BRYANT
NEW YORK (Reuters)
KOBE BRYANT scored 40 points to cap one of the highest scoring months in NBA history by guiding the Los Angeles Lakers to a 130-97 thrashing of the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night.
Bryant shot 7-for-17 from the floor and went to the free throw line 26 times, making 23 of those attempts, to wind up averaging 43.4 points per game for the month of January.
It was the second time Bryant had averaged more than 40 points in one month - February 2003 was the other - as the Lakers wound up taking 58 free throws and New York had their coach Larry Brown ejected.
Wilt Chamberlain is the only other player to have averaged 40 points in a month more than once and he did it five times in his career. Elgin Baylor also averaged 40 points in a month, but only once.
Bryant's month was highlighted by a spectacular 81-point performance against the Toronto Raptors, the second highest scoring game in NBA history behind Chamberlain's 100-point effort in 1962.
With the Lakers well ahead, Bryant left the game with five and a half minutes remaining to rapturous applause from the New York fans.
FEELS GOOD
"It feels good," Bryant told reporters after the game.
"It let's me know that they appreciate what I do out there on the floor."
The Lakers made 43 of their free throws and that was the difference in the game, as the Knicks went to the line just 24 times, scoring 20 points.
Brown was ejected for arguing with referee Steve Javie after getting a technical foul in the third quarter following a slew of New York fouls.
Andrew Bynum added 16 points for the Lakers, while Smush Parker scored 15. Lamar Odom chipped in with 11 points and 13 rebounds.
Qyntel Woods scored 15 points and had nine rebounds to lead the Knicks, while Quentin Richardson added 14 points.
