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Bryant scores 32, Lakers beat Nets

Dec 12, 2010 - 11:49 PM Newark, NJ (Sports Network) - Kobe Bryant dropped a game-high 32 points with six assists, while Lamar Odom added a 22-point, seven-rebound performance to lead the Los Angeles Lakers past the New Jersey Nets, 99-92, at the Prudential Center.

Pau Gasol had a double-double with 15 points and 11 boards for the Lakers, who improved to 2-1 on their seven-game road trip. Derek Fisher chipped in 10 points in the win.

Brook Lopez had 25 points and nine rebounds to lead New Jersey, which has lost seven straight games. Kris Humphries had 11 points and 11 rebounds, while Devin Harris posted 16 points and 10 assists in the loss.

The final quarter saw four different ties, with the last one coming with 2:44 left to play when Harris hit a floater to make the score 87-87.

But Bryant and Odom took over during the final two minutes of the game, as Bryant's acrobatic drive and dish to a streaking Odom for an easy dunk made it a five-point game, 92-87, with 62 seconds left to play.

"Well, tonight we did a good job," Bryant said. "We spaced it out and we got the ball in isolation, we didn't have guys stand around and watch. We did a much better job of that and as of late we've been losing games because we're not doing that. It's a good win for us."

During the ensuing possession, Bryant picked up a loose ball for a turnover, which resulted in a Odom three-pointer with 42.2 seconds left. The Lakers were then able to seal the game from the free throw line.

"It was back-and-forth, a one-point game," Lopez said. "It could have gone either way, but it just got away from us."

The Nets started with a 7-0 lead, but Odom countered with 12 first quarter points. He made it a one-point game with a layup at the 6:17 mark. Lopez hit a layup during the next possession while Bryant answered back with a three to knot the game at 14.

Less than five minutes later, Odom again drove the lane for a layup to give the Lakers a 30-24 lead at the end the first quarter.

Trailing 45-36 with 5:15 remaining in the opening half, New Jersey went on a six-point burst capped off by a Terrence Williams tip shot. The Lakers, though, scored last seven points of the half as Gasol finished the half's scoring with a jam to give them a 52-42 lead at the break.

New Jersey made it a one-point game with a nine-point run in the early stages of the third quarter. Anthony Morrow's trey ended the spurt.

Los Angeles then built its lead back to 10, 69-59, on a Bryant long ball, but that was the final points the team scored in the frame. Meanwhile, Lopez and Derrick Favors each scored four points to lead an eight-point rally to make a 69-67 score heading into the final period.

Game Notes

The Lakers have won the last six matchups with the Nets...New Jersey only made 4-of-20 three-point tries, while Los Angeles went 7-for-16 from long distance.