LOS ANGELES // Kobe Bryant led the Los Angeles Lakers to a storming comeback against the New York Knicks. Bryant scored 28 points to help the Lakers rally from a 15-point half-time deficit to edge the game 116-114.
"It was a challenging game," the Lakers coach Phil Jackson said.
"We anticipated that as staff but I don't think our players anticipated that kind of game."
New York shocked the Lakers by taking a 65-50 lead at the midway stage but the Lakers out-scored the Knicks 66-49 in the second half to subdue the visitors, who slipped to 11-14 with their second straight defeat.
Los Angeles (21-3) won their fourth straight game, their 14th victory in 16 games, but struggled against the determined Knicks, who made 13 three-point shots and 27 of their 28 free throws.
Despite the defeat, New York coach Mike D'Antoni was happy with his young team's progress.
"We worry about the losses, but I think we're playing better," said D'Antoni, whose team went 2-3 on their five-game road trip.
"We said that this was going to be a measuring stick. We need to learn how to finish games and play a little better together and cut down on some bad shots, but we'll get there."
Trevor Ariza's basket with 1:03 remaining finally gave the Lakers the lead for good, with the teams exchanging free throws in a tense final minute before New York's Chris Duhon missed a desperation shot from the backcourt as time expired.
Bryant added seven rebounds and six assists and scored nine of his points in the final eight minutes.
Lamar Odom had 17 points and 12 rebounds for Los Angeles and Andrew Bynum chipped in with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
"We remembered all the battles we've been through. We didn't panic," said Bryant. "Just to be able to stay calm and push our way through, it was a good game for us to have."
Nate Robinson led the Knicks with 33 points.
Yao Ming scored 32 points, Tracy McGrady added a triple-double and the Houston Rockets ended the Denver Nuggets' four-game winning streak with a 108-96 victory.
McGrady finished with 20 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists.
DJ Augustin scored 16 of his career-high 29 points in the fourth quarter and overtime as the Charlotte Bobcats posted a 110-101 triumph over the Chicago Bulls.
Eric Gordon and Zach Randolph each scored 22 points to lead the Los Angeles Clippers to a 98-88 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
David West poured in 18 points as the New Orleans Hornets claimed a 91-84 defeat of the Memphis Grizzlies, who had 28 points from Rudy Gay and 20 from OJ Mayo.
Brandon Roy scored 29 points as the Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Sacramento Kings 109-77. John Salmons led the Kings with 21 points.
* Agencies
THREE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENTS
Khalfan Mubarak
The Al Jazira playmaker has for some time been tipped for stardom within UAE football, with Quique Sanchez Flores, his former manager at Al Ahli, once labelling him a “genius”. He was only 17. Now 23, Mubarak has developed into a crafty supplier of chances, evidenced by his seven assists in six league matches this season. Still to display his class at international level, though.
Rayan Yaslam
The Al Ain attacking midfielder has become a regular starter for his club in the past 15 months. Yaslam, 23, is a tidy and intelligent player, technically proficient with an eye for opening up defences. Developed while alongside Abdulrahman in the Al Ain first-team and has progressed well since manager Zoran Mamic’s arrival. However, made his UAE debut only last December.
Ismail Matar
The Al Wahda forward is revered by teammates and a key contributor to the squad. At 35, his best days are behind him, but Matar is incredibly experienced and an example to his colleagues. His ability to cope with tournament football is a concern, though, despite Matar beginning the season well. Not a like-for-like replacement, although the system could be adjusted to suit.
Tour de France 2017: Stage 5
Vittel - La Planche de Belles Filles, 160.5km
It is a shorter stage, but one that will lead to a brutal uphill finish. This is the third visit in six editions since it was introduced to the race in 2012. Reigning champion Chris Froome won that race.
The flights: South African Airways flies from Dubai International Airport with a stop in Johannesburg, with prices starting from around Dh4,000 return. Emirates can get you there with a stop in Lusaka from around Dh4,600 return.
The details: Visas are available for 247 Zambian kwacha or US$20 (Dh73) per person on arrival at Livingstone Airport. Single entry into Victoria Falls for international visitors costs 371 kwacha or $30 (Dh110). Microlight flights are available through Batoka Sky, with 15-minute flights costing 2,265 kwacha (Dh680).
Accommodation: The Royal Livingstone Victoria Falls Hotel by Anantara is an ideal place to stay, within walking distance of the falls and right on the Zambezi River. Rooms here start from 6,635 kwacha (Dh2,398) per night, including breakfast, taxes and Wi-Fi. Water arrivals cost from 587 kwacha (Dh212) per person.
RESULTS FOR STAGE 4
Stage 4 Dubai to Hatta, 197 km, Road race.
Overall leader Primoz Roglic SLO (Team Jumbo - Visma)
Stage winners: 1. Caleb Ewan AUS (Lotto - Soudal) 2. Matteo Moschetti ITA (Trek - Segafredo) 3. Primoz Roglic SLO (Team Jumbo - Visma)
'Young girls thinking of big ideas'
Words come easy for aspiring writer Afra Al Muhairb. The business side of books, on the other hand, is entirely foreign to the 16-year-old Emirati. So, she followed her father’s advice and enroled in the Abu Dhabi Education Council’s summer entrepreneurship course at Abu Dhabi University hoping to pick up a few new skills.
“Most of us have this dream of opening a business,” said Afra, referring to her peers are “young girls thinking of big ideas.”
In the three-week class, pupils are challenged to come up with a business and develop an operational and marketing plan to support their idea. But, the learning goes far beyond sales and branding, said teacher Sonia Elhaj.
“It’s not only about starting up a business, it’s all the meta skills that goes with it -- building self confidence, communication,” said Ms Elhaj. “It’s a way to coach them and to harness ideas and to allow them to be creative. They are really hungry to do this and be heard. They are so happy to be actually doing something, to be engaged in creating something new, not only sitting and listening and getting new information and new knowledge. Now they are applying that knowledge.”
Afra’s team decided to focus their business idea on a restaurant modelled after the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Each level would have a different international cuisine and all the meat would be halal. The pupils thought of this after discussing a common problem they face when travelling abroad.
“Sometimes we find the struggle of finding halal food, so we just eat fish and cheese, so it’s hard for us to spend 20 days with fish and cheese,” said Afra. “So we made this tower so every person who comes – from Africa, from America – they will find the right food to eat.”
rpennington@thenational.ae
