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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The Los Angeles Lakers took out a few
frustrations on the poor Detroit Pistons, who were in the wrong
place at the wrong time for the second straight night Sunday.
|  | | The Lakers' Isaiah Rider tries to get a shot off against Detroit's Jerry Stackhouse. |
Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal bounced back from subpar
performances with 26 points each, and the Lakers had a season-high
36 assists in beating the Pistons 112-88.
"I saw a semblance of what I'm looking for out there," said
Lakers coach Phil Jackson, whose team had lost its previous two
games to Golden State and Seattle, a pair of teams with losing
records. "I think they looked for each other -- that was a good part
of the game."
Bryant, the NBA's leading scorer, made 11 of 21 shots two days
after going 8-for-25 and scoring 19 points -- more than 10 below his
average -- in a 103-95 loss to Seattle. He also had nine assists
despite leaving the game with 10:46 remaining and the Lakers
leading 89-69.
"We made a conscious effort to really get back and not let them
get any easy baskets on us," Bryant said. "We did a good job of
hitting the open man, reading the double team. We needed a game
like this."
O'Neal, whose 0-for-11 free-throw effort against the SuperSonics
broke Wilt Chamberlain's 40-year-old record for most misses in a
game without any makes, went 2-for-5 from the foul line and also
had 12 rebounds, despite sitting out the fourth quarter. He made
12 of 18 field goal tries.
"We know what we have to do, now we just have to be
consistent," O'Neal said. "We lost a couple that we shouldn't
have lost. If we can keep playing like that, we'll be fine."
Mike Penberthy scored 12 points. Rick Fox had 10 points, nine
assists and six rebounds despite sitting out the final period, and
Robert Horry added 10 points and seven rebounds for the Lakers.
Jerry Stackhouse, the league's second-leading scorer, led
Detroit with 30 points, making 12 of 22 shots.
Joe Smith scored 12 of his season-high 23 points in the fourth
quarter and had seven rebounds for the Pistons, who were beaten
114-83 at Portland on Saturday night -- their most lopsided loss of
the season.
"I don't think you can hardly imagine the trip out west when
you're looking at three of the four teams who are coming off a
loss, and at home," said Stackhouse, referring to Vancouver, the
Trail Blazers and the Lakers. "We're ready to go home."
The Pistons play their next three games at home.
"We played the defending champions and probably the best team
in the league this year, and Portland, which is right there with
them," Pistons coach George Irvine said. "Portland was terrific
against us, and L.A. was, too."
The Lakers scored seven straight points -- four by O'Neal -- to
take an 85-64 lead late in the third quarter, and the Pistons
didn't pose a threat after that. Reserves played much of the final
period for both teams.
The Lakers got off to a fast start, taking a 12-1 lead in the
first 3 1/2 minutes behind Bryant's seven points. The Pistons weren't
closer than four points after that.
Bryant had 12 points and Stackhouse 10 in the first quarter,
which ended with the Lakers leading 33-25.
The Pistons scored five straight points to draw within four
midway through the second period before a pair dunks by O'Neal
triggered a 14-6 run, giving the Lakers a 56-44 halftime lead.
Game notes
The Lakers have won five straight games and 12 of 13
against the Pistons dating back to the 1993-94 season. ... O'Neal
made his first free throw, snapping a streak of 12 straight misses
over two games. He received cheers from the sellout crowd of 18,997
at Staples Center following the two free throws he made. ... O'Neal
was able to joke about his record for futility before the game,
saying: "Anytime you can replace a guy like Wilt, it's an honor to
my game. When you try real hard, anything can be accomplished."
... The Lakers, who snapped a two-game losing streak, haven't lost
three straight in the regular season since April 1999. ... The
Lakers, who went 27-3 against Eastern Conference teams last season,
are 4-0 this season, and have won nine straight and 18 of their
last 19 against Eastern foes. The Pistons are 3-5 against the West.
... Stackhouse has made an NBA-leading 151 free throws in 186
attempts, second most in the league behind O'Neal, who has made
84 of 218.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Detroit Clubhouse
LA Lakers Clubhouse
RECAPS
Phoenix 95
Toronto 87
Boston 104
Denver 102
Dallas 99
New Jersey 73
Sacramento 101
Miami 97
LA Lakers 112
Detroit 88
 FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Jerry Stackhouse Official Site
Kobe Bryant Official Site
Rick Fox Official Site
Mark Madsen Official Site
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