Bryant sets new milestone

NEW YORK: Kobe Bryant scored 39 to become the youngest NBA player to reach 20,000 career points when the Los Angeles Lakers beat the New York Knicks 95-90 on Sunday.

Bryant reached the milestone on a three-pointer with 11:08 left in the third quarter and finished the game with 20,019 career points.

He did it at 29 years, 122 days, surpassing NBA greats Wilt Chamberlain (29 years, 134 days) and Michael Jordan (29 years, 326 days).

"It is special to do it here," Bryant told reporters after connecting on 14 of 28 field goal attempts, including five of 12 three-pointers. He also had 11 rebounds and eight assists.

"The culture of basketball here, it is the Mecca, it is special to play in Madison Square Garden," Bryant added. "This is my favorite place to play."

He reached 20,000 points in 811 games to become the 31st NBA player to reach the mark. Chamberlain needed only 499 games.

The Lakers led 58-37 on Bryant's record-setting basket and eventually went ahead 65-41 on another Bryant three-pointer.

The Knicks roared back, cutting the deficit to a single point at 91-90 on David Lee's two free throws with 1:55 to play.

But the next five points, and the game, belonged to the Lakers as Bryant hit another three-pointer with 57 seconds to go. Jordan Farmar closed out the scoring with a slam dunk with a second to go.

In Detroit, Houston's Tracy McGrady aggravated his ailing left knee and Yao Ming needed four stitches to close a cut over his eye on Sunday as the Rockets fell 94-82 to the Detroit Pistons.

McGrady left in the third quarter of the contest and didn't return. He totaled 14 points.

Chinese center Yao had to leave the court to receive treatment after a third-quarter collison with teammate Luther Head, and finished with 12 points.

It was another disappointing visit to Detroit for the Rockets, who have lost seven straight on the Pistons' floor. Richard Hamilton scored 17 points to lead five Pistons in double figures and Detroit posted its fifth straight victory.

"We stayed close but the third quarter they really took over the game," Rockets coach Rick Adelman said. "We didn't push the ball like we needed to. We walked it up the court. Just had some surges but not consistency throughout the game."

In Boston, the Celtics avenged an earlier loss to the Orlando Magic with a 103-91 home victory. Four Celtics had 20 or more points. Paul Pierce scored 24, Rajon Rondo 23, Ray Allen 22 and Kevin Garnett 21 to go with 12 rebounds. Dwight Howard paced Orlando with 23 points and 14 rebounds.

Agencies

(China Daily 12/25/2007 page24)