* Spurs register ninth straight victory
* LeBron outduels Durant in Heat win
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April 4 (Reuters) – The Lakers kept their noses ahead of the
Clippers in the Pacific Division race with a tense 113-108
victory in the battle between the well-matched Los Angeles teams
on Wednesday.
Much like the rivalry itself, the Lakers’ early control
dissolved into a tight affair before Kobe Bryant nailed a jumper
to put his team four points ahead with 21 seconds left and his
team held on.
Bryant had 31 points and big man Andrew Bynum returned from
a one-game absence with an ankle injury to score 36.
“There’s a lot of haters out there that forget the tradition
of the Lakers,” Bynum told reporters
Caron Butler tallied a team-high 28 points and Chris Paul
got 22 and 16 assists but the Clippers had their six-game win
streak snapped and fell 2 1/2 games behind the Lakers for third
place in the West.
Blake Griffin pulled off two showreel dunks over Pau Gasol
on his way to 15 points and 14 rebounds.
The Clippers trailed by as much as 15 in the second half but
ignited a run that gave them a one-point lead late in the fourth
before the Lakers fought back to regain supremacy.
In other NBA action, the streaking San Antonio Spurs edged
out Boston 87-86 at the final buzzer to record a ninth straight
victory that pulled them to within one game of West-leading
Oklahoma City.
By contrast, the Thunder suffered a 98-93 defeat to the
Miami Heat in a spirited battle between MVP candidates LeBron
James and Kevin Durant.
“The intensity on both teams had that playoff atmosphere.
You could tell by the sense of urgency on both parts,” James
said after scoring 34 points to Durant’s 30. “We were just happy
we were able to come away with a win.”
The Heat are now two games back of East-leading Chicago.
The defending NBA champion Dallas Mavericks topped Memphis
95-85 to pull even with the Grizzlies in the standings as they
jostle for the West’s fifth spot.
(Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by John
O’Brien)
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