Bryant Goes Out Cold

When their star is stifled and their offense snuffed, the Lakers don’t figure to win many games.

Kobe Bryant, by his own admission, shot horrendously Friday against the Philadelphia 76ers, and the outcome from there was predictable, even though Bryant could have single-handedly atoned for a seven-for-27 shooting performance with a last-gasp shot.

His three-point attempt bounced off the rim, however, with 5.9 seconds left, and the Lakers’ chances went with it in an 85-81 loss to the 76ers at the Wachovia Center.

In a game that featured the league’s top two scorers, Allen Iverson had 34 points on 10-of-23 shooting and Bryant had some explaining to do after matching only half of Iverson’s point total.

“I’m not going to shoot the ball great every game,” Bryant said. “Tonight was one of them. Nonetheless, we were still able to stay in the game.

“I think it’s an encouraging game, the fact that I can shoot the ball horrendously and we have an opportunity to win the game.”

Laker followers who thought it couldn’t get worse than Wednesday’s 13-point fourth quarter against Minnesota were off by a point.

The Lakers had only 12 in the fourth quarter against the 76ers, going the first 5:27 without scoring.

By that time, what had been seeds of optimism on the Laker bench -- the Lakers led, 61-50, on Bryant’s free throw with 4:49 left in the third quarter and 69-62 after three periods -- had all but disappeared.

As it was, even with Bryant misfiring, there was still a chance against the 76ers, who didn’t get much offensive punch beyond Iverson.

The Lakers trailed, 83-81, after Iverson’s wide-open jumper, when Lamar Odom inbounded the ball to Bryant with 7.9 seconds left. Bryant then shot from behind the arc, perhaps too quickly.

“It was designed for him to catch the ball and find what he could find available in penetrating or attacking the defense,” Coach Phil Jackson said. “I have to give him the credit that he can shoot that shot. I have to allow his judgment that he felt like he could do that at that time.

“I wanted him to penetrate and Smush [Parker] was over in the other corner at the three-point line. We thought Iverson would come back and jump on the play and Smush would be open, but he took what he thought he could get.”

Which, it turned out, was no closer than close.

“I was going to read the defense and see if I had an open look,” Bryant said. “My balance was off, though. I was aiming left when I shot it. Those are the type of shots where you just kick yourself because you know that if you square up and just get your balance, you’ll knock it down. It just didn’t happen for us.”

Not much did.

There were problems late in the game on defense as well, with Parker leaving Iverson to double-team Kyle Korver near the top of the key. Korver found Iverson for the open 15-footer with 22.3 seconds left to break the 81-81 tie.

“We’d like to have somebody on Iverson,” Jackson said dryly. “That’s the guy you’d anticipate would be guarded.”

Before the game, before Bryant’s off-night became official, the Philadelphia native spoke of the unaffectionate relationship the City of Brotherly Love has had with him.

“I love it,” Bryant said, repeating it with emphasis. “I love it. This is where it all began. This might be a [negative] reaction I get from the crowd, but this is where I honed my skills. It’s exciting to be able to come back and show everybody how I’ve matured as a basketball player from the days of Lower Merion [High].”

Bryant was booed lustily during introductions, missed all seven of his first-quarter shots and was three for 14 at halftime.

If not for Chris Mihm, who had 12 first-quarter points and finished with 20, the Lakers would have been done by the second quarter.

Bryant had made five of 24 shots when he rallied the Lakers. He connected on a three-point play with 1:04 to play and made a five-foot runner with 37.8 seconds left to tie the score at 81-81.