RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers lead
the NBA in scoring, individually and as a team.
On Tuesday night, they were terrific on defense as well.
|  | | Allen Iverson scored 27, but he was 9-for-27 shooting after being chased around by Kobe Bryant. |
Bryant scored 16 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter, and
harassed Allen Iverson into a 9-for-27 shooting night as the
defending NBA champion Lakers beat Eastern Conference power
Philadelphia 96-85.
Bryant, who has scored 117 points in his last three games, held
Iverson scoreless in the second half of a nationally televised
87-84 Lakers' victory last February. Iverson got his points in this
game, 27 in all, but many of his 12 fourth-quarter points came
after the outcome was decided.
"We contested every shot, that's what we wanted to do," Bryant
said. "This was a big challenge, it also shows we're capable of
playing this kind of defense."
Of Iverson, Bryant said: "He's light, I can usually body people
and get away with it. Being as quick as he is, not being able to
bother him, you can see where the difficulty is."
Iverson admitted he struggled offensively, but gave Bryant
credit.
"He's definitely a big-time player, and he has some big-time
shots," Iverson said. "He got into a groove early, and it
continued for the rest of the game. I mean, they had a total team
effort, but that game was dominated, big-time, by Kobe Bryant, who
played a magnificent game."
Shaquille O'Neal had 27 points, 20 rebounds, six assists and a
season-high seven blocked shots; Brian Shaw scored 13 points, and
Horace Grant had 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers, who have
won 11 of their last 13 games after a 3-3 start as well as 10
straight home games since being beaten by Utah in their home
opener.
"I thought we really focused on what we wanted to get
accomplished defensively," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said.
Aaron McKie added a season-high 21 points and George Lynch had
12 points and seven rebounds for the 76ers, who have a 4-4 record
since opening the season with 10 wins.
Philadelphia's Theo Ratliff, the NBA's leading shot-blocker, was
in foul trouble throughout the game, and finished with six points,
six rebounds and two blocks.
"Unfortunately, (the officials) didn't let Theo play, and as
short-handed as we were, it's a shame to not let this kid play,"
76ers coach Larry Brown said. "It's ridiculous when one of your
key players, who's become a perimeter player in this league, gets
four fouls without even affecting the outcome."
The Lakers held a seven-point lead before a 3-pointer by McKie
and a jumper by Iverson made it 67-65 with 9:23 remaining. However,
O'Neal scored five straight points to make it 74-67, and two
straight jumpers by Bryant made it 80-72 with 4:17 to play. The
76ers weren't closer than seven points after that.
O'Neal, just 5-of-19 from the foul line in his last game, was
5-of-6 in this one. He missed his first seven field goal attempts
before making 11 of his final 21.
"It was a grind-it-out game," O'Neal said. "We won with our
defense, but we feel we can play a whole lot better. It's still
early in the season. We always step our game up for the good
teams."
The Lakers went ahead for good by outscoring the 76ers 15-2 to
finish the first half and start the second, giving them a 47-38
lead, and Bryant made back-to-back jumpers to make it 58-47 with
4:15 to play in the third period.
Bryant then went to the bench with his fourth foul, and the
76ers trimmed the deficit to 64-57 entering the fourth quarter.
O'Neal finally made his first field goal with 8:45 left in the
second quarter, triggering a 9-2 run and giving the Lakers a 30-28
lead, and Los Angeles used an 11-2 spurt to finish the period for a
43-38 halftime lead.
Game notes
: Backup 76ers forward-center Matt Geiger didn't play due to
tendinitis in his right quadriceps. ... Philadelphia's Tyrone Hill
returned after missing two games due to a sprained right ankle, and
had five points and five rebounds. ... Surprisingly, the 6-foot-0
Iverson led the 76ers in rebounding in each of their previous three
games while averaging nearly 34 points. He had five rebounds in
this game. ... The Lakers, 27-3 against Eastern Conference teams
last season, are 3-0 against the East this year. ... The 76ers are
13-1 against Eastern teams, and 1-3 against Western Conference
opponents. ... Only five of the 15 Eastern Conference teams have
winning records, while 10 of the 14 Western Conference teams are
above .500. ... The Lakers have won 14 of their last 16 games
against the 76ers in Los Angeles. ... The teams combined to make
the game's first 19 foul shots before Iverson missed with 5:49 left
in the game.
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NBA Scoreboard
Philadelphia Clubhouse
LA Lakers Clubhouse
AthletesDirect: Kobe Bryant's official Web site
RECAPS
Indiana 88
New Jersey 64
Miami 100
Atlanta 92
Cleveland 71
Charlotte 66
Orlando 101
Boston 98
Minnesota 100
Chicago 90
Sacramento 81
San Antonio 75
Houston 109
Dallas 102
Utah 98
Toronto 84
Vancouver 91
Detroit 83
LA Lakers 96
Philadelphia 85
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