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Bryant silences Philly and fans

In his hometown return, Kobe Bryant's 32 points help the Lakers compensate after Shaquille O'Neal fouls out.

Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times,
published June 11, 2001

PHILADELPHIA -- All the talk about heart, character, resiliency and toughness has been a little one-sided in the NBA Finals.

Turns out the Los Angeles Lakers possess those qualities, too.

Kobe Bryant silenced the fans who gave him a rude welcome and Robert Horry made sure they went home angry Sunday night as the Lakers overcame the loss of their biggest weapon, Shaquille O'Neal, and held off the 76ers 96-91.

"I don't care what your problem is, I don't care how big your heart is," Bryant said. "We just want to come and beat you no matter how competitive you are."

Bryant scored 32, half of them in the second quarter when he gave the Lakers the lead for good, and Horry scored 12 fourth-quarter points, including the Lakers' final seven, as Los Angeles took a 2-1 lead in this compelling and entertaining best-of-seven series.

Bryant, O'Neal and Horry accounted for 77 of the Lakers' 96 points, with Horry scoring the biggest basket, a three-pointer with 47 seconds left.

"That's what teammates are for," Bryant said. "Robert came in and did an excellent job. He hit a humongous shot for us."

The 76ers trailed from the second quarter on and missed their only chance to tie when Allen Iverson missed one of his two free throws with 2:06 left, 15 seconds after O'Neal drew his sixth foul for backing over Dikembe Mutombo.

"I didn't think the best defensive player in the game would be flopping like that. It's a shame that the referees buy into that," O'Neal said. "I wish he'd stand up and play me like a man instead of flopping and crying every time I back him down.

"It's just a shame, and you can quote me on that. And underline it three times," O'Neal said.

Iverson missed a three-pointer with 38 seconds left, as did Raja Bell six seconds later, but Tyronn Lue fouled Iverson on a three and he made all three free throws to cut the deficit to 92-91 with 27.6 seconds left.

Horry made two from the line with 21.3 left for a 94-91 lead, and the 76ers took their final timeout.

Iverson drove to the basket and tried a high shot over the outstretched arm of Bryant. It missed, Horry was fouled on the rebound and made both shots to wrap up the victory.

"I don't want to say we let it slip away," Iverson said. "We were right there, kept fighting and just weren't able to pull it off."

Bryant shot 3-for-14 in the second half, but the damage he did in the second quarter was more important. He hit eight straight shots, all but two from the perimeter, to give the Lakers a lead that slowly dwindled the rest of the way but never got lower than one point.

O'Neal had 30 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocks, and Horry finished with 15 points.

Iverson had 35 points for Philadelphia, including 14 in the fourth quarter, Mutombo added 23 points and 12 rebounds and Eric Snow scored 14.

After Iverson's missed free throw, Rick Fox made one, and Bryant hit a running 11-footer for a four-point lead. Kevin Ollie had a three-point play to make 89-88, but Horry was left alone in the corner for a three-pointer that restored a four-point edge.

"I've been taking them in the Finals for three years now. The ball came to me in the corner, and I just took the shot," Horry said.

A crowd of more than 1,000 booed the Lakers' team bus as it arrived at First Union Center less than two hours before tipoff, and Bryant bounded off wearing sky blue sweats and a smile.

He grew up in nearby Lower Merion, but has not been a fan favorite here.

The crowd booed him louder than any other Laker during pregame introductions, and he was the object of a derisive chant 17 seconds into the game.

After his 20-footer from the top of the key gave the Lakers a 40-30 lead early in the second quarter, Bryant stuck his tongue out and wagged it quickly from side to side while backpedaling downcourt.

The 76ers got within three early in the fourth before Horry hit an open three, then flushed a vicious dunk over Mutombo. O'Neal followed with another dunk for an 80-72 lead but picked up his fifth foul with 6:28 left.

O'Neal, who missed 18 free throws in the first two series games combined, made 8 of 9 in Game 3.

"I just think it gave us a feeling about the confidence level playing the game and was evident in the way we played the first half," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said.

"When he goes to the line and hits his foul shots, we're a very, very good basketball club."

LYNCH UPDATE: Initially hopeful of returning for Game 3, 76ers forward George Lynch has his sights set on Wednesday's Game 4. Lynch, who broke a bone in his left foot May13 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against Toronto, had been starting at small forward.

GAME 3: Lakers 96, 76ers 91

Lakers lead 2-1

GAME 4: at Philadelphia, 9 p.m. Wednesday

TV: Ch. 8

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