Bryant fails to hit 50, Lakers still down Warriors

Bryant scored 43 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead Los Angeles, which has won a season-best five straight games. Bryant, who hit 15-of-33 shots, had scored at least 50 points in his previous four games, becoming just the second player in NBA history to accomplish that feat.

Lamar Odom added 24 points and a career-high tying 19 rebounds for the Lakers, who remain firmly in the sixth spot in the Western Conference playoff race. Smush Parker added 13 points for LA, which used a 14-0 fourth-quarter run to help eliminate a double-digit deficit.

Monta Ellis scored a career-high tying 31 points to lead the Warriors, who fell one game behind the idle LA Clippers for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Al Harrington added 23 points for Golden State, which lost for the second time in three outings.

Down 98-90 early in the fourth quarter, the Lakers ran off 14 straight points to take the lead for good. Bryant and Ronny Turiaf each scored six points during the run, which Turiaf completed with a basket for a 104-98 lead with just over five minutes to play. Odom’s bucket during the surge put the Lakers ahead for good, 99-98.

Baron Davis later drew the Warriors within 111-110 on a three-pointer with 27 seconds to play, but that was as close as Golden State would get. Harrington then failed to get a three-point attempt off with sixth-tenths of a second remaining and the Lakers escaped with their eighth straight win over the Warriors.

Davis ended with 14 points and eight assists for the Warriors, who have also lost eight in a row in LA. Stephen Jackson added 16 points for Golden State, which trailed 35-25 after one quarter and 65-61 at halftime.

Ahead 88-85 at the start of the fourth quarter, the Warriors scored the first seven points of the stanza to forge in front by 10 points, 95-85. Andris Biedrins’ bucket two minutes into the frame capped the surge, giving Golden State the double-digit lead.

Game Notes

Wilt Chamberlain was the only other player to score at least 50 points in more than four straight games. He did it in seven consecutive contests during the 1961-62 season...LA improved to 23-11 at home...Golden State fell to 8-28 on the road...Bryant, who scored just four points in the second quarter, didn’t have an assist in the game...Golden State’s loss secured a playoff berth for the Utah Jazz.