NBA Game Summary - Seattle at LA Lakers

03.21.2005

Los Angeles, CA (Basketball News) - Rashard Lewis scored a team-high 27 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as Seattle edged the Los Angeles Lakers, 102-100, at Staples Center.

Ronald Murray chipped in 25 points off the bench for the SuperSonics, who have won two straight and four their last five. Antonio Daniels ended with 13 points in the win, but Seattle guard Ray Allen left the game in the first quarter after spraining his right ankle. X-rays, though, were negative.

"We find ways to win basketball games," Seattle head coach Nate McMillan said. "These guys are stepping up. Murray played well tonight. We only had three turnovers in the second half and did a good job keeping the ball."

Kobe Bryant led all scorers with 30 points, 16 of which came in the fourth quarter. Caron Butler netted 29 for the Lakers, who have lost five straight and fell 3 1/2 games back of Denver for the eighth spot in the Western Conference.

Trailing by eight heading into the fourth quarter, Tierre Brown started the final stanza with a three-point play for the Lakers as they got within 71-66.

The Sonics then enjoyed a nine-point cushion moments later, but Bryant nailed a three as LA trailed 79-73. After a Murray three-point play, Bryant reeled off two straight trey’s to make it an 82-79 contest.

Seattle answered with seven straight points, going back on top 89-79 on a Ridnour three-pointer with 4:31 left in the game.

The Lakers wouldn’t go away, though, and trailed 95-93, after Chucky Atkins hit a driving layup with less than a minute to go. Nick Collison countered for Seattle with a three-point play as the Lakers trailed by five with 28.2 ticks left on the clock.

Out of timeouts, Bryant missed his three-point try, but Butler was there for the putback and was fouled. He missed the free throw try, but the rebound fell to Bryant who tried another three but it was again off the mark. There was a scrum for the loose ball with it apparently going off the hand of Seattle’s Antonio Daniels, but the refs still gave possession to the Sonics.

Seattle hit all four of its free throws down the stretch to hold on for the win.

The Sonics led 27-23 after one quarter of play and shook off a sluggish second stanza to garner a 46-41 lead at the half. It was a 71-63 contest heading into the fourth frame.

Vitaly Potapenko added 11 points as Seattle’s bench outscored LA’s 51-17. The SuperSonics have taken all three contests thus far against the Lakers, including two straight at the Staples Center...LA shot just 9-of-26 (35 percent) from beyond the arc...Seattle shot 47 percent on field goals and hit 28-of-35 from the charity stripe.

Post your comment:

No profanity or inaproppriate remarks. All i.p. addresses will be saved and abuse/hate posts will be reported to providers and authorities as part of the anti-spam act of 2003, thank you for posting comments on the articles only.