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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Not Shaq's team, not Kobe's team, the Los
Angeles Lakers were simply a team.
|  | | Kobe Bryant, who had 26 points and 11 rebounds, also had a firm grip on Jason Williams' head. |
With Shaquille O'Neal again watching in street clothes, Kobe
Bryant scored 26 points and had 11 rebounds and got plenty of help
Sunday as the Lakers beat the Sacramento Kings 100-94.
Zipping passes around the perimeter as they rarely have this
season, the Lakers got a season-high 20 points from reserve Robert
Horry; 10 points and 10 rebounds from Horace Grant; and 13 points
and nine rebounds from Greg Foster, starting in place of the
injured O'Neal.
"They are having to learn to play without Shaq," Lakers coach
Phil Jackson said. "They turned a corner this week and started
playing together hard and defensively started helping each other
out. I don't know why.
"That was one of our better games of the year, against a really
good team. We've had a lot of good wins at home, but I think this
one has to stand out. It was a good team effort."
Bryant was just 8-of-26 from the floor, although he did make 10
of 11 free throws.
"We needed to have more of a balanced attack to beat Sacramento
and we did that. Everybody just got in the flow," said Bryant,
whose sore right shoulder and assorted other aches may keep him out
of next Sunday's All-Star game.
"I'm hurting right now, man," Bryant said. "My (right) hip is
really bothering me. My shoulder, my elbow and my hip really slowed
me down today."
He added that he doesn't care if the league tries to pressure
him into playing for the West All-Stars, saying, "The important
thing to me is getting back so that I'm healthy enough to
contribute to this team in the second half."
Winning for the third time in five games since O'Neal was
sidelined, the defending NBA champions pulled within two games of
the Pacific Division-leading Kings, who have been the best in the
West this season.
The Lakers never trailed, and the Kings were even just once, at
87-87 with 5:05 left. But Grant sliced across the lane and made a
left-handed layup, Bryant hit a 14-foot jumper, then Horry dropped
in a layup and added a free throw to put Los Angeles up 94-89 with
1:21 remaining.
"We just didn't defend them very well," Sacramento coach Rick
Adelman said. "We had a chance to go ahead and we didn't. They got
a layup by Grant, and Kobe made a tough shot, then we got mixed up
defensively and Horry got the basket."
Grant, slowed by a sore knee most of this season, played tough
defense against Chris Webber, who scored 25 points but was just
12-of-32 from the floor.
"It has something to do with getting fouled in the paint. I
don't just miss shots all the time," said Webber, who shot only
three free throws.
Sacramento tied the game for the only time when Bobby Jackson
hit a jumper, then scored again when he was left unguarded under
the basket. But the Lakers outscored the Kings 13-7 over the final
four minutes.
O'Neal, expected to miss one more game because of a strained
right arch and also probably out of the All-Star game, saw the
Lakers win their second straight without him.
The Lakers took an 80-71 lead into the fourth quarter after
holding a 54-51 halftime edge. They led 33-21 at the end of the
first quarter.
Game notes
When Vlade Divac wrapped his arms around Webber after
Webber was called for a charge in the first quarter, Webber angrily
shoved his teammate away and kept yelling at the referee. Webber
didn't draw a technical, however; Kings coach Rick Adelman quickly
stepped in and got the "T" so Webber wouldn't. ... The Lakers won
the teams' first meeting this season 112-110 in overtime Nov. 16 at
Sacramento. Webber was sidelined by a sprained ankle and Jason
Williams went out with an ankle sprain early in the third quarter.
Bryant had eight of his 31 points in overtime, and O'Neal had 33
points and 16 rebounds for the game.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Sacramento Clubhouse
LA Lakers Clubhouse
Kobe considers skipping All-Star Game with injuries
RECAPS
New York 103
Miami 100
LA Lakers 100
Sacramento 94
Boston 103
Cleveland 82
New Jersey 96
Philadelphia 89
Phoenix 85
Charlotte 82
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Kobe Bryant Official Site
Rick Fox Official Site
Mark Madsen Official Site
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