Bryant Rallies Lakers Past Pacers, 88-87
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com/AP) — Kobe Bryant scored 20 points and hit the go-ahead short jumper with 12.4 seconds to play, leading the Los Angeles Lakers to an 88-87 comeback victory over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday night.
Roy Hibbert missed a difficult jumper off a broken play as time expired to end the Lakers' third win in 10 games.
Bryant scored nine points in the final 2:32 while the Lakers rallied past the Pacers, who blew a 13-point lead in the second half.
Bryant hit a contested 3-pointer from the corner to put the Lakers up 84-82 with 2 minutes to play, but Solomon Hill answered with a 3-pointer for the Pacers, who repeatedly grabbed key offensive rebounds. Bryant missed a 3-foot shot with 50 seconds left, but redeemed himself with the winning 4-footer.
Nick Young scored 10 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter for the Lakers, who turned to the third-leading scorer in NBA history down the stretch.
Bryant played aggressively after the Lakers announced before the game that he will stay home from their trip to Portland on Monday. The Lakers are attempting to conserve the 36-year-old superstar's energy, sitting him out of three games last month.
Monday's sit-out will be his fourth of the year.
C.J. Miles had 19 points to lead six Pacers scoring in double figures. Despite outrebounding the Lakers 50-37, Indiana failed in its attempt at its first three-game winning streak of the season.
With point guards George Hill and C.J. Watson sidelined by injuries, Donald Sloan had 16 points, nine assists and seven rebounds in the third-stringer's second straight start after not playing in the previous three games.
After Young made a steal and a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to end the first half with the Lakers down 48-41, Indiana opened its largest lead in the third quarter. The Lakers erased it gradually, pulling even on Young's behind-the-head layup while falling down with 7:20 to play.
The Lakers may be without Wesley Johnson for some time, after he strained his right hip flexor in the 2nd quarter of Sunday night's game.
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