HONOLULU (AP) The new-look Los Angeles Lakers went from
impressive to downright ugly in just 24 hours.
The Lakers misfired from their first shot and lost 99-83 to the
Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night. A night earlier, the
Lakers routed the Warriors 107-89.
Kobe Bryant attended the Lakers' shootaround earlier in the day,
then flew to Colorado for Thursday's court appearance in his sexual
assault case in Eagle, Colo. He also missed Tuesday night's game to
rest his surgically repaired right knee.
Speedy Claxton scored a game-high 20 points for the Warriors,
including 10 points during a 19-0 run in the second quarter that
staggered the Lakers.
The Lakers starters blamed themselves for leading just 24-22 at
the end of the first quarter, when coach Phil Jackson went with
younger players.
``I think we've got to establish the tone first, and tonight we
didn't do that,'' said newcomer Gary Payton. ``They had a lot of
pride to do what they did tonight. They got embarrassed last night
and they came back and they embarrassed us.''
The Lakers missed their first five shots, including the first
two, by Payton and Karl Malone, the team's two big offseason
acquisitions. Payton also had a shot blocked by Mike Dunleavy.
Shaquille O'Neal clanked a free throw off the front of the rim
before making the second one for the Lakers' first point 2{ minutes
into the game.
Leading 27-23 early in the second quarter, the Lakers
surrendered the 19-0 run and fell behind 42-27. Claxton had
consecutive 3-pointers in the run.
``We won the first quarter with the first unit out there,''
Jackson said. ``The second quarter was a nightmare.
``We had a breakdown out there. We had a little bit of offensive
confusion. As soon as that happened, the players went to their
natural instincts which is try and to score on their own, outside
the context of what our offense is.''
Golden State continued to run away in the third quarter, with a
nice reverse dunk by Jason Richardson on a pass from Nick Van Exel,
a thunderous dunk by Erick Dampier and 3-pointers by Dunleavy and
Van Exel.
Payton led the Lakers with 11 points and O'Neal, Kareem Rush and
Pargo Jannero had 10 each.
Richardson, Dampier and Calbert Cheaney each had 14 for the
Warriors.
The Lakers shot just 26.3 percent in the first half and 37.2
percent overall. The Warriors shot 55.8 percent in the first half
and 51.9 percent overall.
The Lakers return to Los Angeles on Thursday and will play
Phoenix at San Diego on Tuesday night, when Bryant could make his
exhibition debut. The Warriors return home to host Sacramento on
Saturday night.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)