The Clippers kept Kobe Bryant from scoring 40 points Tuesday night, but they couldn’t keep him from helping the Lakers win.
Shadowed closely by Corey Maggette and often double-teamed, Bryant scored 32 points on 11-of-26 shooting as the Lakers won 109-98.
Bryant failed in his attempt to extend his streak of scoring at least 40 points to 10 games, which would have tied Wilt Chamberlain for the second-longest streak in NBA history. He is tied with Michael Jordan at nine straight.
Chamberlain scored 40 or more in 14 straight games twice in the 1961-62 season, when he averaged an NBA-record 50.4 points. He had his 10-game streak the next season.
JACKSON RECOVERING: Phil Jackson missed his first game as an NBA head coach Tuesday night, recuperating from having a kidney stone removed while his Los Angeles Lakers played the Clippers.
Team spokesman John Black said he was uncertain when the 57-year-old coach would return.
The Lakers host Detroit on Thursday and travel to Seattle on Friday.
The Lakers’ leading man
Kobe Bryant’s streak of games with at least 40 points ended at nine Tuesday night. But the Lakers still won, leaving them 8-2 since Bryant’s scoring frenzy began Feb. 6.
Opp. Pts. Result
at N.O. 46 W(114-109)
vs. Denver 42 W(121-93)
at Denver 51 W(113-102)
vs. S.A. 44 L(103-95)
vs. New York 40 L(117-110)
vs. Houston 52 W(106-99)
at Utah 40 W(93-87)
vs. Portland 40 W(92-84)
vs. Seattle 41 W(106-101)
vs. L.A. Clip. 32 W(109-98)
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