With Kobe Suspended, Knicks Take Care of Lakers
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Playing without the suspended Kobe Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers’ late rally fell short in their season-high third straight loss, 99–94 to the Knicks last night
Eddy Curry had 27 points and nine rebounds and Stephon Marbury scored 22 points for the Knicks, who led most of the game but never pulled away. David Lee grabbed 13 rebounds and Jamal Crawford added 17 points.
Bryant was penalized one game without pay earlier yesterday for hitting San Antonio’s Manu Ginobili in the face late in the Lakers’ overtime loss to the Spurs on Sunday.
Without his 28.4 points per game, the Lakers shot only 43.5% and lost for the fourth time in five games.
Lamar Odom had 25 points, nine rebounds, and six assists for the Lakers. Vladimir Radmanovic added 18 points and nine boards, and Smush Parker scored 14 points.
The Lakers trailed by seven with 1 1/2 minutes remaining, but closed to 96–94 on Radmanovic’s 3-pointer with 45 seconds left. Curry made two free throws 10 seconds later, and after Maurice Evans’ 3-pointer rattled out, Los Angeles got the ball back after Jamal Crawford turned it over.
However, Jared Jeffries blocked Brian Cook’s 3-point attempt and New York put it away with three more free throws.
It was a rough way for the Lakers to start an eight–game Eastern trip, their longest since playing eight straight on the road from December 9–20, 1989. Bryant will be back today when Los Angeles visits Boston.
He hoped to play yesterday, seeking an immediate hearing at the league office during the afternoon since he was already in New York. But that request was denied, since normal NBA policy is for the player to serve his suspension and hope to get his money back later if he wins his appeal.
Bryant and the Lakers were surprised by the penalty, and the fans at Madison Square Garden, where Bryant scored 40 points last season, were bummed themselves. There were mostly boos when Bryant’s absence was announced during pregame introductions.
The Lakers were already without Kwame Brown for most of the season and recently lost starting forward Luke Walton to a sprained right ankle.
