New:Hornets vs. Lakers 1/6/09 GAME RECAP (Lakers Loose)

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Hornets vs. Lakers 1/6/09 GAME RECAP (Lakers Loose)
         


            
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            The New Orleans Hornets hand the Lakers just their second loss in the Staples Center, 116-105.
Somebody had to play defense in Tuesday nights Hornets-Lakers game.

The Hornets finally did in the fourth quarter, and it proved decisive.

David West scored 15 of his 40 points in the final period to outscore Los Angeles by himself, and New Orleans beat Los Angeles 116-105 to snap the Lakers 15-game home winning streak.

The Lakers led 92-89 entering the fourth quarter before shooting just 5-of-21, including 3-of-11 from 3-point range while being outscored 27-13.

We had to pick it up defensively, Hornets coach Byron Scott said. Kobe (Bryant) was hitting everything he was throwing up and they made a bunch of 3s. Defense was our focus. We tried to switch it up and we tried to play Kobe straight up most of the game, but he just got it going so toward the end and we figured that we had to get it out of his hands as much as possible.

Bryant led the Lakers with 39 points and seven assists, but scored only two in the fourth quarter, shooting 1-of-6 after going 13-of-16, including 6-of-6 from 3-point range in the first three quarters.

After the third quarter, they pretty much werent going to let me get a shot off, Bryant said. Shots didnt go for us.

West shot 14-of-23 from the floor and 12-of-13 from the foul line in matching his career high. He also grabbed 11 rebounds as the Hornets (21-10) won for the 16th time in 21 games and avenged two losses to the Lakers in New Orleans earlier this season.

We felt pretty confident that if we were somehow able to slow (Bryant) down, we would have a good chance to win, West said. We needed this one tonight. The first two times we played these guys, they jumped on us.

The Lakers beat the Hornets twice earlier this season—both times in New Orleans. The teams play for the fourth and final team this season Feb. 20 at Staples Center.

Now we have a chance to split, West said.

West scored nine points during a 15-0 run that gave the Hornets a 109-99 lead with 5:24 remaining. Derek Fishers 3-pointer with 4:37 left ended a Lakers scoring drought of nearly four minutes, but the Hornets increased their pressure on Bryant and werent threatened after that.

He was rolling, Hornets star Chris Paul said of West. When hes going like that, we are going to feed him the rest of the game. He was hitting all types of shots—floaters in the lane, step-backs, and thats why hes an All-Star.

So is Paul, and he showed why with 32 points, 15 assists, three steals and no turnovers in 44 minutes. Tyson Chandler added 12 points and eight rebounds, and Rasual Butler had 10 points and six rebounds for the Hornets, who shot only 5-of-14 from 3-point range to the Lakers 16-of-34, but won anyway.

I just didnt think we executed well enough, Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. I thought we burned a lot of energy in the third, trying to catch up and stay ahead after getting behind early in the third quarter.

Fisher added 19 points and six assists for the Lakers, who had their six-game winning streak snapped. Theyre 18-2 at home this season and their 27-6 overall record is tied with Cleveland for the best in the NBA.

We were out of flow pretty much all night defensively, Bryant said. Offensively, I thought we did OK and got shots that we wanted, but defensively we werent able to corral them like we normally have the last few times weve played them. Everybody wants to talk about offense; defense is where you win or lose games.
Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant, right, points as he talks with with teammate Sasha Vujacic, left, of Slovenia during the second half of an NBA basketball against the New Orleans Hornets game in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2009. The Hornets won 116-105.
Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryan
AP - Jan 7, 1:36 am EST
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               Added: January 7, 2009

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