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Dragic lifts Rockets over Lakers

Mar 21, 2012 - 12:05 PM Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Goran Dragic's 16 points included the tie- breaking three-pointer as Houston used a furious fourth quarter run to take down the Lakers, 107-104, on Tuesday.

Dragic also handed out 13 assists and grabbed seven rebounds while Luis Scola and Courtney Lee netted 23 points apiece for Houston, which snapped a two-game skid. Chandler Parsons scored 13 points and pulled down seven boards in the victory.

Kobe Bryant had a game-high 29 points but made just 10-of-27 shots from the field for Los Angeles, which dropped its second straight on the heels of a five-game winning streak. Pau Gasol finished with 21 points and Andrew Bynum contributed 16 before being ejected late in the third quarter with two technical fouls.

The Lakers were up 95-83 midway through the final frame when the Rockets launched into a 17-2 flurry. Bryant tied it at 101 a bit later before Dragic planted himself in the left corner and, accepting a crisp pass from Lee, swished the decisive trey.

"You have to shoot that kind of shot when you're open," said Dragic. "It doesn't matter if it goes in or out. It was a good shot and luckily we scored that and we went up three points."

Parsons poured in seven points, including a three-pointer, during the initial spurt and Lee and Dragic also drained triples as Houston took its first lead since the third period.

Los Angeles looked to be running away with the game early, shooting 68 percent from the field and scoring a season-high 40 points in the first quarter en route to a 40-25 lead.

But the Rockets held the visitors to 33.3 percent in the second while posting a 64.7 percent mark to trail just 56-51 at halftime.

"We gave up some crucial offensive rebounds to them," said Lakers head coach Mike Brown. "They just kicked our behind in that area."

Neither team had a particularly productive third. Both teams shot under 45 percent -- the Lakers made one more shot on four less attempts -- but Bynum's second technical came a few minutes after Matt Barnes was charged a Flagarant-1 foul, and Houston capitalized by scoring all three ensuing free throws.

Nevertheless, Los Angeles took a 79-73 edge into the fourth, and quickly built its advantage to 12 points early in the final stanza. It would remain between six and 12 until the Rockets embarked on their late-game run.

Game Notes

Houston's Kevin Martin missed his fifth straight game with a strained right shoulder...Ramon Sessions finished with 14 points for Los Angeles...The Lakers had won 10 of the last 12 meetings between the teams...Los Angeles outscored Houston 46-32 in the paint but the Rockets held a 40-31 rebounding advantage and made three more treys.