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Grizzlies Angered By Arguable Loss To LakersVancouver Feels Cheated, But Shaq's Final Basket CountsLOS ANGELES, Updated 12:55 a.m. PST January 16, 2001 -- All is not well with the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers these days, and it's not just the simmering feud between Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant that was made public last week. The struggling Lakers, playing at home, needed a controversial follow shot by O'Neal with less than a second remaining in overtime to beat the lowly Vancouver Grizzlies 113-112 on Monday night. O'Neal rebounded a missed shot by Robert Horry, and was fouled as he banked in a short jumper. A television replay showed the ball left O'Neal's hand just after time expired, but the officials ruled the clock should have been stopped when the foul was committed, with 0.4 seconds to play, and O'Neal was given the basket as continuation after the foul. O'Neal missed the free throw -- his eighth miss in 13 tries -- and time ran out. "Well, that's an unlikely way to win a basketball game, I'll tell you that," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "He was fouled before the buzzer went off; the shot counted, obviously. You could see the light (on top of the basket) from where I was sitting." Not surprisingly, the Grizzlies saw it differently. "That's a blown call by three cowards," according to Shareef Abdur-Rahim, who scored 23 of his 32 points after halftime and had 12 rebounds to lead the Grizzlies. "They can fine me for that, I don't care. If referees get fined, all three of them should get triple whatever they get fined." Isaac Austin, whose baseline jumper with 8.1 seconds left gave the Grizzlies a 112-111 lead, said he heard the horn sound before he fouled O'Neal. "It's a sad thing for it to come down to something like that," Austin said. "They made the wrong call, and we just have to live with it. We feel we played well enough to win, and we should have won." O'Neal, who had 31 points and 15 rebounds, didn't stick around to discuss the crucial play. He hasn't spoken with reporters on the record since last Wednesday, when he and Bryant traded unpleasantries through the media. Bryant, meanwhile, had his first NBA triple-double with 26 points, 11 rebounds and a season-high 11 assists, and said afterward he was going for it. "It's special to me," he said. "It shows people I can do more than just score. I wanted to get one tonight; it was cool, it was fun." Bryant and O'Neal spoke with former Lakers star and current team vice president Magic Johnson separately about their issues late last week, and Bryant said he was inspired to get a triple-double by his talk with Johnson. Bryant's triple-double was the first by a Laker since Vlade Divac accomplished the feat on April 5, 1996. The Lakers traded Divac to Charlotte for the rights to Bryant three months later. O'Neal, who missed four consecutive free throws late in the fourth quarter, made a pair with 40.3 seconds to play, giving the Lakers a 111-107 lead. However, Vancouver went ahead on a 3-pointer by Abdur-Rahim with 27.7 seconds to go and the jumper by Austin after a turnover by Tyronn Lue. Michael Dickerson added 26 points, and Mike Bibby had 15 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Grizzlies. The win was the 10th in 13 games for the Lakers, who are 2-1 since O'Neal and Bryant had their exchange last Wednesday. The first win was a narrow 101-98 triumph over the struggling Cleveland Cavaliers at home last Friday night. The Grizzlies, who have lost 15 of 19 games, led 90-85 midway through the fourth quarter before appearing to have the game won in overtime. But it wasn't to be. Abdur-Rahim made a short jumper with 25.8 seconds left in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 100. Bryant missed a jumper from the left baseline to give the Grizzlies the last shot, but Bibby didn't come close on a scoop shot from close range as time expired, forcing overtime.
Copyright 2001 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
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