Lakers 123, Sonics 121 (OT)
You'd assume that the few people who showed up at Key Arena tonight were hoping from a show from Kobe Bryant.
Bryant scored a season-high 48 points, including the final three baskets of the game to get his Lakers the overtime win.
The Sonics were up four points with under two minutes to go, and with Kurt Thomas at the line for two shots. Thomas missed both, and then Bryant hit ridiculous baskets on consecutive possessions against pretty good defense from Jeff Green.
On the first, he changed his release point on a jumper in mid-air, released the ball on the way down, and gets nothing but net. Next basket after a Ridnour miss he hits a jumper in transition.
After two scoreless Laker possessions (not coincidentally, Bryant didn't take the shots) and two scoreless Sonics possessions (not coincidentally, Bryant didn't take the shots), the Lakers held for last shot. Here's where Jeff Green makes a rookie mistake.
Kobe dribbles at top of key. On the TV broadcast, Steve Jones calls for Green to come out on Bryant and force a pass. Green doesn't. Bryant goes hard left, stops, lets Green go past, and hits a fallaway 18-footer.
The Sonics got a final shot off, a 20-foot jumper by Nick Collison that was well off the mark.
A great effort by the Supes, but--and man is this getting tired--they couldn't contend with a Hall-of-Famer having one of his best games.
