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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
MIAMI (AP) -- Even on a night when Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe
Bryant struggled, they still made the difference.
|  | | Shaquille O'Neal got the best of Brian Grant on Tuesday, blocking the Heat center's final shot attempt in an 81-79 Lakers' win. |
O'Neal had 22 points, 14 rebounds and four blocked shots --
including one in the final seconds -- as the Los Angeles Lakers beat
Miami 81-79 on Tuesday night.
Kobe Bryant added 23 points, but Los Angeles' dynamic duo was a
combined 19-of-45 from the field. O'Neal also struggled from the
free-throw line, hitting two in 11 tries.
"We should have won the game," Heat coach Pat Riley said. "We
had Shaquille and Kobe somewhat under control. Players have to step
up and be players. They need to make the shots they get paid to
make. If they don't, they are probably going to go home losers."
In a game with 15 ties and 11 lead changes, the Heat had a
chance to even the score in the final minute. But O'Neal blocked
Brian Grant's shot from close range with 4.1 seconds to play.
Although Tim Hardaway picked up the loose ball, he shot an air
ball from 15 feet as time expired. Grant caught the short shot
under the basket, but his putback came after the final buzzer.
"The Heat had the game right where they wanted; they had a
chance to win it with one shot," Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson
said.
Anthony Mason led Miami with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Grant
added 14 points and 16 rebounds.
The Lakers could have put the game away earlier. Leading 81-79
in the final minute, Bryant and O'Neal had chances to seal the
victory, but Bryant missed a jumper and O'Neal got the rebound and
missed the putback.
"We did a good job of defending Shaq and Kobe -- as good as
anybody in the league could," said guard Tim Hardaway, who was
3-of-16 shooting, including 1-of-9 from 3-point range. "We easily
could have won. But would have, could have, should have."
Hardaway missed two free throws that would have made it 81-78
with a little more than a minute to play. Then his only 3-pointer
of the game pulled the Heat within two, 81-79, but his final shot
came up short.
Eddie Jones, who had 14 points on 5-of-13 shooting, also missed
several shots and a free throw in the final four minutes. Although
the Heat -- who have blown several fourth-quarter leads this season
-- led four times in the fourth quarter, they saw the final outcome
as another fading finish.
"We've got so many scars from earlier in the season," Grant
said. "This is just another scar. We've got to be able to shoot
the ball better and finish the game."
The Lakers also got some key baskets from their other starters.
Rick Fox was 4-for-4 from 3-point range and Horace Grant hit two
key jump shots in the closing minutes to give the Lakers their
fourth consecutive win over the Heat.
Grant hit back-to-back jumpers with about two minutes remaining
to give the Lakers their biggest lead of the second half, 81-76.
"We got him a couple of good, easy shots at the end," Bryant
said. "And we felt good about him taking them.
Game notes
Miami's Alonzo Mourning, sidelined with a kidney disease,
leads all Eastern Conference centers in All-Star voting. ... Heat
guard Dan Majerle, sidelined all season with a partially torn left
hamstring, said he will play Friday night against Cleveland. ...
The Lakers placed forward Devean George on the injured list and
activated rookie forward Stanislav Medvedenko. George, averaging
1.7 points and 1.1 rebounds in 17 games this season, has a sore
throat and ear infection. ... Bruce Bowen's 3-pointer in the first
quarter extended Miami's NBA record for consecutive games with a 3
to 533.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
LA Lakers Clubhouse
Miami Clubhouse
RECAPS
Toronto 103
Utah 95
Atlanta 87
New York 77
LA Lakers 81
Miami 79
Indiana 90
Chicago 85
San Antonio 86
Houston 79
Detroit 89
Phoenix 84
Golden State 120
Minnesota 99
Sacramento 106
Washington 72
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Kobe Bryant felt the Lakers didn't do a good job keeping Miami at bay.
wav: 85 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Coach Pat Riley was looking for someone to step up against the Lakers.
wav: 147 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Kobe Bryant Official Site
Rick Fox Official Site
Mark Madsen Official Site
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