Wednesday, March 26, 2008
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Lakers Hang On, Beat Warriors in OT

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[March 26, 2008]  OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Lamar Odom made the go-ahead layup with nine seconds left in overtime, and the Los Angeles Lakers shook off the Golden State Warriors' frantic regulation rally to hang on for a 123-119 victory Monday night, concluding an immensely entertaining miniseries.

Kobe Bryant scored 23 of his 30 points after halftime, while Odom finished with 23 points and 21 rebounds as the Lakers reclaimed the Western Conference's top spot and avenged Sunday night's 115-111 loss to the Warriors.

Los Angeles couldn't have done it without Sasha Vujacic, who scored 19 points and hit a 3-pointer with 43 seconds left in overtime. The Lakers also got a big break from referee Bob Delaney, who called Monta Ellis for a curious offensive foul before the Warriors could even inbound the ball with 4 seconds left in OT.

Baron Davis had 30 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for the Warriors, who have lost four of seven in a critical stretch for their playoff hopes. Stephen Jackson added 29 points, but Golden State's lead over Denver for the conference's final playoff berth dwindled to a half-game.

Derek Fisher scored 18 points and drew that decisive offensive foul for the Lakers, whose fourth win in five games put them a half-game ahead of New Orleans for the top seed in next month's playoffs. Los Angeles also avoided losing its season series to the Warriors for the first time since the 1994-95 season.

One day after the Warriors blew a 26-point lead before holding on to win, the Lakers followed part of that script. Los Angeles led 110-101 with three minutes left in regulation, but Ellis led the Warriors' 10-1 closing rally with two layups and a steal to set up another score by Kelenna Azubuike, who scored 18 points.

Davis eventually tied it with two free throws with 3.6 seconds left, and Fisher missed a leaning jumper at the regulation buzzer.

After Golden State took a four-point lead midway through overtime, Vujacic's 3-pointer with 43 seconds left put the Lakers ahead by two. Azubuike tied it with a tipped basket, but Odom easily drove the lane for the go-ahead score.

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When the Warriors attempted to inbound the ball at midcourt, Delaney called an offensive foul on Ellis while he was tangled up with Fisher. Both players appeared to have their arms around each other, but the call infuriated the Warriors and all but handed the game to the Lakers, who got two clinching free throws from Bryant with 3.3 seconds to play.

Ellis finished with 18 points, nine rebounds and nine assists.

From the screaming, bipartisan sellout crowd to the coaches' no-tomorrow strategies, the game felt an awful lot like a playoff preview for the first-place Lakers and the eighth-place Warriors. Golden State coach Don Nelson kept Davis and Jackson on the floor the entire night, while Phil Jackson never took Odom out and gave Bryant just 65 seconds on the bench.

Notes: Warriors F Mickael Pietrus had an MRI exam that revealed a mildly strained right hamstring and groin. The versatile swingman, injured Friday against Houston, missed both games against the Lakers, but shouldn't be out much longer. Azubuike again got most of Pietrus' minutes. ... Both teams wore throwback uniforms, with the Warriors donning their 1970s blues and the Lakers in their vintage yellow home togs. ... Oakland Raiders QB JaMarcus Russell attended the game.

[Associated Press; By GREG BEACHAM]

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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