Final
Lakers win game, lose Kobe
Apr 13, 2013 - 6:52 AM Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Steve Blake made two free throws with 42.2 seconds remaining and the Lakers held off Golden State just enough to earn a hard-fought 118-116 victory at Staples Center to help their playoff chances.Friday's win may have come at an incredible cost for the Lakers, however. Following the game a visibly shaken Kobe Bryant tried to hold back tears after learning he most likely tore his Achilles.
"I made a move I've made a million times, and (the Achilles) just popped," said an emotional Bryant, who netted 34 points despite suffering the injury in the second half.
Pau Gasol recorded a triple-double with 26 points, 10 assists and 11 rebounds for the Lakers, who won their 10th straight at home versus intrastate rival Golden State.
"We knew it was going to be difficult, but in the end we got some big stops and big rebounds and got the win," Gasol said. "I don't have enough words to express how much I admire what (Bryant's) been trying to do all season long pretty much. Just fighting through pain, fighting through fatigue."
Dwight Howard netted 28 points and Blake added 14 and five assists in the win, which puts the Lakers one game ahead of Utah for the Western Conference's last playoff spot.
Stephen Curry led all players with 47 points on 9-of-15 shooting from behind the arc to go along with nine assists and three steals for the Warriors, who have dropped two straight after clinching their first playoff appearance since the 2006-07 campaign with a win versus Minnesota on Tuesday.
"I was just trying to be aggressive early," Curry said. "When you're able to be aggressive early and you see your shots falling, things start to open up."
David Lee had 19 points and grabbed eight rebounds and Klay Thompson scored 25 points to go along with seven helpers in defeat.
Down two points following a Howard dunk with 1 1/2 minutes to play, Thompson came up huge with a 3-pointer to make it 116-115. Blake then put the hosts ahead by one as he calmly nailed two shots from the charity stripe to make it 117-116 with 42 seconds left.
On the next Golden State possession, Jarrett Jack caught a pass on the baseline but stepped out of bounds. Gasol then missed a shot and Jack pulled the board down in a crowd before calling timeout with 9.7 seconds remaining. Carl Landry had a wide open look with less than five seconds left, but it rimmed out.
Howard, who grabbed Landry's miss, went to the free throw line and made 1-of-2 shots with 1.5 ticks remaining. Curry threw up a 70-foot heave but it hit the back rim and Los Angeles held on for the win.
Trailing by nine with 6:49 left, the Lakers used a quick 9-0 run -- all of which came from behind the arc -- as Blake had one triple and Bryant had two, tying the game at 107-107 with 3:45 to play.
Bryant, who appeared to be battling through the injury for most of the second half, left the contest and went into the locker room after shooting two free throws in visible pain. The game was knotted up at 109-109 after his makes.
"Just continue to play," Bryant said of his team's chances moving forward. "They've been dealing with injuries all year ... I can't walk, I tried to put pressure on my heel, but there's just nothing there. I've never had to deal with something like this. It's a new experience for me."
Golden State held a 32-26 lead after the first quarter of play, as Curry paced all players with 22 points.
The Warriors jumped out to 76-69 lead in the third quarter after the contest was tied, 57-57, at the break. Bryant, despite the injury, closed the gap to 78-76 with a fadeaway jumper, but the Lakers still trailed heading to the fourth by a 90-85 margin.
Game Notes
Los Angeles is 27-12 at home this season ... Los Angeles concludes its regular season schedule against San Antonio and Houston, while Utah plays at Minnesota and Memphis.
- GOLDEN STATE: 116
LOS ANGELES: 118
Final
Apr 13 1:06 AM - GOLDEN STATE: 116
LOS ANGELES: 118
End of Regulation
Apr 13 1:05 AM - 234
rootsRUWTbot Added 6 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Warriors 111, Lakers 111 4th - 2:42Apr 13 12:54 AM - 228
rootsRUWTbot Took away 5 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Warriors 109, Lakers 111 4th - 2:57Apr 13 12:53 AM - 233
rootsRUWTbot Added 24 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Warriors 107, Lakers 107 4th - 3:46Apr 13 12:47 AM - 209
rootsRUWTbot Added 11 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Warriors 107, Lakers 104 4th - 4:40Apr 13 12:47 AM - 198
rootsRUWTbot Added 20 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Warriors 107, Lakers 104 4th - 5:05Apr 13 12:47 AM - 178
rootsRUWTbot Added 8 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Warriors 107, Lakers 101 4th - 5:45Apr 13 12:44 AM - 170
rootsRUWTbot Added 23 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Warriors 107, Lakers 101 4th - 6:03Apr 13 12:42 AM - 147
rootsRUWTbot Took away 19 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Warriors 106, Lakers 98 4th - 6:49Apr 13 12:40 AM - 166
rootsRUWTbot Took away 8 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Warriors 105, Lakers 98 4th - 7:19Apr 13 12:38 AM - 174
rootsRUWTbot Added 19 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Warriors 102, Lakers 98 4th - 7:41Apr 13 12:38 AM - 155
rootsRUWTbot Added 15 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Warriors 99, Lakers 95 4th - 8:18Apr 13 12:38 AM - 140
rootsRUWTbot Took away 18 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Warriors 99, Lakers 93 4th - 8:27Apr 13 12:38 AM - 158
rootsRUWTbot Added 15 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Warriors 98, Lakers 93 4th - 8:46Apr 13 12:37 AM - 143
rootsRUWTbot Added 6 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Warriors 98, Lakers 91 4th - 9:12Apr 13 12:35 AM - 137
rootsRUWTbot Took away 9 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Warriors 98, Lakers 89 4th - 9:35Apr 13 12:30 AM - 146
rootsRUWTbot Added 7 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Warriors 96, Lakers 89 4th - 9:56Apr 13 12:30 AM - 139
rootsRUWTbot Took away 16 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Warriors 96, Lakers 89 4th - 10:22Apr 13 12:30 AM - 155
rootsRUWTbot Added 12 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Warriors 94, Lakers 89 4th - 10:39Apr 13 12:29 AM - 143
rootsRUWTbot Took away 16 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Warriors 94, Lakers 87 4th - 10:55Apr 13 12:29 AM - 159
rootsRUWTbot Added 12 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Warriors 92, Lakers 87 4th - 11:17Apr 13 12:29 AM - 147
rootsRUWTbot Added 8 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Warriors 92, Lakers 85 4th - 11:17Apr 13 12:28 AM - 139
rootsRUWTbot Took away 12 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Warriors 92, Lakers 85 4th - 11:41Apr 13 12:27 AM - GOLDEN STATE: 90
LOS ANGELES: 85
End of 3rd
Apr 13 12:24 AM - 151
roots - 137
roots - 147
roots - 133
roots - 125
roots - 117
roots - 112
roots - GOLDEN STATE: 57
LOS ANGELES: 57
Halftime
Apr 12 11:38 PM - GOLDEN STATE: 32
LOS ANGELES: 26
End of 1st
Apr 12 11:06 PM - GOLDEN STATE: 0
LOS ANGELES: 0
1st Quarter - 11:38
Apr 12 10:42 PM
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