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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
NEW YORK (AP) -- Aside from his 61-point outing two weeks ago,
this was as dominant a game as Shaquille O'Neal has had all season.
O'Neal was unstoppable again Sunday, scoring 43 points to pass Allen Iverson in the NBA scoring race as the Los Angeles
Lakers beat the New York Knicks 92-85.
|  | | Kobe Bryant (8) looks for an outlet with Latrell Sprewell applying pressure. |
"My teammates were looking for me and I was doing what I do
best, taking high-percentage shots," O'Neal said. "I still missed
some chippies that I don't usually miss, but my teammates looked
for me and I did what I've been doing all year."
Scoring only six points on dunks, O'Neal displayed a variety of
low-post moves as he had his second-highest point total of the
season and reached 40 points for the third time in four games.
O'Neal finished 18-for-31 from the field and 7-for-13 from the
line with 10 rebounds and three assists as the Lakers won their
second in a row and their 21st in their last 22 games while
snapping New York's four-game winning streak.
O'Neal raised his scoring average from 28.8 to 29.02, putting
just ahead of Iverson's 28.98 after Iverson scored 18 against
Orlando at night.
"It really doesn't mean anything to me," O'Neal said. "If I
get it, I get it. If not, I'll understand."
Defense was almost as big of a factor for the Lakers as O'Neal's
offense.
Los Angeles shut down the Knicks in the third quarter, holding
them to 14 points, to take the lead for good. The Lakers also
forced every New York starter except Charlie Ward to miss more than
half his shots.
Kobe Bryant added 24 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for
the Lakers, who improved the NBA's best record to 55-12.
Allan Houston scored 20 points to lead the Knicks.
"Shaq's 43 was fine," Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy said.
"Bryant getting 17 in the second half was what killed us."
O'Neal missed three straight free throws that would have given
him 40 points midway through the fourth quarter, and the Knicks
followed with their final push -- a 6-1 run that cut their deficit
to 78-72 with 4:57 left.
O'Neal answered with two free throws, Patrick Ewing misfired on
a jumper -- one of his 14 misses from the field in 20 attempts _
and Bryant hit a 27-foot 3-pointer as the shot clock expired to
give Los Angeles an 11-point lead with just under four minutes
left.
O'Neal scored his final points on an alley-oop dunk with 50
seconds left.
"We were able to pace this game in the third quarter so that in
the fourth quarter we were able to use our strengths to quiet the
crowd and their team," said Lakers coach Phil Jackson.
O'Neal scored the Lakers' final 10 points of the first quarter
on a variety of inside moves, taking advantage as the Knicks
single-covered him with Ewing or Kurt Thomas -- neither of whom
could keep the 7-footer from establishing position near the basket.
O'Neal reached 20 points less than 3½ minutes into the second
quarter, converting a line drive jump hook for a 29-25 lead, and by
halftime he had 24 points although the Lakers trailed 44-43.
"Usually when I hit my first couple shots that means I'm going
to have a pretty good night," O'Neal said. "My shots were going,
they weren't doubling me, so I just went with what I know.
"Was I surprised (that the Knicks didn't double team him)?"
O'Neal asked. "Yes."
The Shaq Show kept up in the third quarter, and the Lakers
started to pull away as New York could find no one who could get
things going offensively. O'Neal reached 30 points on a short shot
with six minutes left in the third quarter for a 56-49 lead, and
O'Neal finally took his first rest of the game with 3:53 left in
the third and Los Angeles ahead by five.
O'Neal returned two minutes later and made two baskets and a
free throw over the rest of the period, and Bryant drove through
two defenders for a short bank shot at the buzzer that gave the
Lakers a 69-58 lead entering the fourth.
Game notes
Jackson and Van Gundy opted to have a boom mike lowered
into their huddles rather than wear a clip-on wireless microphone
for the NBC telecast. All coaches were given that option Tuesday
following an outcry over the NBA issuing $100,000 fines to teams
whose coaches refused to be miked. ... The Lakers conclude their
five-game road trip in Miami on Monday night, bringing in an 18-1
record and 12-game winning streak on the second day of back-to-back
games. ... The Lakers are only Pacific Division team to win at
Madison Square Garden this season. ... Los Angeles improved to 24-3
vs. teams from the East, including 12-2 on the road.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
LA Lakers Clubhouse
New York Clubhouse
Lakers feel the Heat at end of 5-game road trip
RECAPS
LA Lakers 92
New York 85
Utah 92
New Jersey 88
Toronto 100
Houston 98
Detroit 101
Vancouver 99
Dallas 89
Atlanta 85
Philadelphia 89
Orlando 85
Minnesota 109
Milwaukee 82
Phoenix 99
Golden State 82
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