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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
LOS ANGELES (AP) – So tired he had to lay down at halftime, Kobe
Bryant couldn't wait for the game to end.
|  | | Kobe Bryant, right, and Vince Carter wrestle for a third-quarter rebound. |
But relishing the challenge of matching up against Toronto's
Vince Carter, Bryant scored 17 of his 29 points in the third
quarter and the Los Angeles Lakers rallied to beat the Raptors
97-85 Wednesday night for their eighth consecutive home win.
"It was one of the hardest games I ever played in. I wanted to
go to sleep," said Bryant, who has played four games in five days.
"It just caught up to me. Last night against Golden State, it was
a similar first half, just real drowsy."
The Lakers' fourth straight victory also moved them within a
half-game of idle Portland for the Pacific Division lead.
Grimacing because of his aching ankles, Bryant struggled on
1-for-10 shooting in the first half. He sat out the first six
minutes of the second quarter and the Lakers went into halftime
clinging to a two-point lead.
"I'm sure everybody who was watching the game in the first half
thought I wasn't going to bring it to the table, which completely
and totally upset me," Bryant said.
But after falling behind by six in the third quarter, Bryant
came alive during a 15-2 run that gave the Lakers the lead for
good. Against Carter's defense, Bryant had their final 10 points of
the period, including an alley-oop dunk, two long-range jumpers and
a layup, for a 76-67 lead.
"I know that's what people want to see," Bryant said. "That's
an opportunity to kind of kill two birds with one stone, get the
win and win the individual matchup."
Shaquille O'Neal added 25 points and 10 rebounds despite sitting
the entire fourth quarter when Bryant worked mostly with a cast of
reserves.
Bryant left with 3:40 remaining and the Lakers ahead by 18
points.
Carter led the Raptors with 28 points. He had their first six
points of the fourth before committing his fifth foul. At the same
time, Bryant was scoring six in a row to give Los Angeles an 87-71
lead.
"When you play a team like the Lakers, it's the little things
that count," said Toronto's Charles Oakley, who had 10 rebounds.
"They are looking for a show between Vince and Kobe and Shaq, but
we need to take care of the little things. We didn't do that."
The Lakers dominated the boards 53-33, a turnaround from their
overtime victory against Toronto on Dec. 17 when the Raptors
grabbed 61 rebounds -- the most by a Los Angeles opponent this
season. Horace Grant matched O'Neal with 10 rebounds.
"We were terrible," Raptors coach Lenny Wilkens said. "I
didn't think we had any energy."
The Lakers trailed by 10 early in the second quarter before
putting together a 15-5 run to tie the game at 32. O'Neal had eight
points and Brian Shaw added five as the Lakers were energized by
reserve Tyronn Lue, who hit a 3-pointer and made some well-placed
passes.
"We're in a pretty good groove right now," Shaw said. "Our
defense is starting to get better. We're not letting every team now
get 100 on us night in and night out. That's the biggest change
we've made."
Although the Lakers led 45-43 at the break, the first half ended
in disarray as they missed both of their final shots, including a
jumper by Bryant that sailed over the basket, triggering a look of
disgust on O'Neal's face.
Game notes
Lakers guard Isaiah Rider will continue practicing and
traveling with the team while he serves a five-game suspension by
the NBA for violating its anti-drug program. Coach Phil Jackson
said Rider would be included in the team picture to be taken
Thursday. ... The Lakers swept the season series 2-0. ... Los
Angeles improved to 8-7 in the second game of back-to-back sets.
... Toronto had scored 100 or more points in six of its previous
nine games. ... Bryant wore a piece of white tape over his recently
pierced ear. It's a way to get around the no jewelry rule without
taking out the diamond stud.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Toronto Clubhouse
LA Lakers Clubhouse
NBA suspends Rider, Odom for drug-program violations
RECAPS
Milwaukee 101
Boston 94
New York 79
Indiana 75
Philadelphia 102
New Jersey 94
Houston 104
Atlanta 98
Washington 88
Cleveland 83
Dallas 93
Miami 86
Orlando 112
Detroit 102
Sacramento 100
Phoenix 89
Utah 86
Seattle 82
LA Lakers 97
Toronto 85
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