The Los Angeles Lakers continued their best streak of the season with a dramatic comeback over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night at Staples Center.
Looking up at the monolithic arena board from my level-one box seat (ah, the perks of going to USC and having friends in fraternities and sororities) with the Lakers trailing late in the fourth, I had a good feeling about how the contest would turn out.
After all, the Lakers had won 11 of 12 games since the All-Star break and were starting to look like the two-time defending champions that we were expecting.
The unraveled script told a familiar story: Lakers trail late, get serious, Kobe takes over with a few brilliant shots and the Lakers dramatically snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
Bryant was brilliant after entering with 8:53 left in the fourth quarter after a curiously long rest between quarters. He shot five-of-eight, including a ridiculous fadeaway over Brandon Roy, an impossible reverse layup and a high-arching short jumper to upstage Nicolas Batum's brilliant game for Portland.
The victory over Portland may not have been impressive ...
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Article written by Jason Heim
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