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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Shaq and Kobe finally got some help.
Isaiah Rider had his best game for the Lakers, scoring 11 points
in the final 4:47 Friday night as Los Angeles outlasted the New
Jersey Nets 113-101.
|  | | Shaquille O'Neal doles out one of his eight assists despite the Nets' triple-team. |
"Rider was the 'X' factor with 24 points and five offensive
rebounds. That hurt us," said Nets coach Byron Scott, the former
Lakers guard.
Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson said of Rider: "It's the best
I've seen him play with this team. They gave us the double-team on
Shaq and we kicked it out and he (Rider) took advantage of the
situation. He's one of our best shooters."
Shaquille O'Neal had 26 points, nine rebounds and eight assists
as the defending NBA champions ended a two-game losing streak.
O'Neal, whose eight assists were just one less than his career
high, was 9-of-12 from the floor and 8-of-12 from the free throw
line.
Kobe Bryant had 26 points and nine rebounds for the Lakers, who
haven't lost three straight in almost two years.
The play of Rider, whose bad-boy image made him a controversial
addition to the Lakers during the offseason, gave the Lakers a
badly needed boost against the tenacious Nets.
"I had fun because we were winning and we needed a good game,"
Rider said. "I think for a few guys to get in double figures and
for Shaq and Kobe to have big games, it's good for the team."
Rider went 7-of-12 from the floor, made all eight of his free
throws, and also had six rebounds in 24 minutes.
"It took a while for him to kind of get his rhythm here, but he
looks like he has it now," Bryant said. "I thought he played very
well. He was very aggressive, especially in the fourth quarter."
The defending NBA champion Lakers had to work to beat the Nets,
who have won just six times on the road this season and had lost
their last two games by more than 20 points.
Stephon Marbury had 33 points and Keith Van Horn 25 for New
Jersey.
The Nets stayed close until the Lakers finally began to open a
gap in the third period. But they didn't take their first
double-digit lead until Tyronn Lue's 19-footer 29 seconds into the
fourth quarter gave them a 91-81 lead.
Horace Grant, back in the Los Angeles lineup after missing two
games with back spasms, had made a pair of free throws in the final
second of the third quarter to give Los Angeles an 88-81 lead.
The win was Los Angeles' 10th in the last 11 games against the
Nets, and the Lakers have won 23 of the 27 meetings on their home
court.
Van Horn's 18 first-half points helped the Nets stay close, and
they trailed just 55-54 at halftime.
Bryant had 16 and O'Neal 13 in the half, with O'Neal also
logging seven assists.
New Jersey led 48-43 with 3:22 left in the second quarter, but
Rider's two free throws after a flagrant foul call against Kenyon
Martin put Los Angeles up 51-50 with 1:09 remaining in the half.
The Lakers were up 26-23 at the end of the first quarter, with
O'Neal leading the way with nine points and five assists.
Game notes
Nets forward Stephen Jackson missed the game to attend his
grandfather's funeral in Texas. Aaron Williams started in place of
Jackson. ... New Jersey also is without injured centers Jim
McIlvaine and Jamie Feick, and Martin, a rookie forward, started at
center against O'Neal. ... The last time the Lakers lost three in a
row was in April 1999, the season before Jackson became their
coach.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
New Jersey Clubhouse
LA Lakers Clubhouse
RECAPS
Philadelphia 105
Detroit 89
Washington 106
Atlanta 99
Boston 99
Phoenix 83
Houston 106
Vancouver 89
Seattle 107
Golden State 105
LA Lakers 113
New Jersey 101
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Kobe Bryant Official Site
Rick Fox Official Site
Mark Madsen Official Site
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