Kidd leads Nets over Kobe and Lakers
Updated: 2007-11-26 15:56
LOS ANGELES - Jason Kidd had 15 points and 14 assists to help the New Jersey Nets overcome Kobe Bryant's 31 points and beat the Los Angeles Lakers 100-102 Sunday night.
Richard Jefferson had 27 points for the Nets, who have won three straight following a six-game losing streak. Vince Carter had 19 points in a reserve role and Bostjan Nachbar scored nine of his 15 points in the fourth quarter.
 Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant reacts after missing a potential game-tying free throw in the final minutes of their NBA basketball game against the New Jersey Nets in Los Angeles November 25, 2007. [Agencies] |
Bryant, Kidd's teammate on the U.S. national team, made 15 straight free throws before missing a clutch foul shot with 6.1 seconds to go. The two-time defending NBA scoring champ started out 3-for-16 from the field, going the entire second and third quarters without a basket. His next one came on a layup with 6:13 to play. But during his drought, New Jersey had turned a 14-point deficit into an 85-72 lead with a 16-3 run.
Carter triggered the Nets' rally, hitting a 3-pointer with 2.6 seconds left in the third quarter to tie the score at 72-all. The Nets took their first lead of the game 24 seconds into the fourth on Nachbar's layup, and Jefferson capped the run on a layup that gave New Jersey an 84-74 lead with 8:39 remaining.
Bryant made a three-point play and a pair of 3-point baskets, all in a 55-second span, and Sasha Vujacic followed with another 3-pointer - his only points of the game - to give the Lakers a 96-94 edge with 1:28 left. But the Nets still managed to come out with the win.
The Nets had a three-point lead when Bryant was fouled by Kidd behind the 3-point line on an inbounds play. He sank the first two free throws, but missed the third and Nachbar got the rebound. He made one of two at the other end after getting fouled immediately by Luke Walton, and Vladimir Radmanovic missed an attempted tying 3-point shot at the buzzer.
Derek Fisher, who had 20 points, helped Los Angeles build a 49-37 halftime lead by going 5-for-5 from the field with all of his shots coming from at least 18 feet out with Kidd guarding him. The Lakers took their biggest lead, 47-33, on Lamar Odom's 3-pointer with 3:14 left in the second quarter.
One of the game's highlight-reel moments occurred early in the second quarter after Kidd missed a driving layup and the Lakers took off on a fastbreak. It resulted in one of Bryant's seven assists.
Jordan Farmar, hanging out at the midcourt line, got a long lead pass and raced downcourt with Carter bearing down on him. The second-year point guard then made a behind-the-back pass in the lane to Bryant, who in turn made another behind-the-pass to Odom for a slam dunk that gave Los Angeles a 36-27 lead with 7:27 left in the half.
Odom had 16 points before fouling out in the final minute.
The Nets finished 3-1 on the road trip, only the third time in the franchise's NBA history that they had a winning record on their annual Thanksgiving trip. They were 3-2 in 1998-99 and 3-1 in 1992-93. Since Kidd's arrival in 2001-02, they have gone a combined 11-21 during their Thanksgiving trips, including 0-4 last season.
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