Lakers finish off Rockets (NBA.com) Updated: 2004-04-29 13:27
Kobe Bryant gave himself and the Los Angeles Lakers several days of rest and
the Houston Rockets a long vacation.
![](xinsrc_20bcc3d0003a4e8fbe65684112cc60cd_11.jpg) Kobe Bryant led the
Lakers past Houston and into a matchup with the Spurs. [Getty
Images] | The indefatigable Bryant had 31 points
and 10 assists and the Lakers advanced to the Western Conference semifinals for
the eighth straight year with a 97-78 victory over the Rockets.
The second-seeded Lakers closed out the seventh-seeded Rockets in five games
to set up an epic rematch with the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs, who
ended Los Angeles' three-year title reign in last year's conference semifinals.
That series starts Sunday, which certainly should benefit Bryant. Since
Sunday's overtime win in Houston, he has flown to Colorado and back here for
three straight days of pre-trial hearings.
Bryant arrived less than a half-hour before tip-off and appeared fatigued
early in the game. But he got a second wind in the second quarter, scoring 14
points, then matched Houston's total -- nine -- in the third period.
The superstar guard was rubbing his eyes in the third quarter, which the
Rockets may have been doing in disbelief. They endured their second nine-point
quarter of the series and went down meekly in their first postseason appearance
in five years.
Karl Malone had another solid game with 18 points for the Lakers, who have
reached the conference semifinals every year since 1997 -- when Bryant and
superstar center Shaquille O'Neal first became teammates.
Jim Jackson scored 17 points and Cuttino Mobley and Steve Francis added 16
each for the Rockets, who committed 22 turnovers. Yao Ming managed just 10
points.
Bryant had some trouble in the first quarter staying with Mobley, who made
three 3-pointers and scored 14 points, giving Houston a 27-24 lead. But a
reverse two-hand dunk gave the Lakers a 31-29 edge early in the second period
and seemed to get Bryant going.
The Rockets still held a 48-47 halftime lead before unraveling in the third
quarter, making just 2-of-16 shots while committing four turnovers. Malone had
two jumpers in a 9-1 burst that gave the Lakers the lead for good and Bryant had
a layup and 3-pointer to make it 69-55 with 1:08 to go.
Bryant left to a standing ovation and hugs from his teammates midway through
the fourth quarter.
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