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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Kobe Bryant says the Los Angeles Lakers
aren't presently in the proper physical condition to play the kind
of defense they should be playing.
|  | | Shaquille O'Neal looks for an open Lakers teammate while Miami's Brian Grant (44) and Tim Hardaway put on the defense. |
In Ron Harper's opinion, the defending NBA champions just aren't
very good right now.
Eddie Jones had 26 points and eight rebounds against his former
team, and Anthony Mason scored 19 of his 23 points in the second
half as the Miami Heat beat the Lakers 103-92 Sunday.
Miami entered the game ranked 27th in the NBA in offense,
averaging 87.4 points. The Lakers, sixth in defense en route to
their first championship in 12 years last June, are 25th this
season, and took a step backward against the Heat.
Bryant believes conditioning is the problem.
"Miami is a team that's in shape, they kept coming at us in
waves," said Bryant, who had 34 points and eight rebounds before
fouling out with 1:04 to play and the outcome decided. "We have to
stop people, you have to stop people to win championships and
ballgames.
"We run out of gas, that's what our problem is. We need to get
in shape. It's hard because we have so many old bodies. I think
it's a matter of conditioning, I really do. I don't see any reason
we can't play defense for 48 minutes, we did last year.
"I'm sure (Lakers coach) Phil (Jackson) is going to find the
right way to get us in condition."
Shaquille O'Neal had 31 points and eight rebounds for the
Lakers, who played without starting forward Horace Grant, sidelined
due to back spasms.
Tim Hardaway had 22 points and eight assists and Brian Grant
added 14 points for the Heat, who entered the game last in the NBA
in rebounding but won the battle of the boards 44-39.
"We stink. If this team comes out to score 100 points on us,
we've got to stink," Harper said. "They came out early, hit
shots, and their guys played harder. They deserved to win the
game."
Two free throws by Grant and a 3-pointer by Dan Majerle -- his
first points of the game -- gave Miami an 86-78 lead with six
minutes remaining.
The Lakers closed to four points twice, but Grant responded
each time with jumpers from just outside the foul line, the second
making it 90-84. Mason then scored Miami's next six points to make
it 96-86 with 1:44 to go.
"This feels damn good," said Jones, traded by the Lakers to
Charlotte in the Glen Rice deal nearly two years ago and playing
his first season for the Heat. "I think we just wanted it a little
more. We knew what we had in front of us, we had to play as hard as
possible to win today, and that's what we did."
Miami coach Pat Riley said his team wanted to prove something to itself in the wake of an 85-74 defeat at Portland on Thursday night.
"We came committed as a team," he said. "The Lakers are tough
to beat here. It was just a great win for us. We had all four of
our great players and the guys we depend upon play well."
Riley was referring to Jones, Mason, Hardaway and Grant.
Mason, who also had seven rebounds and six assists, scored five
consecutive points to give Miami a 68-63 lead midway through the third
quarter, and after the Lakers closed to one point, 3-pointers by
Hardaway and Jones and a layup by Mason gave the Heat a 76-71 lead
entering the fourth period.
Jackson pointed to Mason as the key player in the game.
"We had a problem (with him)," the Lakers coach said.
"Offensively, we went really stale in the second half after
shooting very well in the first half. They scored on every
possession at one point in the critical part of the game."
The Heat, who have won 12 of their last 16 games, scored 10
consecutive points for a 16-8 lead just four minutes into the game.
Hardaway was 4-for-4 at that stage, including a pair of 3-point
shots.
It was 30-19 before the Lakers went on a 23-5 run for a 42-35
lead. However, the Heat outscored the Lakers 19-9 to finish the
second quarter to take a 54-51 lead, and they were on top the rest
of the way.
Game notes
Horace Grant also missed a game at Phoenix on Dec. 27
because of back problems. There was no immediate word on how long
he might be sidelined. ... The Heat brought a distinct Lakers flavor to Los
Angeles. Riley played for the Lakers before coaching them for
nearly nine seasons in the 1980s, and guided them to four
championships. Jones, A.C. Green and Cedric Ceballos also are former Lakers. ... The
Lakers had only 11 assists, half as many as the Heat.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Miami Clubhouse
LA Lakers Clubhouse
RECAPS
Indiana 87
New York 74
Washington 94
Atlanta 90
Toronto 110
Philadelphia 106
Utah 109
Phoenix 98
Minnesota 96
Vancouver 94
Miami 103
LA Lakers 92
Milwaukee 102
Detroit 98
Golden State 94
Boston 91
Seattle 109
Sacramento 107
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Kobe Bryant Official Site
Rick Fox Official Site
Mark Madsen Official Site
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