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Show DAILY Wednesday, December 19, 2007 a HERALD TheMin Basketball Lamar Odom has 17 points and 16 rebounds in Lakers' win over Bulls THE ASSOCIATED RICHARD JEFFERSON FORWARD one-ma- li 86-8- pre-gam- -- I Kings 106, Nets 101: At East Rutherford, N.J., John Salmons 31 points scored a career-higand passed to teammate Francisco Garcia for a decisive to lead Sacramento. Brad Miller added 23 points and Ron Artest had 20 for the Kings, who got their second JERRY LAIAssociated Press road win of the season and Los Angeles Lakers' Sasha Vujacic, right looks to pass the ball as second in five days. New Jersey, which has lost Chicago Bulls' Chris Duhon falls down during the second quarto on Tuesday. The Lakers won 103-9six of its last seven games and eight of its last 10 at home, was led by Richard Jefferson's 36 warded the Lakers with another "(Coach Phil Jackson) points. Vince Carter scored 15 big fourth quarter. This time he showed me he has confidence points and rookie Sean Wilin me," Vujacic said. "That was liams had eight blocked shots, scored nine in the final period, after delivering 14 in Sunday's the key thing for me. I'm havtying a team record set in 1981 win over the Clippers. ing fun, playing basketball the by Mike Gminski. New Jersey Nets Score: Kings 106 Nets 101 K - way I used to play. I'm enjoying it." i Luke Walton and Bynum finished with 12 points apiece, and the Lakers had six players score in double figures, Bynum also grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked four shots. Luol Deng led Chicago with 26 points after missing all six shots in the first quarter, and Kirk Hinrich finished with 17 points and eight assists. Andres Nocioni scored 14 points, but rolled his right ankle late in the game. He said it hurts "just a little bit. It's fine." Ben Gordon was a nonfactor, though, with eight points on snooting. "It's just frustrating," he said. "You can use any word you want, but it's just frustrating." Bryant heard a few more e cheers than boos during introductions and one kid sitting about 1Q rows off the court wore a Bulls jersey with masking tape and the number 24 scrawled on it. PRESS CHICAGO The Lakers may be Kobe Bryant's team, but once again, they showed n operathey're not a tion. Sasha Vujacic scored 19 points, Lamar Odom added 17 points and 16 rebounds, and Los Angeles beat the Chicago Bulls 103-9- 1 Tuesday night. Slowed by a groin injury, Bryant scored 18 points but was a nonfactor for long stretches against the team he targeted as a possible destination during the offseason. . "Everybody's contributing .. and playing well," Bryant said. "It makes the game fun." Odom started an run with a layup and capped it with a dunk as the Lakers turned an 3 lead into a advantage with 3:24 left in the game. In between, they took advantage of three turnovers, and got an alley oop dunk by Andrew Bynum and a layup and by Jordan Farmar. "Balance, that's been the case the whole season," Odom said. Bryant seemed fine when he in the converted an alley-oo- p game's opening minute, but he missed his next seven shots and was overall. His skid ended with a jumper and a layup with just over 2 minutes remaining in the first half. Bryant then scored the Lakers' first six points of the third quarter, starting with a thunderous reverse dunk in transition about 40 seconds into the period, but he needed help and got it. Vujacic played a big role for the second straight game and re- - Star of the Day MIN REB 39 0 EASTERN CONFERENCE DIVISION ATLANTIC - L Pet Boston 20 2 .909 Toronto 15 11 .577 7 Philadelphia New Jersey 10 14 .417 11 10 15 .400 New York 7 17 .292 W since leaving Philly for Denver Arnie Stapleton maximum deal? "One thing I'll give A.I. is he has a superhuman body. He's proven that over the years," Denver coach George Karl said. Last December, Iverson soured on his relationship with Philadelphia coach Maurice Cheeks. Iverson was deactivated for his final six games before Denver came up with the right package of players and picks to pry him away. At first it seemed Iverson had traded one dysfunctional Allen Iverson team for another. On his experience this last year For the first 2 12 months with the Nuggets since his leaving with Denver, Iverson was part Philadelphia. of a lineup in con-staflux because of injuries, illnesses, trades and suspensions. Although Iverson and birthday. "Yeah, hopefully we can get 'Melo showed two superstars something done," said Iverson, can coexist, the Nuggets still who is making $19 million this were bounced from the playseason and is scheduled to offs by San Antonio in the first make $20.8 million next year. round last spring. "But that's not up to me. My This year, the Nuggets once whole thing is to play every, again have been forced to play with creative lineups due to a game like it's my last game. rash of injuries. Still, they lead Playing hard for 48 minutes and give everything I have and. the Northwest Division and exthat contract thing will take pect to get it together in time to care of itself." make a run in the playoffs. So far, Iverson hasn't clashed Nuggets player personnel director Mark Warkentien with Karl, who gives the 1996 No. 1 pick lots of leeway to do doesn't talk about contracts his thing and accepts his turnthe but neither season, during the team nor Iverson wants a overs as a consequence of his change. unique style. But does it make sense to , Karl vehemently defended Iverson when Charles Barkley give a player a "What went through ' there is definitely past. Allen Iverson is DENVER .no longer The Man he was in I'm gone. I'm not Philadelphia. Carmelo Anthony holds that thinking about that. I'm title in Denver. So Iverson, comfortable here. I'm e the former MVP and is content scoring champion, cool. We're still growing being The Wingman. "I'm happy," declared Iveras a team. We're getting son, who doesn't regret leaving better." Philly a ago ASSOCIATED PRESS four-tim- Wednesday year and bringing his gritty game to the Rocky Mountains. "What I went through there is definitely past. I'm gone. I'm not thinking about that," Iverson said. "I'm comfortable here. I'm cool. We're still growing as a team. We're getting better." Although the Nuggets still are trying to develop an identity after another injury riddled start to the season, Iverson sees a lot of potential more, he insists, than he ever saw in -- Philly. "The talent level is a lot better than what I played with in my career," Iverson said. "I'm happy to be on a team where I have an opportunity to win." He's so optimistic about Denver's future he's talking about opting out of his current this contract and summer for six years, although the Nuggets would face a big luxury tax because the deal would extend beyond his 36th Str Home L10 GB 4 W 1 W 1 . 12 11 Conf 2 Away 8 2 16 86 7 5 10-- 6 8 6 0 12 W-- 9 1 5 10 6 8 14 4 9 9 SOUTHEAST DIVISION L Pet Orlando 17 9 .654 Washington Atlanta 13 10.565 12 12 W 6 12 W4 4 W2 2 .500 8 14 .364 7 Miami 7 17 .292 9 7 12-- GB L10 10-- 56 8 5 8 2 W-- 4 9 8 DIVISION L Pet 17 7 .708 W Detroit Conf Away 5 Charlotte CENTRAL Str Home L10 GB Str Home Conf Away W-- Indiana 13 12 .520 4 12 Cleveland 11 14 .440 612 Milwaukee 10 14 .417 7 Chicago 8 14 .364 8 64 W-- 5 6 4 9 5 W-- 3 8 8 h It's been a good year for Allen Iverson THE 30 NBA STANDINGS WESTERN CONFERENCE SOUTHWEST DIVISION L Pet San Antonio 18 6 .750 Dallas 17 9 .654 NewOrleans 15 10 .600 3 12 Houston 12 12 .500 6 Memphis 7 17 .292 11 W I every-possessio- -- Conf Away 13-- 4 2 W-- U-- 7 64 8 9 1 NORTHWEST DIVISION W Denver Pet L 14 10 .583 Utah 14 12 .538 13 12 .520 Seattle 7 18 .280 7 12 Minnesota 3 20 .130 1012 L.A. Lakers 1 12 1 W-- 10-- 10-- 5 Ml, . GB Str Home L10 18 7 .720 15 9 .625 2 12 7 3 W-- 6 4 W-- 1 Golden State 14 11 .560 10 14 .417 7 12 W-- LA. Clippers 9 15 .375 812 2 4 MONDAY'S RESULTS Conf Away ' W-- Sacramento Atlanta 116, Utah Away Conf 4 6 . . 10-- 4 .5-- 5 Portland Phoenix Str Home L10 GB 4 5 7 TODAY'S GAMES Miami at Atlanta, 5 p.m. Detroit at Boston, 5 p.m. Chicago at Washington, 5 p.m. Utah at Charlotte, 5 p.m. Philadelphia at Indiana, 5 p.m. Cleve. at New York, 5:30 p.m. Sacramento at Milwaukee, 6 p.m. San Antonio at Memphis, 6 p.m. Golden State at Minnesota, 6 p.m. Orlando at Houston, 6:30 p.m. Phoenix at Dallas, 7:30 p.m. Toronto at Portland, 8 p.m. New Orleans at Seattle, 8 p.m.. 111 Cleve. 104, Milwaukee 99, 20T Indiana 119, New York 92 Miami 91, Minnesota 87 Golden State 125, Memphis 117 Phoenix 100, San Antonio 95' Dallas 111, Orlando 108 Portland 88, NewOrleans 76 TUESDAY'S RESULTS Sacramento 106, New Jersey 101 Lakers 103, Chicago 91 Toronto at Clippers, late THURSDAY'S GAMES New Jersey at Miami, 5:30 p.m. L.A. Lakers at Cleveland, 6 p.m. Houston at Denver, 8:30 p.m. first-roun- nt . criticized Iverson as selfish after a recent performance. "You're always going to have your Barkley taking a 35 and 12 game and criticizing it," Karl said. "I don't get it. People still criticize our defense. We're not a great defensive team on an n basis, but we have moved into a pretty good defensive team statistically." And Karl said he believes the solution is The Answer, whom he said can turn the Nuggets d from fodder into a contender. "Right now, the mode is to ,make a step from a top-1- 2 team in the league to a top-- 5 team in the league," Karl said. "I think we're moving in that direction." Iverson agreed. "It is a different situation when I was with Philly," he said. "I honestly thought I had a chance to win a championship there just because I believed in myself, I believed in my teammates and I believed in the coaching staff and the organization. I even felt that way before I left. I felt that all we had to do was just try to get into the playoffs. And once you get into the playoffs anything can happen. "But here it feels even better because the talent level is a lot better and these people around here are committed to trying to win basketball games." Str Home L10 GB PACIFIC DIVISION ' W L Pet ..' TP AST NBA SCOREBOARD KINGS 106, NETS 101 SACRAMENTO Artest (106) 20, Moore 31, Garcia 0, Thomas 4. Miller 24, NEW JERSEY 23. Udrih Jones 0. Totals 4, 0, Hawes 0, Salmons Douby .. 106.-- (101) Jefferson 11, Carter Armstrong 15, Wright 0. Totals Sacramento New Jersey 28 25 36, S.Williams 24 25 11, Boone 13, Allen 101. 25 28 to, 5 KirJd M.Williams 0, v 29 106 23 101 Goals Milier Sacramento (Garcia Artest Salmons New Jersey Udrih Carter Kidd (Jefferson Wright M.Williams Fouled Out None. Rebounds Sacramento 36 Armstrong (Miller 10), New Jersey 56 (Kidd 10). Assists Sacramento 23 (Udrih 8), New Jersey 27 (Kidd 9). Total Fouls Sacramento 20, New Jersey 20. Technicals Sacramento defensive three second, New Jersey defensive three second. A 11 ,902 (19,990). LAKERS 103, BULLS 91 L.A. LAKERS Walton 0- - 0 0, 18, Turiaf CHICAGO Oeng (103) 12, Odom Farmar 17, Bynum 5, 4. Totals 12, 19, Ariza Vujacic Fisher 6, 10, Bryant Radmanovic 3 8, Duhon 103. (91) 26. 17. Nocioni Smith 14. Sefolosha 0. iulllton 21 Chicago 15 Griffin 28 30 4, Wallace Thomas 0. Totals 24 23 30 23 2, Gordon 10. Gray 91. 103 91 8. 1 Hinrich 2, . Walton Lakers Farmar Fisher (Vujacic Ariza Odom Radmanovic Bryant Chicago (Gordon Deng - 2, Nocioni Hinrich Fouled Out None. Rebounds L.A. Lakers 55 (Odom L.A. Lakers 29 (Farmar 6), Chicago 16), Chicago 45 (Nocioni, Deng 7). Assists L.A. Lakers 19, Chicago 22. Technicals 27 (Hinrich 8). Total Fouls Fisher, L.A. Lakers defensive three second. A 22,310 (22,467). Goals J? 9 - - ....... - , -- . .. ... .. L.A. An |