PORTLAND (Sporting Alert) — Kobe Bryant scored a season high 47 points and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Portland Trail Blazers 113-106 in their NBA game at Rose Garden in Portland on Wednesday night.
Video: Kobe Bryant Scores 47pts Lakers v Trail Blazers
Bryant, who shot 14-of-27 from the field, was a perfect 18-for-18 from the free throw line and he also had eight rebounds, five assists, four blocks and three steals for the Lakers (42-37) which moved one game ahead of the Jazz for the 8th and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
“We’ve got no breathing room at all,” said Bryant, who was scoring 40 or more points in a game for the 120th time in his NBA career.
“I’m still on edge. We’ve got to win three more games and we’re in.”
Pau Gasol had 23 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, while Dwight Howard added a double-double of 20 points and 10 boards in the win.
Damian Lillard paced the Trail Blazers (33-45) with 38 points and nine assists.
“He’s spectacular … really fantastic,” Bryant said of the Blazers’ rookie.
“A lot of players get hot, but he’s got the moves, patience, intelligence, the balance on his jumpers. He’s the real deal.”
LaMarcus Aldridge added 17 points and 16 rebounds and Luke Babbitt contributed 12 points off the bench in the defeat for Portland which lost for the ninth straight time.
“It was a very good effort by our team, but unfortunately we couldn’t pull it out,” said Blazers coach Terry Stotts.
“A couple of plays down the stretch could have gone either way, a couple of shots could have gone either way.
“For the most part, I thought it was a well-played game against a team that’s pretty hungry to make the playoffs.”
