LOS ANGELES -- The injury-ridden Los Angeles Lakers already have spent so much
time playing without Kobe Bryant, losing him again for an extended period wont
take them in uncharted territory.
Glover Quin Lions Jersey . Xavier Henry, the
fourth player to start at point guard this season for coach Mike DAntoni, scored
21 points and the Lakers began another long stretch without their 15-time
All-Star by beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 104-91 Friday night. Bryant is
expected to miss at least six weeks because of a fracture in his left knee,
which occurred Tuesday night at Memphis when he fell to the court late in the
third quarter of the Lakers 96-92 win. The NBAs fourth all-time leading scorer
finished that game, hitting a clutch 3-pointer to help seal the win. But an MRI
on Thursday revealed the injury. Bryant missed the first 19 games of the season
while recovering from surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon, an injury that
occurred on April 12 -- with two games left before the playoffs. "It just
prepared us," Henry said. "I mean, we started without him, and right now
unfortunately were without him again. But we know we can play. We know we can
win games, and we have the confidence that we have other people that can do the
job." The Lakers returned from a 2-2 road trip and ended a three-game home
losing streak. Pau Gasol, the only player to start all 26 games for the Lakers,
had 21 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists. Reserve Nick Young scored 25
points, including a 4-point play that gave the Lakers a lead after Corey Brewer
fouled him behind the arc with 2:37 left in the third quarter. "We played to our
strengths," Henry said. "I mean, me and Nick can attack them in different ways.
Jodie Meeks can shoot it, and weve got a guy like Pau whos a really good
playmaker." Bryant, who last month signed a two-year, $48.5 million contract
extension at age 35, made his return Dec. 8 and played just six games -- all in
10 days. The 18-year veteran averaged over 32 minutes in the last three while
shifting to point guard because of injuries to Steve Nash, Steve Blake and
Jordan Farmar. The 39-year-old Nash, a two-time MVP who hasnt played since Nov.
10 because of back and hamstring issues, has played as many games as Bryant --
and will remain sidelined at least four more weeks with nerve root irritation in
his back. Blake missed his fifth game because of a torn ligament in his right
elbow, and Farmar sat out his eighth due to a torn left hamstring. DAntoni used
his 11th starting lineup, and Henry shot 8 for 19 and had four assists in 42
minutes. As a team, the Lakers had 27 assists despite the absence of a bona fide
point guard. "They understand the moment and they understand that this is their
opportunity," DAntoni said. Kevin Love scored 20 of his 25 points in the first
half and grabbed 13 rebounds for Minnesota, but was held scoreless in the fourth
quarter. The Lakers broke open a tight game with 3-pointers by Gasol and Young
to help extend their lead to 100-91 with 2 minutes remaining. They outscored
Minnesota 9-0 over the final 3:18. Nikola Pekovic had 22 points and 13 boards,
but Brewer finished with just five points after missing all eight field goal
attempts. Point guard Ricky Rubio missed the morning shootaround because he
wasnt feeling well. He played 30 minutes, finishing with six points, seven
assists and six rebounds. Love powered the Timberwolves to a 53-51 halftime
lead, fueling an 18-3 run with seven points in a 1:50 span to help turn an
11-point deficit into a 51-47 lead in the final minute of the second quarter.
"No energy. We have to be better than that," Minnesota coach Rick Adelman said.
"They outworked us all night long. It was a poor game on our part. " NOTES:
Henry was the 12th overall pick in the 2012 draft, by Memphis. His older brother
C.J. was the 17th overall pick in the 2005 baseball draft, by the Yankees. ...
This is the first time since moving from Minneapolis to Los Angeles that the
Lakers have failed to go more than a game over .500 through their first 26 games
in back-to-back seasons. ... Love has fouled out only once in 313 NBA games. It
was against the Lakers on Jan. 30, 2009 -- as a reserve -- in a 132-119 loss at
Minnesota.
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was inadvertently headed by Chester into his own net in the 66th minute,
allowing United to claim a third straight league win. "We had to dig deep with
our fighting spirit and weve done that," United striker Wayne Rooney said.
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. The 15th-ranked Canadian men lost the opening two games of their European
tour: 19-15 to No. 17 Georgia and 21-20 to No.Shaun White is heading to the
Winter X Games after all. The two-time Olympic halfpipe gold medallist informed
ESPN on Monday he plans to compete in Apsen, Colo., this weekend. White said
initially he was skipping the annual event to rest for next months Sochi
Olympics. White is competing in halfpipe and slopestyle events in Russia. He
says he was "worked" afterr a grueling week in which he won three qualifying
events and took a fall that he called one of the worst in recent memory.
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including eight victories in the Superpipe competition. He nailed his newest
trick, frontside double-cork 1440, twice during Olympic qualifying.
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