NBA
Scores/Schedules
Standings
Statistics
Transactions
Injuries
Players
Weekly lineup

  Wednesday, Feb. 16 7:30pm ET
Bryant's late surge boosts Lakers
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE | 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
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.
 


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