THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAS
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2009
SPORTS
5B
NBA
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kobe pulls Lakers out of slump
Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant shoots over Detroit Pistons guard Ben Gordon and forward Jonas Jerebko, right, Tuesday in Los Angeles. Bryant helped the Lakers avoid a three-game losing streak by scoring 40 points
ASSOCIATED PRESS
LOS ANGELES — Kobe Bryant scored 40 points for the 100th time in his career, and the Los Angeles Lakers avoided a rare three-game losing streak with a 106-93 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night.
Andrew Bynum had 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Lakers, who took a 28-point lead before surviving Detroit's impressive fourth-quarter rally to avoid their first three-game skid in nearly two years, following back-to-back losses to Denver and Houston.
Bryant didn't appear to be slowed by his strained grin while scoring 27 points in the middle two quarters before reaching 40 on a 3-pointer with 19 seconds left. With four 40-point games already this season after getting just four all last year, Kobe trails only Wilt Chamberlain (271) and Michael Jordan (173) in 40-point games in NBA history.
Will Bynum scored 10 of his 24 points in the final period for the Pistoles, who opened a four-game West Coast trip with their second straight loss. Detroit chopped the Lakers' lead to 98-91 with 1:55 to play before former Michigan State guard Shannon Brown made three free throws and a soaring dunk to seal it.
Bryant led the Lakers in scoring for the 10th time in 11 games. Andrew Bynum also was steady again, delivering his eighth game with at least 10 points and 10 rebounds.
The Lakers still haven't lost three straight games since Pau Gasol joined the club on Feb. 1, 2008, although Gasol again was out of the lineup with a hamstring injury. Gasol might try to play for the first time this season Thursday night against Chicago.
Luke Walton also will be out for six weeks with a pinched nerve in his back — but Detroit is even more seriously injury-depleted than the Lakers, with Richard Hamilton (sprained right ankle) and Tayshaun Prince (back injury) still out of the lineup.
Although Bryant is carrying a heavy scoring load for the Lakers early in the season, the former MVP was revitalized by his first extended time off in several years following Los Angeles' title. He also worked on his low-post game during his summer off, and the results have been obvious in the season's opening weeks.
Hakeem Olajuwon this summer, or adroitly passed out of double teams to set up open jumpers. Bryant also played with a noticeable edge, jawing with several Pistons before and after scoring on them.
Bryant frequently took Ben Gordon and other Detroit defenders into the low post, where he either used the moves he learned from
Bryant scored 13 points in the second quarter, making six of his seven shots while the Lakers went ahead 57-42 at halftime. He was 6 for 8 in the third, scoring 14 more points while Los Angeles gradually increased its lead to 24.
NHL
Colorado defeats Calgary
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ASSOCIATED PRESS
CALGARY, Alberta Ryan Wilson's first NHL points fittingly came against the team that traded him away.
The Colorado rookie scored his first career goal and added an assist, Milan Heiduk got the game-winner and the Avalanche beat the Calgary Flames 3-2 on Tuesday night.
Colorado Avalanche's Paul Stastny, right, tries to shake off Calgary Flames' Craig Conroy during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Calgary, Alberta on Tuesday. The Avalanche defeat the Flames 3-2.
The Avalanche then bounced
Originally signed as a free agent by Calgary on July 1, 2008, Wilson was dealt to Colorado last March along with forward Lawrence Nycholat and a draft pick for defenseman Jordan Leoopold.
"I didn't really play with them but it's always nice to score on your old team or old organization," Wilson said. "I'm just happy to get the win and to score my first goal in a winning game. Certainly I'll remember this one but I have to keep playing this way and hopefully this little streak I'm on continues."
Aided by an early power play, the Flames had the first six shots of the game but couldn't get one past Anderson.
Jarome Iginla had his 12th goal of the season — and eighth in his past seven games — and Rene Bourque also scored for the Flames, who had earned points in each of their previous six games.
Avalanche goalie Craig Anderson made 34 saves and the defense blocked 24 more shots to keep Calgary off balance.
"Their 'D' seemed to get in front of every shot," Bourque said. "The last time we played them, same thing. They did a good job of taking our space away and they got big in front of you."
Calgary goalie Miikka Kiprusoff made 21 saves as he lost in regulation for the first time in November.
back to send seven straight shots at Kiprusoff, scoring on one. After Kiprusoff made two straight pad saves on shots by Wojtek Wolski, Wilson crept in off the point and picked up a loose puck in the slot before backhanding a shot
into the Cagary net eight minutes into the game.
"The puck was in there for a while and I think everyone just got tied up and the puck squirited loose," Wilson said. "The goalie
wide open in the high slot and sent him a perfect pass that the Calgary captain one-timed into the top corner past Anderson.
was down so 1
"The goalie was down so I moved to the side and put it in there."
About five minutes later, with the Avalanche on the power play, Bourque snapped a shot into the
At 11:39 of the second period,
Curtis Glencross spotted Ignila
moved to the side and put it in there."
RYAN WILSON Flames player
top corner over
Anderson's out-
stretched glove to
put Calary up 2-1.
Prior to the play, Avalanche defenseman Kyle Quincy broke his stick when he took a slap shot from the point. Dustin Boyd alertly picked up the puck
and sent it to Jay Bouwmeester, who feathered a great cross-ice pass to Bourque on the left wing in the Colorado zone.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Records within reach for Alexander
ASSOCIATED PRESS
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Just last year, Jeremy Maclin set Missouri single-season records for receptions, yards and touchdowns in a scintillating sophomore season. Then he jumped to the NFL.
That puts Danario Alexander in very good company. The senior who once started ahead of Maclin has rebounded from four operations, three on his left knee, and is close to erasing all of Maclin's marks.
With two regular-season games plus a likely bowl game left, Alexander is only 22 yards receiving, 21 receptions and two touchdowns away from the standards set by Maclin.
"For some reason, he always gets open," sophomore quarterback Blaine Gabbert said. "Danario is a big-time threat every time he gets the ball in his hands."
Associated Press
Maclin had 102 receptions for 1,260 yards and 13 touchdowns in 14 games in 2008. He's now thriving with the Philadelphia Eagles, who traded up two spots to take him with the 19th pick of the draft.
"When he saw I was getting close J-Mac called!" Alexander said. "I told him, 'I'm coming for it,' and he encouraged me. He told me to go ahead and do my thing."
The 6-foot-5, 215-pound Alexander isn't all the way back from the latest surgery less than a year ago. Entering the season, he was not considered first-round material given concerns over his ability to make precise cuts.
A couple weeks ago, Maclin realized his records were in serious jeopardy.
A lengthy highlight reel should answer any doubters. Alexander has a 40-inch-plus vertical leap, enabling him to effortlessly elevate over a Kansas State defender for one of his three scores last Saturday. He has cat-like balance, landing on the run after his leaps or pivoting away from tacklers. He has enough speed, 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash, to win foottraces for touchdowns of 84 and 80 yards the last two weeks.
Missouri wide receiver Daniaro Alexander (81) get away from Kansas State linebacker Uli Pamela (51) as he runs the ball for an 80-yard touchdown. Missouri won 38-12.
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