Lakers vs. Heat: Bryant’s three-pointer lifts Lakers to win
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Kobe Bryant banked in a three-pointer as time expired to give the Lakers a 108-107 victory over the Miami Heat tonight at Staples Center.
Bryant finished with 33 points and scored his last points over Dwyane Wade.
Wade scored 26 points, but he made just one of two free throws with 3.2 seconds left to leave the door open for Bryant.
The Lakers once trailed by four points late in the fourth, but a Derek Fisher three-pointer closed the Lakers to within one point, allowing them the opportunity to get the win.
The Lakers have won eight consecutive games.
Lakers 76, Heat 76 (third quarter)
The Lakers picked up their defense in the third quarter, forcing the Heat into taking bad shots and into a 24-second shot-clock violation.
But the Heat was equally tough against the Lakers on defense, making L.A. work for its points.
That made it a grind-it-out affair that was tied at 76-76 at the end of the third quarter tonight at Staples Center.
It became a half-court game for the most part in the third.
Neither the Lakers no the Heat was willing to give up much to the other.
Lakers 51, Heat 48 (halftime)
The Lakers used their height and size to overwhelm the shorter Miami Heat in the first half.
The Lakers went to seven-footers Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum and let them work inside.
The Lakers scored 38 of their points inside in opening a 51-48 lead at halftime over the Heat tonight at Staples Center.
Gasol had 12 points and Bynum had 11 in the first half.
The half ended with Dwyane Wade and Kobe Bryant going at each other.
Wade broke free for two dunks in the second quarter. He was two-for-nine shooting from the field.
Bryant ended the first half scoring over three Heat defenders while falling to the court. Bryant had eight points in the first half.
Heat 23, Lakers 21 (first quarter)
The Lakers shot only 36% from the field in the first quarter, part of the reason why they trailed, 23-21, the the Miami Heat heading into the second quarter.
The Heat managed only 42.1% shooting from the field.
It didn’t look good for the Lakers after Kobe Bryant picked up his second foul with 5:22 left in the first.
Bryant got his first foul on a reach-in against Dwyane Wade and his second foul trying to help out on Miami center Jermaine O’Neal.
Bryant was replaced by Shannon Brown.
Wade had one point, missing all four of his shots and making one of his two free throws.
Pregame
It’s the kind of showdown that NBA fans love to see -- two talents like Kobe Bryant and Miami’s Dwyane Wade going at each other.
Bryant and Wade are two of the best guards in the NBA, two of the best players, in fact.
But Lakers Coach Phil Jackson doesn’t want this to be a matchup between Bryant and Wade when Los Angeles plays Miami at Staples Center tonight.
Jackson wants all his players to get involved on offense and defense.
Jackson certainly doesn’t want Byant to get into a one-on-one duel with Wade.
‘This matchup, it takes execution skills,’ Jackson said. ‘We have to make sure that we are executing and not going through the basic that we’re just going to turn the ball over to Kobe and stand around and watch him.’
-- Broderick Turner