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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Patience isn't a typical quality of most
21-year-olds. Then again, Kobe Bryant isn't often described as average for his age.
|  | | Derrick Coleman's 19 points weren't enough to stop the Hornets from losing to the Lakers for the fifth time in their past six tries. |
Overcoming early foul trouble, Bryant scored 15 of his 26 points in the final 15 minutes and the Los Angeles Lakers added to their road success with a 92-85 victory over Charlotte on Wednesday night.
"It's hard because you're so competitive and you want to be out
there playing," said Bryant, who wound up playing 34 minutes but
just 12 in the first half. "But I just had to tell myself to calm
down and take it easy."
Glen Rice, acquired in a trade with the Hornets 11 months ago, had 21 points against his former team to help the Lakers improve to 6-1 on the road this season against Eastern Conference teams.
The Lakers, who have won five in a row, got their latest victory
in a building that has been especially tough on visitors. The
Hornets were 20-3 at the Charlotte Coliseum this season, including
a 14-0 mark when holding opponents to less than 100 points.
"It's special to come here and win," Bryant said. "Those guys
have only lost, what, like three games here all season long. This
is a tough place to play."
Shaquille O'Neal added 18 points and 14 rebounds for the Lakers in front of 23,799, the first sellout crowd in Charlotte since
April 1998.
In a battle of two teams playing for the second time in as many
nights, the Lakers were held to 39-percent shooting but made up for
it by outscoring Charlotte 28-17 in the fourth quarter.
"Both teams' legs looked a little tired after games last
night," Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson said. "But we stuck with
it and made some plays on defense."
The Hornets got big contributions from Eddie Jones and Elden
Campbell, the two players they got in the Rice deal. Jones had 18
points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals, and Campbell
had 13 rebounds, but it wasn't enough to prevent Charlotte from
losing to the Lakers for the fifth time in six games.
"As bad as I really wanted to win this game, I'm a little
upset," Jones said, "because I thought we had them."
Derrick Coleman had 19 points and Anthony Mason 18 for the
Hornets, who had a four-game winning streak halted.
Bryant, whose first-half foul troubles limited him to seven
points, made four consecutive field-goal attempts in the fourth
quarter, putting the Lakers up 80-76 with 6:10 remaining.
Jones, who was on the bench during Bryant's run, came back in
and held him scoreless the rest of the way, but the damage had
already been done.
The closest Charlotte got in the closing minutes was 84-83 on a
3-pointer by Coleman with 2:58 left. But the Hornets missed their
final five field-goal attempts.
"I had to rest Eddie for a couple minutes in the fourth because
he played most of the game," Charlotte coach Paul Silas said.
"And it just so happened that that's when they made their run."
Jones had six points in a 13-4 surge midway through the third
quarter that gave the Hornets their biggest lead. Jones capped the
run by stripping the ball from Bryant and going the length of the
court for a reverse dunk that made it 62-55.
Game notes
Bryant's first-half problems weren't limited to his three
fouls. In the second quarter, he put up a baseline jumper that hit
the side of the backboard, and a few minutes later he went swooping
toward the basket for one of his trademark windmill dunks, only to
have the shot blocked emphatically by Chucky Brown. ... O'Neal continued what for him is an uncharacteristically strong
performance at the free-throw line. After making 26 of 32 foul
shots in his previous two games, he hit six of nine. "I ain't
messing around no more with free throws," he said. "That,
'Hack-A-Shaq' will never work again." ... Charlotte's last home
victory against the Lakers was on Nov. 6, 1996.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
LA Lakers Clubhouse
Charlotte Clubhouse
Wesley talks, says Phills crash will haunt him forever
Hornets' Coleman acquitted of DWI charge
RECAPS
Indiana 109
Toronto 101
LA Lakers 92
Charlotte 85
New York 93
Minnesota 89
Orlando 129
LA Clippers 96
Portland 99
Golden State 95
Vancouver 92
Washington 87
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