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LA Lakers 98, Portland 95 (OT)
Kobe, Kobe, Kobe Has Done it Again

Andrew D. Bernstein
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LOS ANGELES, Nov. 3 (Ticker) -- No one was stopping Kobe Bryant, including the self-proclaimed "Kobe-stopper."

Bryant had his second straight triple-double, led a fourth-quarter comeback and had a tough clutch basket in overtime to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 98-95 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.

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Bryant had 33 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists for his fifth career triple-double. He helped the Lakers erase an eight-point deficit in the fourth quarter as he scored 15 points, most of them against Ruben Patterson.

"He had an unbelievable game," Portland coach Maurice Cheeks said. "I thought Ruben guarded him pretty good, but he made some tough shots."

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Samaki Walker had nine points and six boards on Sunday.
Noah Graham
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Patterson spent his 1998-99 rookie season with the Lakers and often guarded Bryant in practice. He left the following season and began calling himself the "Kobe-stopper."

Facing Patterson's hounding defense, Bryant had a jumper, two free throws, a tip-in and two more foul shots in the final four minutes of regulation, giving Los Angeles an 85-83 lead with 4.5 seconds remaining.

"I was just telling him, `You're making some incredible shots on me' because I played great defense," Patterson said. "He's really improved on his jump shot. When I first got into the league, Kobe liked to get to the basket and get fouled, but he hit some tough shots on me."

Derek Anderson's jumper at the buzzer forced overtime, and he kept Portland close in the extra session. His three-point play made it 94-93 with 1:48 to go.

But on the next possession, Bryant spun away from Patterson, hung in the air, took a bump from forward Dale Davis and banked in a shot with 1:27 left.

Anderson made two free throws, but misfired on a 3-pointer. Devean George made two free throws for a 98-95 lead with 16 seconds remaining, and Bryant rebounded Scottie Pippen's missed 3-pointer as the clock ran out.

With Shaquille O'Neal (toe injury) and Rick Fox (suspension) sidelined, Bryant tried to carry the offense and took some criticism as the Lakers lost their first two games, including one at Portland. But he has been spectacular in leading them to two wins.

"As I said in the beginning of the season, my whole focus is to make my teammates better. My offense is going to come, whether I score 30 points or 14 points," Bryant said. "But it's really about getting my teammates involved and making them better players all season."

"I remember watching an interview with Charles Barkley and he said you get to a point in your career where the game slows down," Lakers guard Brian Shaw said. "I think that's where it is for Kobe. I think right now, he can pinpoint exactly what he wants to do. He's not rushed or hurried."

Bryant is the first Laker with consecutive triple-doubles since Magic Johnson on March 25-29, 1991.

"That's great company to be mentioned with the Magic Man," Bryant said. "I don't even know what to say to that."

"It's just that he's doing it so easily," Lakers guard Derek Fisher said. "He's making everybody else better and giving him the opportunity to make himself better." George scored a career-high 25 points and Shaw added 14 for the Lakers, who completed a Staples Center Sunday sweep. The co-tenant Clippers defeated Detroit on Sunday afternoon.

"They have guys who know how to step in and play under any circumstances," Cheeks said. "They know how to not give up, go in and win ballgames. That's why they're three-time defending champions."

Anderson scored 24 points and Rasheed Wallace and Damon Stoudamire added 16 apiece for the Trail Blazers, who have lost three in a row since beating the Lakers on Wednesday. Last season, Portland got off to a 13-18 start.

Patterson scored nine of his 15 points in the fourth quarter as he dueled Bryant. He was beaten to a rebound off a missed free throw by Bryant, but later answered with a baseline jumper. Bryant drilled a 3-pointer over Patterson, who drove for a layup and a 73-67 lead midway through the period.

Bryant made a jumper, but Stoudamire scored off an inbounds pass and Patterson had a steal and dunk for a 77-69 bulge with 5:10 left before the Lakers rallied.

Two free throws by Bryant and a jumper by Robert Horry made it 80-77 with 1:41 to go. Wallace sank a free throw, but George drove for a hoop and Bryant found Shaw for a jumper that tied it with 54 seconds remaining.

"I think we've grown," Bryant said. "We could have easily laid down. We were down by six points with a couple minutes to go. ... Momentum was not in our favor."

George had two baskets to start overtime and Shaw made a 3-pointer for a 92-85 lead with 3:13 left. Patterson spun for a layup before Anderson had a 3-pointer and his three-point play around a layup by Shaw, making it a one-point game.

The Blazers shot 45.5 percent (35-of-77) and held the Lakers to 42 percent (36-of-85) but were outrebounded, 44-36.