News / Sports
NBA Scores: Kobe Scores 46 as Lakers Get Past Sonics in the Fourth
Kobe Bryant scored 46 points, grabbed 5 rebounds and dished out 6 assists as the Los Angeles Lakers (40-36) beat the Seattle Supersonics (30-46) 112-109 to keep them ½ a game in front of the Denver Nuggets for the sixth spot in the Western Conference playoff hunt.
Bryant scored 11 in the opening period and Lamar Odom added 9 as the Lakers closed the quarter with a 31-28 lead.
For the first six minutes of the second quarter the two teams traded buckets but Seattle used an 18-4 run to grab a 55-43 lead with 1:07 remaining in the half. The Sonics held Kobe in check during the second quarter as the Lakers star managed just 4 points and Seattle went into the break with a 57-49 advantage.
Kobe made up for a poor second quarter with 20 points in the third as the Lakers pulled to within four by the end of the period.
The Lakers opened the fourth quarter with a three-pointer from Brian Cook and a dunk from Ronny Turiaf put L.A. in front 87-86. The two sides went back and forth as the neither team could build a lead greater than five.
Earl Watson pulled the Sonics even 103-103 after hitting a pair of free-throws with 1:54 left in the game. L.A. scored the next five to take a 108-103 lead with 25 seconds left on the clock. Bryant then hit four free-throws over the last 22 seconds to seal the game.
Lamar Odom scored 20 points and had 7 assists for the Lakers.
Chris Wilcox led the Sonics with 32 points and 18 rebounds while Nick Collison added 14 points and 14 boards in the loss.
