Kobe Bryant the Star in Game Two Win

49 is a distinct number— It’s a perfect square. It is 7 times 7 and a lot of cultures attribute the Number 7 to good luck.

Unfortunately for the Denver Nuggets, that’s not the case.

Kobe Bryant scored 49 points and dished out 10 assists as the Los Angeles Lakers dominated the Denver Nuggets (122-107) for the second straight game in their Best of 7 series in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. The win gave the Lakers a 2-0 lead over the Nuggets in their series.

Kobe was simply brilliant in the game, scoring 20 points in the FIRST QUARTER. His output for that quarter was 2 points shy of the franchise playoff record for most points in a quarter. Kobe’s near-record setting offensive performance also missed his own playoff record by a point. Kobe Bryant’s best play in the game: A minute to go in the third quarter, the ball was inbounded to Pau Gasol to the left elbow, Gasol gets it low but recovers, then turns around, lobs the ball to the opposite side of the court to Kobe Bryant for a nifty alley-oop dunk. Great stuff.

The Los Angeles Lakers are up two games while playing the Nuggets’ fast style of play. The Lakers are averaging 125 points a game while the Nuggets are getting around 110 points in the series. That stat line looks a lot like a 1980’s point total, but it sure is better than the slow playoff-quality defense people are used to. The players seem to be playing their strengths.

Speaking of players, Pau Gasol was not as dominating compared to his first game, yet he still had a solid game with another double-double (18 points, 10 rebounds). And the heck is Luke Walton taking these days?!? He registered 17 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists for yet another strong playoff game. He’s turning out to be Lakers’ X-Factor for the series.

But there was no factor in Game 2 bigger than Kobe. He reminded everyone that after the strong performances of Chris Paul and Kevin Garnett’s Defensive Player of the Year award, he’s primed to take the MVP trophy to Los Angeles.

[image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/47864808@N00/]