Eurobasket 2009 - Day 3

Group A: FYROM 71-81 Croatia, Israel 80-106 Greece

Nikola Vujcic – Croatia (Photo: FIBA Europe/Castoria/Vlachos)Greece finished Group A undefeated after routing Israel, while Croatia picked up a win to take into the second round by rallying to beat F.Y.R. of Macedonia 71-81 in Poznan on Wednesday. Croatia finished second place with a 2-1 record, FYROM is third at 1-2 and Israel goes home winless. In the early game, a rain of three-pointers and an outstanding Darko Sokolov helped FYROM take a 26-20 edge after 10 minutes. An 8-0 run that Real Madrid’s Jeremiah Massey capped with a layup soon made it a 14-point game as the Croatian fans started to wonder. FYROM's lead peaked at 41-24 on another basket by Massey. Vujcic and Davor Kus of Benetton Gioco Digitale fueled a 0-13 run that brought Croatia back to life, 48-46. A three-pointer by Stefanov boosted his team's lead back to 61-52, but another 0-11 run that Marin Rozic of Cibona capped with a triple put Croatia ahead for good, 61-66, with seven minutes to go. And Marko Popovic of Unics and Niksa Prkacin made sure to lead Croatia to its second EuroBasket win. Olympiacos superstar Nikola Vujcic paced the winners with 12 points and Marko Banic of Bizkaia Bilbao Basket added 11, while CSKA playmaker Zoran Planinic dished 6 assists for Croatia. Vrbica Stefanov, Sokolov and Massey each had 12 points for FYROM. Massey also had 10 rebounds. Riste Stefanov added 11 points for FYROM. Later, Greece cruised to an 80-106 win over Israel as Final Four MVP Vassilis Spanoulis totaled 18 points and 5 assists in 20 minutes. The game was for protocol only as Greece had won the group and Israel knew it was headed home already the night before. Greece pulled away with a 2-13 run at the end of the second period to take a 42-56 halftime lead and Israel never seriously threatened the rest of the way. Antonis Fotsis of Panathinaikos and Sofoklis Schortsanitis of Olympiacos added 18 apiece for Greece, while Ioannis Kalampokis scored 12 and Konstantinos Kaimakoglou 10. Caja Laboral forward Lior Eliyahu carried Israel with 21 points and 8 rebounds and Maccabi Electra’s Raviv Limonad added 15 in defeat.

Group B: Russia 64-69 France, Germany 62-68 Latvia

France became remained unbeaten and won Group B in Gdansk by edging defending champion Russia 64-69 and Germany reached the second round despite a 62-68 loss against Latvia. Russia, Germany and Latvia all finished with 1-2 records, but it was Latvia that fell to last due to the tiebreak procedure. Latvia would have advanced with a 12-point win. In the first game, small forward Kelly McCarty of Khimki Moscow kept Russia in the game early and CSKA forward Andrei Voronstevich followed triple with a layup-plus-foul to give Russia a 28-21 margin. Boris Diaw and Valencia Basket’s Nando de Colo brought France as close as 35-34 at halftime. An outstanding Anton Ponkrashov pushed Russia back ahead 47-40, but Tony Parker and Diaw stepped up big late in the third quarter to tie the score at 55-55 seven minutes to go. Diaw took over with several easy baskets and got some help from Ronny Turiaf to seal the outcome, 64-69, as Russia went scoreless in the final three minutes. Diaw paced the winners with 19 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists. Turiaf posted a double-double of 18 points and 14 rebounds while Parker scored 17 points for Les Bleus. McCarty led Russia with 13 points despite briefly leaving the game with a leg injury. Nikita Kurbanov of CSKA added 12 while Vitali Fridzon of Khimki had 11. Later Latvia overcame a slow start with strong defense that held Germany scoreless for four minutes to take a 6-8 lead. A three-pointer by Kristaps Janicenoks and a free throw by Kaspars Kambala gave Latvia a 13-14 edge after 10 minutes. Three-pointers by Uvis Helmanis and DKV Joventut guard Kristaps Valters boosted the Latvian margin to 22-29 late in the second quarter. Germany did not find answers in offense and a buzzer-beating jumper by Bizkaia Bilbao Basket guard Janis Blums gave Latvia a 29-37 halftime lead. Demond Greene got Germany as close as 35-37 after the break, but Armands Skele and Valters gave Latvia some fresh air, 38-46. Valters remained hot and free throws by Kambala made it 46-57 with six minutes remaining. Greene struck from downtown to give Germany some hope, 51-57. Latvia seemed to be close to advancing when a three-pointer and free throws by Janicenoks gave his team a 57-68 margin. However Jan Jagla buried a triple and added foul shots to send Germany to the next round. Janicenoks led Latvia with 14 points. Kambala added 11 and Valters and Skele each had 10 for Latvia. Greene scored 16 points for Germany and Jagla was the hero with 5 of his 13 points in the final 13 seconds.

Group C: Spain 90-84 Slovenia, Great Britain 59-77 Serbia

Ricky Rubio – Spain (Photo: FIBA Europe/Castoria/Parausic)Spain survived a real scare from Slovenia before winning 90-84 in overtime to punch its ticket to the next round and Serbia took care of business against Great Britain with a 59-77 win. Spain, Slovenia and Serbia all advanced with 2-1 records, while Great Britain heads home winless. The Spain-Slovenia game was neck and neck for 17 minutes before Euroleague MVP Juan Carlos Navarro of Regal FC Barcelona stepped up to lead a 7-0 spurt as Apin took a 43-35 halftime lead. Navarro scored the first basket of the second half and his Barcelona teammate Ricky Rubio drilled a three to pump the lead up to 13. The lead reached 15 late in the third quarter and was still 13 two minutes into the fourth quarter, but that’s when Slovenia took over. Jaka Lakovic, also from Regal FCB, drained a pair of threes and Goran Dragic scored 6 points in a 0-12 charge that brought Slovenia back. Navarro’s near-perfect free-throw shooting helped Spain keep the lead, but Dragic was always there, nipping at the lead. In the closing seconds, after Rudy Fernandez put Spain up 78-75, Rubio sent Dragic to the line to avoid letting him attempt a game-tying three. Instead, Dragic made the first and missed the second on purpose. Erazem Lorbek grabbed the ball and beat the buzzer to tie the game at 78-78 and force overtime. Alas, the effort needed to comeback left Slovenia spent and Pau Gasol and Real Madrid's Felipe Reyes stood tall to wrap up the win in the final minutes. Navarro finished with 21 points, Fernandez netted 19, Reyes had 17 points and 8 rebounds and Gasol posted 13 points and 9 boards. Dragic led Slovenia with 19 points, Lakovic had 15, Bostjan Nachbar 14 and Primoz Brezec 12. Serbia’s Milenko Tepic scored 7 during a 2-17 opening-quarter charge that saw his team take control for good. Serbia led 12-21 after 10 minutes, but Great Britain clawed its way back to 20-22 thanks to Unicaja's Robert Archibald. Nevertheless, Milos Teodosic and Nenad Krstic restored Serbian control and a 29-39 halftime advantage. Krstic continued to dominate the paint throughout the second half, never allowing Great Britain a real chance and securing the win. Krstic and Tepic led Serbia with 17 points apiece and Teodosic added 11. Nate Reinking led Great Britain with 21 points and Pops Mensah-Bonsu tallied 16 in defeat.

Group D: Poland 69-87 Turkey, Lithuania 84-69 Bulgaria

Omer Asik - Turkey (Photo: FIBA Europe/Castoria)Turkey finished Group D with a perfect record after mauling host Poland 69-87 in Wroclaw. The loss was Poland’s first so far at the event. Meanwhile Lithuania ousted Bulgaria and advanced to the next round in a battle of previously winless games. For Turkey, Fenerbahce Ulker center Omer Asik shined with 22 points on 9-of-10 shooting and 8 rebounds to lead the way, while Ersan Ilyasova added 18 points and 8 boards. Turkey led from start to finish, taking its first double-digit lead after just eight minutes on a triple by Efes Pilsen playmaker Kerem Tunceri. A three-pointer from Asseco Prokom’s David Logan followed by a Szymon Szewczyk free throw narrowed the gap to 4 early in the second quarter, however threes by Ender Arslan of Efes Pilsen and Hedo Turkoglu restored the Turkish control. The lead would reach 17 before Poland got threes from Michal Chylinski and Krzysztof Szubarga to get within 34-45 at the half. Poland’s best efforts couldn’t get the hosts closer than 6 in the third quarter and a 2-15 charge to start the fourth quarter sealed the win for Turkey. Turkoglu finished with 13 points and 8 rebounds, Tunceri added 11 and Arslan had 10 for the winners. Marcin Gortat led Poland with 21 points and Maciej Lampe of Maccabi Electra scored 14. Lithuania pulled away late to ice Bulgaria 84-69 and book a spot in the next round. Lithuanian led by 2 with five minutes to play, but Montepaschi big man Ksistof Lavrinovic drilled and three-pointer and followed that up with 3 free throws as his team quickly built a 10-point lead. K. Lavrinovic and Armani Jeans Milano’s Marius Petravicius made sure the lead stood up with free throws as Lithuania snagged the win. The game was close in the early going, despite Lithuania often pulling ahead and Bulgaria catching up. The score was knotted at 41-41 at halftime. Bulgaria got hope when Todor Stoykov led off the third quarter with back-to-back three-pointers, but Petravicus and the Lavrinovic twins kept Lithuania close. It would remain that way until midway through the period, when Lithuania turned up the pressure and took the win.


Game 3, Wednesday September 9, 2009
Group A Result Group B Result
F.Y.R.O.M vs. Croatia 71-81 F Russia vs. France 64-69 F
Israel vs. Greece 80-106 F Germany vs. Latvia 62-68 F
Group C Result Group D Result
Spain vs. Slovenia 90-84 F Poland vs. Turkey 69-87 F
Great Britain vs. Serbia 59-77 F Lithuania vs. Bulgaria 84-69 F


Next Game, Game 4, Friday-Saturday September 11-12, 2009
Group E , Friday 11 CET Group F, Saturday 12 CET
Russia vs. Croatia 15:45 Turkey vs. Spain 15:45
Germany vs. Greece 18:15 Poland vs. Serbia 18:15
France vs. F.Y.R.O.M 21:00 Lithuania vs. Slovenia 21:00

Los Angeles Lakers won NBA Finals against Orlando Magic

No need for anything more personal, not on this night of nights for Bryant. Besides, he had new teammates to celebrate with, new memories to savor.

Shaquille O'Neal seemed another lifetime away. Bryant was the one with the NBA finals MVP trophy in hand, an old score finally settled.

"Well I don't have to hear that criticism, that idiotic criticism, anymore," he said. "That's the biggest thing."

Idiotic, maybe. Unfair, possibly.

But until Sunday night in Orlando it was never just all about Bryant. Like it or not, until he won a ring of his own his legacy was always going to be intertwined with the center he won with and feuded with until all of Los Angeles wasn't even big enough to contain their collective egos.

Bryant didn't like it, but he heard it. Heard it so often that it got to the point he couldn't stomach the thought of talking about it.

He doesn't have to anymore. These were Kobe's Lakers, and this is Kobe's championship.

He was determined to do whatever was humanly possible to make sure they didn't fail. And he delivered in a way that would have been unimaginable back in the days when his supreme talent was often obscured by his petulant ways.

The 30 points, six rebounds and five assists in the box score didn't begin to measure Bryant's claim to this game, just as his equally impressive stats in the four other games didn't begin to tally up to what he meant to his team. This was Bryant being Michael Jordan, willing his teammates on to great things because he expected nothing less than greatness from them.

They hopped on for the ride because they believed, just like Scottie Pippen, Steve Kerr, and, yes, even Dennis Rodman, believed in Chicago. They knew if they did their jobs the Lakers would be on top when it was all over and, even if they didn't, there was a good chance that Bryant would find a way to rescue the team anyway.

The champagne flowed in the locker room because the Lakers had just won the 15th title in the team's history, and even the Zen Master himself got soaked. But Bryant had even more reason to celebrate because there wasn't anyone who wanted this championship as desperately as he did.

LeBron James may have been this year's MVP. But Bryant was the MVP when it mattered most.

"It felt like a big 'ol monkey off my back," he said.

This wasn't a classic championship series, though few that end 4-1 are. The Orlando Magic had a nice run, but there was never the feeling that the Lakers would relax like they had done against other teams earlier in the playoffs.

Not with Bryant trying to make a claim to being one of the greatest players ever. Not with Phil Jackson sitting serenely on the bench while cementing his claim to being the greatest coach ever.

Jackson, of course, is famous for his philosophy of living in the moment, something Bryant embraced along the way, too. Neither allowed himself to think past the next game, and Bryant was so focused that he was still scowling after the Lakers won in overtime in Game 2 to go up a commanding 2-0 in the series.

Afterward, he was asked if he was happy with the win.

"What's there to be happy about?" Bryant asked. "The job's not finished."

Everyone was happy on this night because the job was finally finished. Bryant's long road to redemption from last year's embarrassing loss to the Boston Celtics was finally over, and Jackson's record 10th coaching title — in just 19 years — was finally secured.

Jackson donned a yellow cap made by his children with the Roman numeral X on it and the years of his 10 titles, a rare display for a coach who even to the end gave all the credit to his players. He and Bryant had a long embrace and, later in the locker room, Bryant orchestrated a surprise champagne shower for his coach.

Jackson would later remember back to a different time and a different Bryant. It was early into his first stint as coach of the Lakers and Bryant had gotten caught up in a shooting display in a game in Toronto one night, neglecting his teammates and turning it into a one-man game.

He brought Bryant in for a chat and told him he needed to be a leader. Bryant declared he was ready to become captain right then.

"Yes, but nobody is ready to follow you," Jackson told his star.

They are now, and they're NBA champions because of it. And while Jackson may just decide to call it quits after this one and go off in search of inner peace, you get the feeling that winning this one may make Bryant even more hungry for the next.

For now, though, all he has in mind is a vacation in Cabo, where he can relax and savor the one he wanted most.

"It's tough to say it's a little sweeter," Bryant said. "But it kind of is."

Fisher's clutch give Lakers 3-1 lead over Magic

To this day, it is referred to simply as 0.4, the last-second shot that first made Derek Fisher famous. In Game 4 of the NBA finals, Fisher may have topped it. Twice.

Fisher hit two key 3-pointers — one with 4.6 seconds left in regulation, the other with 31.3 seconds to go in overtime — as the Los Angeles Lakers moved within one win of their 15th championship by beating the Orlando Magic 99-91 on Thursday night to open a 3-1 series lead.

The 34-year-old Fisher, in his second stint with the Lakers after stops in Golden State and Utah, was best known for his turnaround fling with 0.4 seconds left in the 2004 playoffs against San Antonio. He's got two more shots that rank right with it.

"Maybe 100, 101, something like that," the 13-year-veteran joked. "No, I mean, obviously, it's at the top. You know, even greater than 0.4 because I feel like we're as close as possible to what our end goal is."

The Lakers can wrap up their first title since 2002 on Sunday in Game 5. If necessary, Games 6 and 7 would be back in Los Angeles at Staples Center.

The only way the Lakers, who overcame a 12-point halftime deficit in Game 4 and improved to 7-0 after a playoff loss, can be denied a crown is if they lose three straight.

That hasn't happened all season.

Magic wins 108-104 over Lakers

Missing for two games, Orlando found its Magic touch. Making easy shots and tough ones from everywhere, the Magic won their first game in two visits to the NBA finals as Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis scored 21 points apiece in a 108-104 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 on Tuesday night to pull within 2-1.

Orlando shot a finals record 63 percent — including another finals record 75 percent in the first half — to snap a six-game finals losing streak and avoid falling into an 0-3 hole that no team in postseason history has been able to escape.

Kobe Bryant, seeking a fourth title and his first since 2002, scored 31 points for the Lakers but the superstar had just 10 points in the second half and went only 4 of 15 from the field after the first quarter. He also missed five free throws, points that could have given the Lakers that 3-0 lead.

Lakers take 2-0 lead over Magic in NBA finals

The Los Angeles Lakers have taken a 2-0 in the NBA finals, beating the Orlando Magic 101-96 in overtime Sunday night.

Kobe Bryant scored 29 points, and Pau Gasol had a big overtime and finished with 24 points and 10 rebounds as the Lakers moved within two wins of their 15th championship.

Rashard Lewis had 34 points and 11 rebounds, and Hedo Turkoglu had 22 points. But rookie Courtney Lee missed a layup at the buzzer that would have won it in regulation for the Magic, who have still never won a finals game.

Game 3 is Tuesday in Orlando.

Randy Smith dies at 60

Randy Smith, who once owned the National Basketball Association record for consecutive games played, died Thursday at the emergency room of Backus Hospital. He was 60.

Smith was a star small forward in the 1970s for the Buffalo Braves, playing from 1971 through 1983. He averaged 16.7 points, 4.6 assists and 3.7 rebounds.

Smith appeared in 906 NBA games in a row to set an all-time NBA "Ironman" mark before A.C. Green appeared in 1,192 consecutive games from 1986 through 2001.

After seven seasons with Buffalo before the team moved to San Diego, Smith went on to play for Cleveland, New York and Atlanta.

Kobe explodes for 40 as Lakers hummiliates Orlando

Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers produced a dazzling display at both ends of the floor to crush the Orlando Magic 100-75 in the opening game of the NBA Finals on Thursday.

Bryant scored 40 points and had eight assists and eight rebounds for the Lakers, seeking their first title since 2002.

Last year's league MVP scored 18 points in the third quarter when the Lakers turned a 10-point half-time lead into an 82-58 blowout with a quarter to play.

Bryant displayed emotion rarely seen during his 13-year career, perhaps wanting to prove to LeBron James that he is not yet ready to cede the title as the NBA's best player.

Preparing for Finals

The Los Angeles Lakers return to the National Basketball Association finals for the second-straight year on Thursday to face Orlando, who are making their second trip to the showcase in 14 years.

The Lakers are also looking for their 15th NBA championship and first since 2002, the last of three-straight titles.

Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant said Wednesday his team has some unfinished business to take care of when the finals begin at Staples Centre arena after losing to the Boston Celtics in 2008.

Magic meets Lakers in NBA Finals

The Orlando Magic can no longer be ignored. After 14 frustrating years, a team overlooked and ignored all season sent LeBron James home and is on its way to face Kobe Bryant in the NBA finals.

Dwight Howard dominated inside for 40 points, Rashard Lewis added 18 and the Magic, a team that can make 3-pointers drop from thin air, hit 12 in a 103-90 victory ove'r James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals on Saturday night.

"Total domination," Lewis said. "He totally dominated. He carried us on his back tonight."

The Magic will be making their first finals appearance since 1995, one year before Shaquille O'Neal bolted as a free agent for Los Angeles, leaving this Florida franchise in ruins.

It's been a long, slow climb back, but Orlando has been rebuilt and will meet the Lakers on Thursday night at the Staples Center in Game 1.

Lakers in the Final

Kobe Bryant scored 35 points to guide the Los Angeles Lakers back to the NBA Finals with a 119-92 rout of the Denver Nuggets on Friday, as the visitors closed out their Western Conference series in style.

Bryant added 10 assists while team mates Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom had 20 points apiece in one of the most complete post-season outings for the Lakers, who triumphed 4-2 in the best-of-seven series.

"We had the effort and the execution to match (tonight)," Bryant told reporters after clinching his sixth career NBA Finals appearance and second straight.

"It's been a physical march back to the finals. We're back to the place where we didn't finish our business last year.

"Hopefully we do it this year."

Los Angeles, who were beaten by the Boston Celtics in last year's title showdown, await the winner of the Eastern Conference finals series between the Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Denver's Carmelo Anthony had a team-high 25 points while shooting just 6-for-17 from the field and J.R. Smith chipped in 24 points for the Nuggets, who struggled out of the gate and never recovered.

Cavaliers beat Magic to stay alive in NBA East

LeBron James had a triple double as Cleveland staved off elimination by beating Orlando 112-102 in game five of the Eastern Conference championship series.

James and the Cavaliers clamped down in the fourth quarter after blowing a 22 point first half lead to cut the Magic's best-of-seven series lead to three games to two.

"It was a big game for us," said James, who had 37 points, 14 rebounds, 12 assists. "You never want to disappoint by not playing as hard as you can. It is win or go home."

Dwight Howard had 24 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out for the Magic who are trying to end a 14 year finals drought. Hedo Turkoglu led the Magic with 29 points.

James carried the Cavaliers on his back in the fourth as he had a hand in 29 of the 34 points Cleveland scored in the final 12 minutes.

He had 17 points in the final quarter and 24 in the first half.

"That's what great players do. They put teams on their back," said Cleveland coach Mike Brown.

Game six is Saturday in Orlando with game seven if necessary Monday in Cleveland.

Lakers dominate 4th Quarter to take Game 5 from Nuggets

The Lakers owned the fourth quarter against Denver. Now they have a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference finals. Kobe Bryant scored 22 points, Lamar Odom had 19 points and 14 rebounds and Pau Gasol added 14 points and 10 rebounds in Los Angeles' 103-94 victory Wednesday night.

Game 6 is Friday in Denver, where the Lakers lost Game 4 by 19 points.

"Got to come ready to play," Bryant said. "We made a lot of mistakes the last time, the mistakes that took place were execution, and we didn't do things at the defensive end.

"We'll come ready to play."

Carmelo Anthony scored 31 points, hitting 12 of 13 free throws, and Kenyon Martin and Chauncey Billups added 12 points each for the Nuggets.

The teams were tied after the first, second and third quarters for just the fourth time in NBA playoff history.

So it all came down to the final 12 minutes.

Bryant, Odom and Gasol teamed for all but seven of the Lakers' points in the fourth. They opened on an 11-0 run for their first lead of the second half and it was capped by Shannon Brown's jumper that beat the shot clock.

The Nuggets used a 13-6 run to close to 93-89. Linas Kleiza scored seven straight and Anthony had six in the spurt.

But then the Lakers regained control and finished off the victory. They improved to 20-0 in Game 5s at home when a series is tied 2-2.

Magic - Cavaliers 116-114

Dwight Howard scored 10 points in overtime and the Orlando Magic, raining down 3-pointers like a Florida thunderstorm, withstood 44 points and a last-second shot by LeBron James for a 116-114 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night to take a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.

Howard finished with 27 points, 14 rebounds and again made his free throws — 7 of 9 — for the resilient Magic, who made a team record 17 3-pointers — 11 after halftime.

Orlando can earn its first trip to the NBA finals since 1995 with a win in Game 5 on Thursday night in Cleveland.

Rafer Alston added 26 points and Rashard Lewis and Mickael Pietrus had 17 each for the Magic.

James was spectacular again, adding 12 rebounds and seven assists, but he had eight turnovers for the Cavs, whose season of seasons is slipping away.

Hornets' Chandler and Posey have successful surgeries

James Posey
and
Tyson Chandler


The New Orleans Hornets say center Tyson Chandler and forward James Posey both had successful surgeries for their injuries.

Team spokesman Dennis Rogers said late Tuesday that Chandler had a procedure on his left ankle to relieve inflammation and another on his left toe.

Posey's surgery was on his right knee.

Chandler, who averaged 8.8 points, missed 29 games in the regular season and the last playoff game because of the ankle injury. His trade to Oklahoma City this year was rescinded because of concerns over the toe.

Posey, who averaged almost nine points as a reserve, hurt his knee in Game 3 of the first round of the playoffs against Denver but played through it.

Both are expected at training camp in October.

The Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Lakers 120-101 on Monday night, evening the Western Conference finals at two games apiece.

A dominating effort on the boards and a great performance by the bench helped the Denver Nuggets overcome a below-par effort from an ailing Carmelo Anthony.

Chauncey Billups and J.R. Smith scored 24 points and Kenyon Martin had a double-double as the Nuggets posted their eighth blowout of the postseason but first against Los Angeles following three games that came down to the final seconds.

The Nuggets didn't need to worry about a botched inbounds pass in the closing seconds like the ones that cost them wins in Games 1 and 3, although Kobe Bryant had another monster fourth quarter in a furious attempt to put a stranglehold on the series that shifts to Los Angeles for Game 5 Wednesday night.

Orlando Magic withstood a 41-point performance from LeBron James to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 99-89 and take a two games to one lead in their NBA semi-final series.

Dwight Howard had 24 points in just 28 minutes of playing time for the Magic who would have a 3-0 series lead if not for James' three point buzzer beater in game two.

"We just kept fighting," Howard said. "That's what we do. We fight to the end."

Howard, who sat most of the first half because of foul trouble, went 14-of-19 from the free throw line and had nine rebounds.

Orlando may not have been able to stop James on Sunday, but they controlled the rest of the Cavalier players.

Game four is Tuesday and in his dressing room speech immediately following the game, Magic coach Stan Van Gundy told the players to keep their celebrations to a minimum.

Kobe Bryant's 3-pointer wasn't nearly as dramatic as LeBron James' but equally effective. Bryant's big shot over J.R. Smith gave Los Angeles a one-point lead with just over a minute left Saturday night and sparked the Lakers to a 103-97 victory over the downtrodden Denver Nuggets for a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference finals.

Bryant, who scored 41 points, went 5-of-6 on free throws to ice it after his 3-pointer gave Los Angeles a 96-95 lead.

Carmelo Anthony scored 21 points but just three after halftime for Denver, which lost at home for the first time since March 9. He was 4-for-13 in his worst performance of the postseason.

The Nuggets, who led most of the game but were done in by poor decisions and a failure to keep their composure, fell behind by four points when Trevor Ariza stole Kenyon Martin's inbounds pass, was fouled by Anthony and sank two foul shots for a 99-95 lead with 36 seconds left.

Chauncey Billups' two free throws made it 99-97, but Bryant sank two more free throws with 22 seconds remaining, Billups missed a 3-pointer and Bryant capped his big night with two more foul shots with 12 seconds left.

Game 4 will be on Monday , on Lakers' court.

You can check Kobe Bryant's amazing shot by scrolling down and playing the "Play of the day" video in the right of the page.

Carmelo "Melo" Anthony

Mavericks' forward Josh Howard underwent successful arthroscopic surgery to his left wrist and left ankle in New York.

Howard missed 22 games this season because of the ankle but returned in late March and helped the Mavericks to a first-round playoff win against San Antonio. They were eliminated after 5 games by Denver. He averaged 15.8 points during the playoffs.

The team expects Howard back in Dallas this weekend to begin rehabilitation.