Staples gunner

Houston scores NBA-high 53 on Lakers' home court

Despite all his shooting, Allan Houston didn't commit a single turnover Sunday. Catherine Steenkeste/NBAE/ Getty Images

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- It became the Allan vs. Kobe Show at Staples Center.

Surprisingly, Allan won.

And so did his team.

Allan Houston scored an NBA season-high 53 points as the Knicks beat Kobe Bryant and the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers 117-110 on Sunday night.

Houston shot 18-of-29 including 4-of-5 from 3-point range and made 12 of 14 attempts from the foul line in 43 minutes as he surpassed the 51 points scored by Bryant at Denver last Wednesday night.

Houston became the fifth player in franchise history to score 50 or more points and the first since Patrick Ewing accomplished the feat on Dec. 1, 1990.

Super scorers Top games in the NBA this season Pts.  Player  vs.  Date  53  Houston, NY  LAL  Feb. 16  51  Bryant, LAL  Den  Feb. 12  47  Mcgrady, Orl  Mil  Nov. 2  46  Pierce, Bos  NY  Nov. 2  46  Bryant, LAL  Hou  Nov. 17  46  McGrady, Orl  Det  Dec. 25  46  Bryant, LAL  NY  Feb. 6  45  Bryant, LAL  GS  Nov. 15  45  Bryant, LAL  Mem  Nov. 29  45  Davis, Cle  Mil  Dec. 9  45  Bryant, LAL  Sea  Jan. 7  45  Pierce, Bos  Den  Jan. 24  45  Jordan, Was  NO  Feb. 1

It was the most points by a Knicks player since Bernard King scored 55 against New Jersey on Feb. 16, 1985.

The total tied for the fourth-highest in franchise history. "To get a win and have something like that happen individually, it feels great," Houston said. "It felt good just to get going and then it didn't stop.

"It was like being out on the playground again, you're just out there having fun and playing the game."

Houston said he had never scored that many points at any level.

"Never, ever," he said.

He also said he didn't know how many he had most of the game.

"Sometimes I am aware," he said. "I didn't know, I really didn't. I didn't want to look."

Bryant led the Lakers with 40 points -- the fifth consecutive game in which he's scored 40 or more and the ninth straight of at least 35.

Bryant has scored 378 points in those nine games (42.0 average). Against the Knicks, he made 14 of 31 shots including 3-of-5 from 3-point range and 9-of-10 free throws in 42 minutes.

The 5x40 Club Most consecutive games with 40+ points since 1986-87 Player  Year  Games  Michael Jordan  1986-87  9  Kobe Bryant  2002-03  5  Allen Iverson  1996-97  5  Michael Jordan  1986-87  5

"He had a wonderful game tonight," Bryant said of Houston, a 10-year NBA veteran. "He was right on target all night long. He's a great shooter.

"Once a guy gets hot like that, once they catch fire, it's tough to put out."

The Lakers played without Shaquille O'Neal, who missed the game because of a sore left knee.

"The doctors came in and we decided he should sit the game out this time," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "It will be game-to-game. We're not taking X-rays or MRIs, he doesn't feel it's necessary."

O'Neal had said Saturday said he was hurting and would start taking the anti-inflammatory drug Indocin to help ease the pain in his knee and right big toe.

Shooting star Kobe Bryant scored 35 or more points for the ninth straight game, the most in the NBA since Michael Jordan's 10 in 1986-87. Date Opp. Pts. Jan. 29  at Phx  40  Jan. 31  at Sac  38  Feb. 1  vs. Uta  42  Feb. 4  at Ind  35  Feb. 6  at NY  46  Feb. 11  vs. Den  42  Feb. 12  at Den  51  Feb. 14  vs. SA  44  Feb. 16  vs. NY  40

O'Neal underwent surgery on his toe Sept. 11 and missed the season's first 12 games, nine of which the Lakers lost.

The loss was the second straight for the Lakers (26-25) following a seven-game winning streak.

"We couldn't seem to do anything with Houston," Jackson said. "We double-teamed him and gave up 3-point shots to somebody else or layups or he made his shots. Obviously it wasn't working very well.

"Obviously, we have to have our personnel to play well. We don't have a lot of parts that are adjustable without."

The three-time defending NBA champions fell one game behind the Houston Rockets in the battle for the eighth and final Western Conference playoff berth.

The Knicks (23-28) moved within 1 1/2 games of the Washington Wizards, who are eighth in the Eastern Conference.

Latrell Sprewell added 14 points and Othella Harrington scored 10 for the Knicks. Derek Fisher scored 21 points, Brian Shaw added 16 and Devean George had 14 for the Lakers.

But basically it was a two-man show.

A basket by Bryant and two 3-pointers by Shaw cut New York's lead to 87-84 with 9 minutes remaining.

But Clarence Weatherspoon's only six points of the game and a 3-pointer by Sprewell extended the Knicks' lead to 12 points with 6:48 left.

The Lakers battled back, and a 3-pointer by Bryant made it 104-99. But Houston's baseline jumper with 2:05 left gave him 51 points and the Knicks a seven-point lead.

The Lakers didn't pose a serious threat after that.

Averaging 21.5 points coming in, Houston scored 13 points during a 16-8 run that gave the Knicks a 76-65 lead with 3:02 to play in the third quarter.

He added seven more points in the final minute of the period to give him 43 in the game and the Knicks an 85-76 lead entering the fourth quarter.

Two baskets by Bryant put the Lakers ahead 31-23 early in the second quarter. Houston scored 17 points in the final 8:08 of the period as the Knicks rallied for a 50-47 halftime lead.

Notes: Houston's previous career high was 44 points against Milwaukee on Jan. 12, 2002. He surpassed that total in the opening minute of the fourth quarter. ... It's the 12th time a Knick player has scored 50 points or more. King accomplished the feat five times topped by a franchise-record 60 points in 1984. ... The Knicks have scored 100 or more points in seven straight games -- their longest such streak since they scored in triple figures 11 straight times during the 1992-93 season. ... George made a shot from near the halfcourt line as the third period ended, just after Houston's fourth 3-pointer of the game. ... The Knicks shot 9-of-16 from 3-point range. They're the leading 3-point shooting team in the NBA percentage-wise (39.4 percent) while the Lakers are the worst team defending the 3-pointer (40.9 percent). ... The Knicks are 2-0 on a six-game road trip -- their longest in six years. They play again Monday night at Portland.

 

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