He had just 17 career minutes before tonight.
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The Thunder won for the fifth straight time against the Lakers. Assuming Kobe’s shoulder injury is minor, Brown can be ignored in all leagues.
Durant shot 7 of 13 from the field and grabbed eight rebounds in three quarters.
Durant finished the first quarter with 14 points as Oklahoma City led 35-15.
“It’s pretty heavy duty surgery I had this summer so I think it’s kind of logical to expect it to be sore at some point”, said Bryant, who hoped to be ready to play the Lakers’ next game at Denver on Tuesday. We didn’t come to compete.
In Houston, Dwight Howard had 22 points and 14 rebounds and the Rockets built a huge lead early.
Day, who gave birth to the couple’s second child last month, was taken out on a stretcher after James tumbled into her while chasing a loose ball in the fourth quarter of Thursday’s 104-100 victory over Oklahoma City.
Scott had announced before tipoff that Bryant would sit out with a sore right shoulder. Stephenson scored 19 points in a loss to in on December 2 but has totaled 12 points in the last nine contests.BUZZER BEATERS1 Thunder C Enes Kanter recorded a double-double in two of the last three games after posting one in the previous 11 contests.2. “We didn’t play as a team”, Randle said. Meanwhile, the Lakers threw five passes out of bounds, and the Thunder led 67-41 at halftime. Guard Jordan Clarkson scored 15 as the Lakers dropped to 4-23. G Anthony Brown started in place of Bryant.
When it was revealed Kobe would not play against the Thunder, there were concerns considering he had season-ending surgery and may have aggravated it when dunking on Houston Rockets center, Clint Capela.
Lakers coach Byron Scott sounded amused about the subject, saying “it was just two great players and good friends having dinner”. The Thunder murdered the Lakers, and not seeing Bryant on the court actually seemed encouraging considering the Lakers’ superstar would likely have had no notable impact on the final result. At that stage, Russell Westbrook had eight points, and the game would not get any friendlier for the visitors.
“I’m sure it didn’t help”, he said. “But I try not to worry about it and just play my game”.
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The Bulls’ 147-144 home loss to Detroit finished about 20 hours before Saturday’s tipoff at Madison Square Garden, and they didn’t get to their NY hotel until after 4 a.m. Pau Gasol didn’t even make the trip after playing 48 minutes Friday, remaining behind in Chicago for rest and treatment for some recent soreness. “I want to wait and see what the doctor says after he has a look at it, and then we’ll just go from there”.
