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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The Los Angeles Lakers, who had lost two in a
row for the first time this season, appeared to be back in form.
|  | | Kobe Bryant flushes two of his 23 points. |
Shaquille O'Neal scored 26 of his 30 points in the first half
and the Lakers took control in the third quarter Friday night,
handing Milwaukee its most lopsided loss of the season, 117-89.
"We were just trying to get back on track," O'Neal said. "We
had to move the ball better and play better defense. We know with a
team like that, we're supposed to beat them."
Kobe Bryant added 23 points for Los Angeles, which opened the
game up while the Bucks could not find the basket starting in the
third quarter.
Beginning with 7:21 left in the third, the Bucks missed 19
consecutive shots during a 14:25 span that finally ended when Vinny
Del Negro hit a jumper with 4:16 left in the game.
Lakers guard Derek Fisher had difficulty recalling the last time he was in a game where one team went almost 15 minutes without a basket.
"I remember when I was in grade school, I played in a game that
was 6-4," he said, smiling. "So maybe that game came close."
Sam Cassell, who led Milwaukee with 18 points, was duly
impressed by the Lakers.
"They showed us why they've got the best record in the
league," Cassell said. "It just wasn't our night. Ray (Allen) and
myself didn't find our comfort level. It was like everything was
like a burden on our shoulders.
"You're not going to beat L.A. going 14 minutes without a
basket."
Del Negro had 15 points off the bench, and Allen was just
4-of-14 from the floor and had 14 points.
Glen Rice added 19 points for Los Angeles and Ron Harper had 10
assists.
O'Neal also blocked four shots and had eight rebounds and got a
relatively restful game, playing just 33 minutes. He went 13-of-18
from the floor.
The Bucks' most one-sided loss prior to this was an 106-84
defeat at Indiana.
The Lakers had lost four of their previous six, including a
defeat at Indiana that stopped their 16-game winning streak. Los
Angeles' 34-9 record is still the best in the NBA.
The Lakers had gotten little time off so far this month, playing
12 games in 20 days before getting a three-day break heading in
against the Bucks, and they looked rested -- particularly O'Neal.
The Lakers lost 95-91 to Portland in Los Angeles and 105-101 at
Utah in double overtime before their win over Milwaukee, their
ninth straight against the Bucks.
Trailing 48-47 five minutes into the second quarter, the Lakers
outscored Milwaukee 20-8, including a 16-5 stretch, to lead 67-55
at halftime. O'Neal had 16 points in the quarter.
He missed just two of his 13 field goal attempts in the first
half and also had five rebounds and blocked three shots.
Game notes
Milwaukee coach George Karl, fired by the SuperSonics after
the 1997-98 season, will return to the Key Arena in Seattle for the
first time on Saturday. He took over the Bucks prior to the 1998-99
season. ... The Lakers won the earlier meeting with the Bucks this
season 103-94 at Milwaukee. ... O'Neal had played 55 minutes, the
most of his career in the double-overtime loss at Utah on Monday.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Milwaukee Clubhouse
LA Lakers Clubhouse
RECAPS
Boston 91
Phoenix 88
Toronto 108
Miami 93
Atlanta 98
New York 96
Sacramento 102
Chicago 90
Denver 104
Houston 98
LA Lakers 117
Milwaukee 89
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