GAME 4 REPORT

FIRST QUARTER

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LAKERS 21 HOUSTON 24

Highlight reel: Houston guard Cuttino Mobley split two defenders at the top of the key and scored on an unchallenged dunk, putting the Lakers on notice that the Rockets weren’t going to fold.

Not in the box score: Referee Joey Crawford left halfway through the quarter after he sustained a strained calf. The remaining referees, Bill Spooner and David Jones, called the game closely, setting the stage for late-game foul trouble. Crawford returned in the third quarter.

Winning number: Three. The Rockets made three of five three-pointers and appeared to carry over their long-range shooting success from Game 3.

Wrong number: Zero. Shaquille O’Neal missed two free throws, continuing his miserable performance from the line. He was three for 11 Sunday and is 13 for 43 (30.2%) in the series.

Leading scorers: Lakers -- Karl Malone 9, Kobe Bryant 6. Rockets -- Kelvin Cato and Steve Francis 6.

Leading rebounders: Lakers -- Malone 3, Bryant and O’Neal 2. Rockets -- Jim Jackson 5, Yao Ming 3.

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SECOND QUARTER

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LAKERS 45 HOUSTON 41

Highlight reel: There were two minor skirmishes, with Malone and Bostjan Nachbar as the main characters. The final tally: Malone, Francis and Gary Payton received technical fouls, and Malone ended up with a ripped jersey that he refused to change at halftime.

Not in the box score: Rick Fox’s free throw with 1:37 left in the quarter was his first point of the series.

Winning number: 20. Malone scored 20 first-half points, the most he has had in a half as a Laker. He made eight of 10 shots and took eight rebounds.

Wrong number: Three. Less than a minute after Yao picked up his third foul, O’Neal got hit with his third, an ill-timed reach-in foul as Francis dribbled harmlessly at the top of the key with 2:10 left. O’Neal went to the bench with seven first-half points.

Leading scorers: Lakers -- Malone 11, Payton 4. Rockets -- Nachbar 5, Yao 4.

Leading rebounders: Lakers -- Malone 5, O’Neal 4. Rockets -- Jackson, Francis and Maurice Taylor 2.

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THIRD QUARTER

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LAKERS 69 HOUSTON 59

Highlight reel: The entertainment definitely got better after William Hung’s halftime performance. For starters, Payton and O’Neal connected on a timing play that began with Payton’s lob from the free-throw line and ended with O’Neal’s one-handed slam over Cato.

Not in the box score: The Lakers showed extraordinary patience on a late possession that led to a three-point basket by Payton. Devean George kept the ball alive with an offensive rebound, and the Lakers used almost all of a new shot clock before Payton scored.

Winning number: Eight. O’Neal had only four points in the quarter and Bryant had none, but George had eight.

Wrong number: Zero. The Rockets made nine of 16 three-point shots in Game 3, but were four for 22 in Game 4 and missed all five shots in the quarter.

Leading scorers: Lakers -- George 8, Malone and Payton 6. Rockets -- Jackson 8, Cato and Yao 4.

Leading rebounders: Lakers -- O’Neal 4, George 2. Rockets -- Jackson 7, Cato 2.

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FOURTH QUARTER

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LAKERS 81 HOUSTON 81

Highlight reel: Bryant beat three Rockets on one play to stop a Houston run. Bryant moved past Jackson with a cross-over dribble and then lost Taylor with another cross-over before scoring on a driving, double-clutch layup in front of Cato.

Not in the box score: Francis continued to be the Rockets’ go-to guy, making a straightaway 21-foot jump shot to tie the score with 39 seconds left.

Winning number: 20. Known more for his shooting touch, Jackson took five rebounds in the quarter and finished with a career-high 20. His previous best was 14 in a game.

Wrong number: 3.1. The Lakers got the ball back with 3.1 seconds left after Houston was called for a shot-clock violation, but Bryant’s 22-footer as time ran out was an airball.

Leading scorers: Lakers -- O’Neal 6, Bryant 4. Rockets -- Francis 6, Jackson, Mobley and Taylor 4.

Leading rebounders: Lakers -- Bryant and Payton 2. Rockets -- Jackson 5, Cato 3.

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OVERTIME

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LAKERS 92 HOUSTON 88

Highlight reel: Bryant missed 14 of 21 shots but had two game-turning plays in the final 1:12. He stole the ball from Jackson near the Rockets’ three-point line and made a running eight-foot bank shot in a one-on-three situation to give the Lakers an 88-87 lead. He then converted a three-point play with 40 seconds left, beating Mobley off the dribble and getting fouled by Taylor on a layup.

Not in the box score: The Rockets almost tied the series with three uncontested baskets off pick-and-rolls. Mobley was the benefactor of two of them, making easy layups.

Winning number: 143. Of the 150 teams that have had a 3-1 series edge in NBA playoff history, 143 went on to win.

Wrong number: 2:24. The Rockets didn’t score another basket after Mobley’s layup gave them an 87-83 lead with 2:24 left.

Leading scorers: Lakers -- Bryant 6, Malone 4. Rockets -- Mobley 4, Yao 2.

Leading rebounders: Lakers -- Malone 3, Payton 2. Rockets -- Francis, Jackson and Yao 1.