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I'd Hit It
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LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Kobe Bryant knew there were going to be games like this.
No longer surrounded by fellow future Hall of Famers Shaquille O'Neal, Karl Malone and Gary Payton, Bryant and the rest of the Los Angeles Lakers couldn't rally.
Tim Duncan had a double-double, and San Antonio won 105-96 Friday night in the teams' first meeting since the Lakers eliminated the Spurs from the Western Conference semifinals last season.
Duncan led five players in double figures with 26 points and 16 rebounds. Manu Ginobili added 18, Tony Parker 16, Rasho Nesterovic 14 and reserve Brent Barry 13.
Bryant scored 28 points in 45 minutes and Lamar Odom added 24 points and 11 rebounds as the Lakers (1-2) lost their second straight. They shot a franchise-low 29 percent in a 104-78 defeat at Utah on Wednesday, when Bryant had 38 points.
The Lakers trailed nearly the entire game, and were down by 18 points three times in the third quarter. They got within six points in the fourth on a 3-pointer by Chucky Atkins, the kind of shot Bryant relishes making late in games.
That got the Staples Center crowd on its feet, just like in the old days when O'Neal was rumbling up the floor after a thunderous dunk. But the fans quieted down when Bryant was stripped on a drive in the lane with just over two minutes left.
Caron Butler fouled out, putting Barry at the line and he made both for a 101-93 lead. Jumaine Jones scored on a layin to get the Lakers to 101-95 with 1:49 remaining.
Duncan missed two free throws, but the Spurs controlled the rebound. He got fouled again and made both to keep the Spurs ahead 103-95 with just over a minute to go.
Chris Mihm, who has succeeded O'Neal as the Lakers' center, was held to eight points in 32 minutes.
Bryant and Duncan received offsetting technical fouls in the fourth when both teams jawed in a crowd near the Lakers' free throw line. Bryant scowled his way through much of the final 12 minutes, annoyed by calls that went against him.
The Spurs extended an 84-73 lead at the start of the fourth when Duncan was out of the game.
Reminiscent of O'Neal, Bryant was spotty from the line in the closing minutes.
Notes
San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich has 398 career victories. ... Los Angeles won last season's series 3-1. ... The Spurs improved to 6-5 at Staples Center.
No longer surrounded by fellow future Hall of Famers Shaquille O'Neal, Karl Malone and Gary Payton, Bryant and the rest of the Los Angeles Lakers couldn't rally.
Tim Duncan had a double-double, and San Antonio won 105-96 Friday night in the teams' first meeting since the Lakers eliminated the Spurs from the Western Conference semifinals last season.
Duncan led five players in double figures with 26 points and 16 rebounds. Manu Ginobili added 18, Tony Parker 16, Rasho Nesterovic 14 and reserve Brent Barry 13.
Bryant scored 28 points in 45 minutes and Lamar Odom added 24 points and 11 rebounds as the Lakers (1-2) lost their second straight. They shot a franchise-low 29 percent in a 104-78 defeat at Utah on Wednesday, when Bryant had 38 points.
The Lakers trailed nearly the entire game, and were down by 18 points three times in the third quarter. They got within six points in the fourth on a 3-pointer by Chucky Atkins, the kind of shot Bryant relishes making late in games.
That got the Staples Center crowd on its feet, just like in the old days when O'Neal was rumbling up the floor after a thunderous dunk. But the fans quieted down when Bryant was stripped on a drive in the lane with just over two minutes left.
Caron Butler fouled out, putting Barry at the line and he made both for a 101-93 lead. Jumaine Jones scored on a layin to get the Lakers to 101-95 with 1:49 remaining.
Duncan missed two free throws, but the Spurs controlled the rebound. He got fouled again and made both to keep the Spurs ahead 103-95 with just over a minute to go.
Chris Mihm, who has succeeded O'Neal as the Lakers' center, was held to eight points in 32 minutes.
Bryant and Duncan received offsetting technical fouls in the fourth when both teams jawed in a crowd near the Lakers' free throw line. Bryant scowled his way through much of the final 12 minutes, annoyed by calls that went against him.
The Spurs extended an 84-73 lead at the start of the fourth when Duncan was out of the game.
Reminiscent of O'Neal, Bryant was spotty from the line in the closing minutes.
Notes
San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich has 398 career victories. ... Los Angeles won last season's series 3-1. ... The Spurs improved to 6-5 at Staples Center.
