Bulls Vs. Lakers LIVE UPDATES: Kobe Bryant, Derrick Rose Lead Teams On Christmas
The 2010-2011 NBA season certainly didn't end how either of these two teams would have liked. After a bright start to the series, the Bulls were brushed aside by the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Lakers, meanwhile, bid farewell to Phil Jackson with a flurry off technical fouls and ejections in a defeat to the eventual world champions in the Western Conference Semifinals.
The Bulls return from a quiet offseason with high hopes and the reigning MVP Derrick Rose while the Lakers have found themselves -- perhaps fittingly considering their hometown -- in the spotlight before this shortened campaign got underway. First, the Lakers reportedly agreed to a complex trade to bring Chris Paul to Los Angeles. Although CP3 arrived in Los Angeles, he will be playing for the other tenant in the Staples Center -- the Clippers. After that, Kobe Bryant's divorce from his wife, Vanessa, became headline news. While speculation over how much of Kobe's career earnings his soon-to-be ex-wife will be entitled to in any divorce settlement has run rampant, it's possible that the Clippers have a greater affect on Kobe's play on Christmas. During one of the two preseason meetings between the housemate franchises, Kobe injured his wrist after having a shot blocked by DeAndre Jordan. While he will reportedly play on Christmas it remains to be seen how the injury will limit him. Will he lead the way? Will Pau Gasol feel jilted by his involvement in the botched CP3 trade? Or will the relatively drama-free Bulls steal the show?
Follow along here:
| @ ArashMarkazi : Kobe in the paint got a good look but it was blocked clean. No complaints from Kobe as he quietly walks off the court. |
Kobe gets the inbound pass and drives to his right but gets BLOCKED BY LOUL DENG. THAT'S THE GAME. BULLS WIN 88-87!
The Bulls get the steal they need after double teaming Kobe on the inbound play. Deng gets the steal and gets it to Derrick Rose. Rose drives to the lane and makes a running floater with the right hand with 4.8 seconds left. Bulls take a one-point lead.
Deng makes both free throws to cut the Lakers lead to 87-76. 20.4 seconds left. Timeout Lakers.
Kobe misses a jumper and Deng gets the defensive rebound. The refs call a foul on Kobe to give Deng a pair of free throws with 20.4 seconds left.
Shot clock has eight left for the Lakers. Ball goes out of bounds off the Bulls.
Loul Deng misses a 3-pointer off the front of the rim. But Deng gets the offensive rebound and makes a driving layup. AND ONE. He completes the 3-point play and cuts the lead to 3.
Lakers work the ball to Kobe and let him go one-on-one with Deng. Kobe got past Deng, spun aaway from Noah at the low post and knocked down a turnaround fadeaway jumper from the baseline to put the Lakers up by six.
Josh McRoberts goes to the line after drawing a foul on Brewers and misses both. But Gasol and Noah battle for the rebound and the ball goes off Noah's knee and out of bounds. Lakers ball. It's under review but the replay looked clear to me. Lakers ball. 1:12 to go. That's four missed free throws in a row by the Lakers.
Boozer cuts the basket and gets a pass from Rose. He makes the hard layup to cut the lead to four.
Gasol drew a foul on Ronnie Brewer and missed both free throws. CHI with the rebound. 85-79 Lakers.
Lakers move the ball around beautifully as Kobe gets the ball behind the arc, swings it to Blake who drains the 3-pointer with just under two minutes left.
Deng goes back down and draws a shooting foul on Kobe. He made both free throws.
Noah and Deng close in on Kobe and force a turnover. Deng gets it on the fast break and slams in a one-handed dunk. CHI gets a defensive rebound off a Gasol miss and Ronnie Brewer hits a shot from the free throw line. 82-77 Lakers. Timeout Lakers.
After Kobe cuts to the basket and makes a beautiful layup, Derrick Rose charges down the court and makes an incredible reverse layup. Rose got hit in the back of the head by teammate Loul Deng and is hurt. Timeout is taken.
Boozer only goes 1 for 2 from the line and cuts the lead to nine. 4 minutes remaining.
Boozer only misses both free throws, but the Bulls get the offensive rebound. After a couple more missed shots and offensive rebounds, Rip Hamilton misses another shot and Boozer gets fouled by Gasol down low. 2 more free throws coming.
Lakers get a defensive rebound and MEtta World Peace makes a 14-footer at the other end to extend the Lakers lead to 10.
Hamilton picks up his fourth foul as both teams continue to trade missed shots.
Kobe and Rose trade missed 3-pointers. Then Kobe decides to get to the rim and makes a tough layup.
Boozer spins off his defender and makes a rainbow fadeaway shot to cut the lead to six.
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| @ ArashMarkazi : Lakers 76, Bulls 68 with 9:08 to go in the game. Last four baskets by Blake, Murphy, Goudelock and McRoberts. |
Blake finally hits a 3-pointer after missing at least four! Brewer was right in his face but Blake was still able to swish it. Bulls call timeout. Lakers have a 76-68 lead.
Bulls do a great job on defense and force the Lakers to get off a shot as the shot clock expires. But World Peace drove to the lane stumbled and barely got the pass off to Troy Murphy in the corner. Murph hit the baseline jumper to put LA up by 6.
Lakers rookie Andrew Goudelock knocks down a 3-pointer from the top of the key.
The quarter ends with a Bulls turnover and Blake missing a long 3-pointer as time expires. Lakers lead 69-68.
Bulls shot 5 of 23 in the 3rd quarter.
Neither team and make a basket. FINALLY Josh McRoberts gets a pass from Blake and slams in a two-handed dunk. Lakers take the lead.
World Peace forces up a fadeaway after what looked like an offensive foul but no call. Asik misses a layup and Peace gets the rebound.
Lakers and Bulls swap missed shots and turnovers. Derrick Rose shredded the LAkers defense and passed it to Deng, but he missed the layup. On the Lakers possession, Kobe forced up a shot and it got blocked, but then Ronnie Brewer threw it away while trying to get it to Rose on the fast break. Lakers ball with 2:06 left in the quarter.
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The Huffington Post First Posted: 12/25/11 04:49 PM ET Updated: 12/25/11 04:49 PM ET