Kobe And Lakers Crown Kings

Not Shaq's team, not Kobe's team, the Los Angeles Lakers were simply a team.

With Shaquille O'Neal again watching in street clothes, Kobe Bryant scored 26 points and had 11 rebounds and got plenty of help Sunday as the Lakers beat the Sacramento Kings 100-94.

Zipping passes around the perimeter as they rarely have this season, the Lakers got a season-high 20 points from reserve Robert Horry; 10 points and 10 rebounds from Horace Grant; and 13 points and nine rebounds from Greg Foster, starting in place of the injured O'Neal.

"They are having to learn to play without Shaq," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "They turned a corner this week and started playing together hard and defensively started helping each other out. I don't know why.

"That was one of our better games of the year, against a really good team. We've had a lot of good wins at home, but I think this one has to stand out. It was a good team effort."

Bryant was just 8-of-26 from the floor, although he did make 10 of 11 free throws.

"I'm hurting right now, man," Bryant said. "My (right) hip is really bothering me. My shoulder, my elbow and my hip really slowed me down today."

He added that h doesn't care if the league tries to pressure him into playing for the West All-Stars, saying, "The important thing to me is getting back so that I'm healthy enough to contribute to this team in the second half."

Winning for the third time in five games since O'Neal was sidelined, the defending NBA champions pulled within two games of the Pacific Division-leading Kings, who have been the best in the West this season.

The Lakers never trailed, and the Kings were even just once, at 87-87 with 5:05 left. But Grant sliced across the lane and made a left-handed layup, Bryant hit a 14-foot jumper, then Horry dropped in a layup and added a free throw to put Los Angeles up 94-89 with 1:21 remaining.

"We just didn't defend them very well," Sacramento coach Rick Adelman said. "We had a chance to go ahead and we didn't. They got a layup by Grant, and Kobe made a tough shot, then we got mixed up defensively and Horry got the basket."

Grant, slowed by a sore knee most of this season, played tough defense against Chris Webber, who scored 25 points but was just 12-of-32 from the floor.

"It has something to do with getting fouled in the paint. I don't just miss shots all the time," said Webber, who shot only three free throws.

Sacramento tied the game for the only time when Bobby Jackson hit a jumper, then scored again when he was left unguarded under the basket. But the Lakers outscored the Kings 13-7 over the final four minutes.

O'Neal, expected to miss one more game because of a strained right arch and also probably out of the All-Star game, saw the Lakers win their second straight without him.

The Lakers took an 80-71 lead into the fourth quarter after holding a 54-51 halftime edge. They led 33-21 at the end of the first quarter.

Notes