Bryant’s 51 Can’t Answer Jamison

Kobe Bryant scored 51 points, just as Antawn Jamison did, and even as that duel crashed into overtime and eventually into a Laker defeat, the focus turned again to Isaiah Rider, who didn’t play a minute.

The Golden State Warriors defeated the Lakers, 125-122, Wednesday night at the Arena, where Bryant and Jamison became the first two players to each score 50 points since 1962. Wilt Chamberlain (63 points) and Elgin Baylor (51) drove yet another Warrior-Laker matchup nearly four decades before.

Bryant missed a three-point attempt from the top as the last buzzer sounded, leaving the Lakers to their first loss in four games and their sixth of the season. Someone would not celebrate his 51, and Bryant trudged off the court as Jamison, who also scored 51 Sunday, raised his arms to a delighted crowd.

“It doesn’t mean a thing,” Bryant, the NBA scoring leader, said. “It just hate to lose. Just to lose. That’s it. Forget the 51.”

Actually, the thought of 51 vanished quickly, in part because Laker Coach Phil Jackson did not play Rider, and not because Rider was late, though he appeared to be that, by 15 minutes, as well. Rider’s future with the team could be in doubt.

“I wasn’t aware he was late,” Jackson said. “I just didn’t think he was ready to play the game tonight. He wasn’t involved in our [pregame] discussions the way I like to see him involved. He wasn’t ready to get on the court and play with the team when we went out to get warmed up.”

Rider, who did not play for a half eight days before because he was an hour late to a game at Staples Center, said he could not fathom why Jackson ignored him. Recited Jackson’s words, Rider shrugged and said, “It doesn’t matter. Whenever he wants to win, he’ll play me.”

Rider then caught himself. “Well, since he said that, let’s make it, whenever he doesn’t want slow starts, he’ll play me.”

The relationship between Rider and Jackson appears to be at a critical time. Jackson apparently can live with the occasional tardiness. But, Rider spent the day in his native Oakland and then appeared to Jackson to be unprepared, and Jackson left him at the end of the bench.

“Maybe when we struggle, I’ll play more,” Rider said. “If we struggle, there’ll be more of an urgency.”

Honestly, Rider said, he did not understand it.

“Go ask Philip,” he said. “I don’t know. I can’t speak for him.”

Bryant scored 17 points in the third quarter, when the Lakers turned a six-point deficit into a 10-point lead.

Shaquille O’Neal had 25 points and 10 rebounds. He also had six blocked shots, three in a 35-point third quarter.

In going to overtime, the Lakers lost a 10-point lead with 8:30 remaining, a six-point lead with 3:15 remaining, and a two-point lead with two minutes remaining.

Vonteego Cummings made two free throws with 1:33 left to tie the score, 107-107. The Lakers had three possessions to take a lead, but Bryant missed from 16, 19 and 20 feet, the last as the buzzer sounded.

The Lakers scored only 15 fourth-quarter points, and again did not contain the younger Warrior legs in the overtime.

While Bryant continued his run of high-scoring games, his offense lacked the tautness of recent games. He had eight turnovers.

Someone, though, had to score, and more than a few Lakers had heavy legs.

Jamison had his way with the elderly (Horace Grant), the utility (Robert Horry) and the bulky (Mark Madsen).

He scored on short jumpers, long jumpers and drives to the basket, made eight of 12 shots in the first half, and pretty much showed the Lakers how those 51 points happened Sunday in Seattle.

While guarding Jamison, Horry was called for three fouls in four possessions midway through the second quarter. Madsen fouled him twice in six possessions later in the second quarter.

Jamison’s 19 first-half points might not have been so awful had the Lakers had a better handle on Larry Hughes, who scored 10 points on Bryant, or on Bobby Sura, who scored nine.

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CLIPPERS 93

WIZARDS 88

Odom, Dooling lead rally from 21-point deficit in the second half. D6