Box Score

 

NEW ORLEANS (89)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
L Nailon            40  7-14   4-6   4-7   1   2   18
C Andersen          26   1-6   1-2   1-5   1   5    3
P Brown             40  7-16   0-0  6-17   2   4   14
D Wesley            42  7-21   2-3   2-5   6   4   20
D Dickau            33  4-14   0-0   0-3   5   3    9
M Freije            25   2-8   0-0   1-2   0   2    4
B Davis             17  6-12   0-0   0-0   5   4   17
J Smith             14   2-8   0-0   1-1   0   3    4
L Baxter             3   0-0   0-0   0-0   0   0    0
G Lynch            DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
C Edwards          DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
L Harrington       DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 36-99  7-11 15-40  20  27   89
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.364, FT-.636. 3-Point Goals:
10-26, .385 (D Wesley 4-7, D Dickau 1-5, M 
Freije 0-2, B Davis 5-9, J Smith 0-3). Team 
Rebounds: 12. Blocked Shots:4 (P Brown 2, C 
Andersen 2). Turnovers:9 (C Andersen 2, M 
Freije 2, D Dickau 2, P Brown, B Davis, J 
Smith). Steals: 8 (B Davis 3, D Dickau 2, D 
Wesley, J Smith, L Nailon).


LA LAKERS (101)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
C Butler            35   3-8   6-6   1-7   0   2   13
L Odom              39   3-5   3-4  1-13   4   0   10
C Mihm              34  5-10   1-2  8-21   0   3   11
K Bryant            45  9-26 10-15   3-5   4   2   29
C Atkins            45  9-22   6-6   2-7   4   3   30
B Grant             13   0-1   2-2   2-5   1   3    2
T Brown              7   0-2   0-0   1-1   0   0    0
J Jones             14   0-1   2-2   0-3   0   2    2
B Cook               8   2-7   0-0   3-3   0   1    4
S Medvedenko       DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
L Walton           DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
S Vujacic          DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 31-82 30-37 21-65  13  16  101
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.378, FT-.811. 3-Point Goals:
9-25, .360 (C Butler 1-2, L Odom 1-2, K 
Bryant 1-4, C Atkins 6-15, B Cook 0-2). Team 
Rebounds: 8. Blocked Shots:7 (C Mihm 5, B 
Grant, K Bryant). Turnovers:16 (K Bryant 4, C
Atkins 4, C Butler 4, L Odom 2, C Mihm 2). 
Steals: 8 (K Bryant 4, C Butler 2, L Odom, C 
Mihm).

-------------------------------------------
NEW ORLEANS           21  22  21  25  -   89
LA LAKERS             27  21  23  30  -  101
------------------------------------------- 

Technical fouls: New Orleans - 1 (D Dickau, 
3:27 4th). La Lakers - 2 (Defensive Three, 
9:10 2nd; C Mihm, 3:47 4th).
Flagrant fouls: La Lakers 1 (C Butler 
(Ejected), 3:27 4th). A: 18,477. T: 2:11. 
Officials: Bennett Salvatore, Tommy Nunez, 
Violet Palmer.

Extended Box

 

NEW ORLEANS (89) AT LA LAKERS (101)

NEW ORLEANS

                                               REBOUNDS                        
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
L NAILON          F    40    7-14     4-6      4   3   7    1   2   1   0   18
C ANDERSEN        F    26    1-6      1-2      1   4   5    1   5   0   2    3
P BROWN           C    40    7-16     0-0      6  11  17    2   4   0   1   14
D WESLEY          G    42    7-21     2-3      2   3   5    6   4   1   0   20
D DICKAU          G    33    4-14     0-0      0   3   3    5   3   2   2    9
M FREIJE               25    2-8      0-0      1   1   2    0   2   0   2    4
B DAVIS                17    6-12     0-0      0   0   0    5   4   3   1   17
J SMITH                14    2-8      0-0      1   0   1    0   3   1   1    4
L BAXTER                3    0-0      0-0      0   0   0    0   0   0   0    0
G LYNCH               DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
C EDWARDS             DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
L HARRINGTON          DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   36-99     7-11    15  25  40   20  27   8   9   89
                            (.364)  (.636)  TEAM REBS: 12 TOTAL TO: 9 (11 PTS)     

LA LAKERS

                                               REBOUNDS                         
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
C BUTLER          F    35    3-8      6-6      1   6   7    0   2   2   4   13
L ODOM            F    39    3-5      3-4      1  12  13    4   0   1   2   10
C MIHM            C    34    5-10     1-2      8  13  21    0   3   1   2   11
K BRYANT          G    45    9-26    10-15     3   2   5    4   2   4   4   29
C ATKINS          G    45    9-22     6-6      2   5   7    4   3   0   4   30
B GRANT                13    0-1      2-2      2   3   5    1   3   0   0    2
T BROWN                 7    0-2      0-0      1   0   1    0   0   0   0    0
J JONES                14    0-1      2-2      0   3   3    0   2   0   0    2
B COOK                  8    2-7      0-0      3   0   3    0   1   0   0    4
S MEDVEDENKO          DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
L WALTON              DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
S VUJACIC             DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   31-82    30-37    21  44  65   13  16   8  16  101
                            (.378)  (.811)  TEAM REBS:  8 TOTAL TO: 16 (13 PTS)    
  
   NEW ORLEANS        21   22   21   25   -   89
   LA LAKERS          27   21   23   30   -   101
  
BLOCKED SHOTS: NEW ORLEANS - P BROWN 2, C ANDERSEN 2.  LA LAKERS -
C MIHM 5, B GRANT, K BRYANT.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: NEW ORLEANS 10-26 (.385), D WESLEY 4-7, D DICKAU 1-
5, M FREIJE 0-2, B DAVIS 5-9, J SMITH 0-3. LA LAKERS 9-25 (.360), C BUTLER 1-
2, L ODOM 1-2, K BRYANT 1-4, C ATKINS 6-15, B COOK 0-2.
TECHNICAL FOULS: NEW ORLEANS - D DICKAU. LA LAKERS - DEFENSIVE THREE, 
C MIHM.
FLAGRANT FOULS: LA LAKERS 1 (C BUTLER (EJECTED), 3:27 4TH).
OFFICIALS: BENNETT SALVATORE, TOMMY NUNEZ, VIOLET PALMER.
A - 18,477. T - 2:11.

Game Story

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Baron Davis was spectacular in his  
return for the New Orleans Hornets. It wasn't enough to overcome
a balanced attack by the Los Angeles Lakers.

Davis' second-half outburst was offset by Chucky Atkins and Kobe
Bryant, who gave the Lakers a season sweep of the Hornets with
a 101-89 victory.

"I felt great out there," said Davis, who played just 17
minutes. "Just a little weak. Going to the hole I couldn't
really explode like I wanted to. I'm not where I should be so I
think it's going to take awhile. I'm using this (the Laker game) as
rehab and it felt good to be back out there with my teammates
and creating and just playing."

Atkins scored a season-high 30 points and Bryant added 17 of his
29 in the fourth quarter to repel a charge by the Hornets led
by Davis, an All-Star guard who made his return in his hometown.

"I pride myself on making the open shot," Atkins said. "I was
just being aggressive. I think a lot of times when you are in a
funk the only way to get rid of it is to come out aggressive and
to come out shooting and that is why I tried to be aggressive
and not worry about mistakes made."

Davis had missed the last 19 games with an inflamed disk in his
lower back. After a slow start, he hit four 3-pointers and
scored 14 of his 17 points during an 18-6 burst that started
with 66 seconds left in the third quarter and reduced the
deficit to 77-74 just over two minutes into the final period.

"We have to get to know each other and get reintroduced," Davis
said. "I love playing with these guys because they play
extremely hard. Some mental mistakes and I can help correct
those things that coach wants on the floor as well as get more
time the guards and get them to think the same way I think and
the coach thinks."

New Orleans trailed, 85-82, with just under four minutes to go
before Los Angeles used a 14-5 surge to clinch the victory.
Atkins started the run with his sixth 3-pointer and Bryant
scored the final eight points of the spurt, giving the Lakers a
99-87 lead with just under one minute remaining.

"Speaking with my teammates, they wanted me to be a little more
assertive offensively," Bryant said. "To kind of get them going
a little bit more it felt like they wanted me to shoot the ball
and take more of an aggressive role. I tried to do that a little
bit and take the cobwebs off my jump shot."

During the run, Lakers forward Caron Butler and Hornets guard
Dan Dickau became entangled and fell to the floor. Butler, who
scored 13 points, punched Dickau in the midsection during the
scuffle and was ejected by referee Violet Palmer.

"I didn't think much happened," Dickau said. "We got into the
crease and got tangled up. I think my arm got wrapped around his
leg a little bit. He must have thought I was trying to do
something a little more than I did. No big deal. To bad he got
ejected. I had no idea he was ejected for punching me. I didn't
feel it. The adrenaline in a situation like that you don't feel
a thing."

Butler felt he reacted to someone on his leg and did not punch
anyone.

"I just wanted to get him off my leg," Butler said. "My leg was
in a crazy situation, my knee was on the ground, it was twisted.
I just wanted to get him off of me. Once I got him off of me
the situation was over. He asked me if I was ok and I said yeah.
You'll have to watch the tape to see there was no punch at all.
I know Dan. My reputation speaks for itself. And I'm a classy
dude. I don't engage in stuff like that. I play hard and I know
there is going to be hard plays. The last thing I'd do is throw
a punch."

Chris Mihm had 11 points and a career-high 21 rebounds and Lamar
Odom added 10 and 13 for the Lakers, who had five scorers in
double figures and dominated the Hornets on the glass, 65-40.
Mihm's 21 boards matched former Laker Shaquille O'Neal for the
NBA season high.

"We have a lot of great offensive players here," Mihm said. "It
was nice having only one guy boxing me out. I'm happy about my
performance and happier we got the win."

With the Lakers clinging to a 56-54 lead at the 5:07 mark of the
third quarter, Atkins hit back-to-back 3-pointers and Bryant
added a dunk and 3-pointer to open a 69-54 advantage.

"It's by design," Atkins said of his play. "On certain nights
some guys have it and some guys don't. I prefer to be a set-up
man because it is something I've been used to doing and it's
something I am comfortable with. But on this team a lot of times
Kobe Bryant has the ball in his hand and he's more the setup
guy and I just have to be the guy that finishes."