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| Rocket Fuel: Let the free-fall begin |
NBA Basketball |
02/22/2003 |
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| (MySportsbook) - It's official; the Los Angeles Lakers have wrested the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference away from the Houston Rockets. The teams entered Friday's action tied in the eighth position with identical records of 28-25. Houston went on to suffer a home setback to the Dallas Mavericks and the Lakers took advantage by downing the Portland Trail Blazers, 92-84. It was just a matter of time before the Lakers started leapfrogging teams in the West, so the Rockets are probably done |
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| Nuggets attempt to end seven-game slide |
NBA Basketball |
02/22/2003 |
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| uard Shammond Williams, a second-round draft pick in 2003 and cash considerations in exchange for center Mark Blount and forward Mark Bryant. The Jazz had a two-game winning streak halted in their last outing, as they suffered a 93-87 setback to the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday. Utah fell to 2-2 on its five-game homestand, which wraps up Saturday. The Jazz lost despite the Lakers playing without Shaquille O'Neal. However, the red-hot Kobe Bryant reached the 40-point mark for a seventh consecutive game to lift |
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| Rockets try to remain in playoff hunt |
NBA Basketball |
02/22/2003 |
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| Houston, TX (MySportsbook) - The Houston Rockets look to work their way back to a playoff spot Saturday when they welcome the Memphis Grizzlies to Compaq Center. Houston's 100-85 setback to Dallas on Friday coupled with the Los Angeles Lakers' win over Portland caused the Rockets to fall one game out of the eighth seed in the Western Conference standings. Steve Francis collected 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists Friday for the Rockets, who have dropped six of their last eight contests. Yao Ming added |
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| Shaq is back; Kobe reaches 40, again |
NBA Basketball |
02/22/2003 |
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| Los Angeles, CA (MySportsbook) - Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal scored 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in his return to the lineup to help his club post a 92-84 victory over Portland. Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, meanwhile, reached the 40-point mark for the eighth straight game, as the Lakers won their third straight. The last player to score 40 or more in as many consecutive games was Michael Jordan, who did it in nine straight early in the 1986-87 season. Wilt Chamberlain scored at least 40 in 14 |
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| Raptors welcome slumping Suns |
NBA Basketball |
02/21/2003 |
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| ix Suns continue their quest to secure a postseason berth when they travel to Toronto to take on the Raptors at Air Canada Centre. Phoenix is currently the seventh seed in the Western Conference, 1 1/2 games ahead of both the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers. Phoenix has dropped three of its last four games, while the Lakers are starting to surge and the Rockets are hanging tough. The Suns' most recent setback was a 107-89 loss to the Rockets. Shawn Marion finished with 24 points and nine rebounds, whil |
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| Lakers host Blazers; Shaq expected to return |
NBA Basketball |
02/21/2003 |
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| Los Angeles, CA (MySportsbook) - The Los Angeles Lakers expect to have center Shaquille O'Neal back in the lineup Friday when the host the Portland Trail Blazers at Staples Center. O'Neal has missed the last three games because of a sore left knee and right big toe, but said Thursday that he is ready to return to action. Los Angeles dropped the first game without O'Neal, but has won the last two thanks to the stellar play of Kobe Bryant. Bryant reached the 40-point mark for a seventh consecutive game, as the L |
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| Payton and Allen swap teams as part of blockbuster trade |
NBA Basketball |
02/20/2003 |
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| ts and 6.5 assists. He has also had stints with New Jersey, the Charlotte Hornets, Portland and Boston. Campbell, 34, is in the midst of his 13th NBA season. He was averaging only 7.2 points in 41 games for New Orleans this year. Campbell played the first eight-plus seasons of his career with the Los Angeles Lakers before being dealt to Charlotte along with Eddie Jones on March 10, 1999 in exchange for Glen Rice, J.R. Reid and B.J. Armstrong. Campbell has career averages of 11.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. |
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| Desert Diary: Suns have size-able problem |
NBA Basketball |
02/20/2003 |
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| merica West Arena. Most recently, Phoenix suffered a 107-89 loss to the Rockets on Wednesday. The loss was crucial for the Suns, as Houston (28-25) pulled within just 1 1/2 games of Phoenix (30-24) for the seventh seed in the Western Conference. The Los Angeles Lakers also sit 1 1/2 games behind the Suns. And for a young Phoenix team with little playoff experience, this could be just the early stages of a larger slide. On Wednesday, Shawn Marion posted 24 points and nine rebounds and Stephon Marbury scored 22 poi |
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| Hollywood Happenings: Kobe leading the charge |
NBA Basketball |
02/20/2003 |
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| (MySportsbook) - Kobe Bryant continues to carry the Los Angeles Lakers. A team that traditionally relies on Shaquille O'Neal to do the majority of the heavy lifting, now leans on its All-World guard. It was Bryant's staunch determination that led to LA's 93-87 victory over the Utah Jazz. Bryant moved past Michael Jordan into second place behind Wilt Chamberlain on the all-time NBA list with his 11th consecutive game of 35 or more points. But this was not the story. O'Neal was sidelined as he nursed a sore left |
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| State of the Warriors: No fight against Blazers |
NBA Basketball |
02/20/2003 |
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| All-Star break -- all on the road -- and were quietly inching toward the eighth seed. However, Golden State has dropped three straight since to fall six games below .500 at 24-30 and likely won't see the postseason for the ninth straight season. The Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets are currently tied in the eighth position in the Western Conference, 4 1/2 games ahead of the Warriors. The defensive end, a major problem early on, is once again starting to hurt the Warriors. Golden State has allowed at least 1 |
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