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The Mavericks (47-19) are now only one game up in the loss column to the Lakers (47-20)
It was indeed an impressive victory, and one that was nice to get as LA vies for home court advantage against everybody in the NBA, except the Spurs.
Bynum led the Lakers with 22 points, and 15 rebounds, continuing his dominance after the all-star break. The Lakers allowed Dallas to stick around by missing 10 free-throws, and allowing 15 offensive rebounds.
However, the big story of the game, was when a sense of panic set in, for any Lakers fan watching the game, as Kobe Bryant went down in the 3rd quarter.
Forget trying to get the win in Dallas, it could have been the end of the Lakers chance at winning a third consecutive title.
Late in the third quarter Kobe Bryant tried to draw a foul on Shawn Marion, when he landed awkwardly on his left ankle, the same one in which he hurt two games prior.
He then walked gingerly off the court, with a noticeable limp, straight to the locker room.
The Lakers were up 65-63 as it looked like Kobe’s day may have been over, Steve Blake then hit back to back three pointers as Kobe was in the locker room to extend the Lakers lead to 10.
With just under 9 minutes to play. Kobe would come out of the locker room, and tell Phil that he wanted to go back in. With the momentum with the Mavs, and the Lakers only up 6. Kobe would hit a baseline fade away jumper, with 2:46 left in the game.
With just under a minute to play, and the Lakers up only four. Bryant would miss at the right elbow.
However, Ron Artest, would wrestle it away from Jason Kidd, and put it back in to extend the Lakers lead to six.
Ron-Ron then gave the Dallas fans a sneek peak at the “Gun-Show”, flexing both biceps, as he walked over to the bench.
Regarding Kobe’s injury he said this to the media after the game
“I thought I was done, like done,” Bryant said, thinking that he may have been done for the season. “I was just praying that when I stood up my foot was lined up straight … That scared the s— out of me. I thought I dislocated it.”
“We were all pretty scared s—less, to be honest with you because it looked horrible and it felt worse.”
Kobe is listed as questionable to play Monday at home vs Orlando.
“I’ll just do what I always do: don’t sleep, get treatment around the clock and I should be fine,” Bryant said.
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