant goes for five
Kobe Bryant was seething. He was sick of the losing, upset with the NBA and, perhaps most of all, offended by talk that he was a dirty player.
All of that’s changed in a matter of 10 days. The Los Angeles Lakers are winning again, and perhaps the most amazing achievement in Bryant’s 11-year NBA career – four straight games of at least 50 points – has quieted those debating how he plays.
“You have to try to funnel that, use it as motivation. Personally, that added a little to it,” Bryant said of the dirty player label.
Bryant will attempt to extend his 50-point streak to five games tonight when the Lakers entertain the Golden State Warriors. Should he do so, he would tie Wilt Chamberlain for the second-longest such streak.
Chamberlain, the other player to score at least 50 points in four straight games, accomplished that feat five times in the 1961-62 season, when he averaged an NBA-record 50.4 points. He scored at least 50 in a record seven straight games in December 1961.
“I don’t know. I don’t care,” Bryant said after practice Saturday when asked if he could catch Chamberlain.
Bryant was born in August 1978 – long after Chamberlain retired. But Bryant’s aware of what the late 7-footer accomplished.
“I call him the human video game,” Bryant said. “When you look at Wilt, look at the numbers he put up. It’s mind-boggling. It’s laughable.”
Chamberlain’s best four-game streak came from Feb. 25 to March 2, 1962, when he scored 67, 65, 61 and 100 for a total of 293. Bryant has scored 225 in his last four games, shooting 76 of 140 (54.3 percent) from the floor and 56 of 60 (93.3 percent) from the foul line.
On the court
Nets 113, Bobcats 107 (OT): At Charlotte, N.C., Vince Carter forced overtime with an acrobatic dunk at the buzzer, then took over in the extra period in a 40-point outing that led New Jersey to a win over Charlotte.
Emeka Okafor, Sean May and Derek Anderson, Gerald Wallace and Raymond Felton were all out with injuries for the Bobcats. Adam Morrison is the only Charlotte player to have played in every game this season.
76ers 93, Heat 85: At Miami, Andre Iguodala scored 14 of his 19 points in the second half, Kyle Korver had 11 points in the final quarter and Philadelphia rallied from a 19-point deficit to beat struggling Miami.
Jason Williams scored 21 points for Miami.
Jazz 118, Grizzlies 108: At Salt Lake City, Carlos Boozer had 28 points and 15 rebounds to power Utah past Memphis.
Reserve Matt Harpring had 24 points, and Deron Williams added 21 for the Jazz.
Clippers 111, Wizards 105: At Los Angeles, Corey Maggette scored nine of his 29 points in the final 77 seconds, Elton Brand added 18 points and 14 rebounds, and Los Angeles stretched its winning streak to four games with a victory over Washington.
Gilbert Arenas finished with 30 points for the Wizards.