Lakers 114, Rockets 106 (OT)
Kobe Bryant had 32 points and 11 assists, Lamar Odom had a season-high 20 rebounds and 20 points and Pau Gasol had 26 points and 16 boards as the host Los Angeles Lakers earned a tough 114-106 overtime victory over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night.
As he has done many times this season, Odom started for injured center Andrew Bynum, who is day to day with a bone bruise in his left knee. He had one of his most productive games of the season for the Lakers (34-15), who had two players with 20 points and 15 boards for the first time in more than eight years.
The Lakers wasted a six-point lead late in regulation, then closed the contest with a 14-2 burst.
Derek Fisher stole the ball from Aaron Brooks and made two free throws with 1:27 left for a 106-104 lead. Kyle Lowry tied it with a layup, but Gasol made a reverse layup with 1:04 to go and Bryant made it 110-106 with a short jumper with 38 seconds remaining. The Lakers added four more free throws.
Brooks drew the Rockets (22-28) to 96-94 with 1:17 remaining in regulation. Odom and Luis Scola traded buckets before Bryant missed a jumper with 13 seconds left.
Houston tied it at 98-98 when Scola broke free for a layup with 5.5 seconds remaining. Odom missed a long 3-pointer at the regulation buzzer.
Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal each had 20-15 games in a loss to Sacramento on Dec. 25, 2002.
Kevin Martin scored 30 points and accounted for all of the Rockets' free throws (10-of-11). Scola had 24 points and 15 rebounds.