Lakers 99, Spurs 95 <br>
By JOHN NADEL (AP Sports Writer) <br>
<!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/apwire/story.cfm?xla=apwire&xlb=1&xlc=994837">The Associated Press</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--> <br>
Web Posted : 05/11/2003 5:49 PM <br>
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Without coach Phil Jackson, the Los Angeles Lakers turned to their two stars.<br>
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Kobe Bryant made four free throws down the stretch along with a key steal, and Shaquille O'Neal had 29 points and 17 rebounds Sunday as the three-time defending NBA champion Lakers beat the San Antonio Spurs 99-95 to even their Western Conference semifinal series 2-2.<br>
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Bryant led the Lakers with 35 points and made 14 of 17 free throws.<br>
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Game 5 in the best-of-seven series will be played Tuesday night in San Antonio, with Game 6 Thursday night at Staples Center.<br>
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Jackson, whose teams have won a record 25 straight playoff series and nine championships, missed the first postseason game of his 13-year career as an NBA head coach after undergoing an angioplasty Saturday to unblock an artery leading to his heart. Jackson, who had experienced tightness and pain in his chest for about a week, was released from the hospital about 2 1/2 hours before Sunday's game.<br>
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Assistant coach Jim Cleamons served as head coach. Jackson called from home and spoke with Cleamons before the game.<br>
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"From the sound of his voice, he sounded strong, like he was OK," Cleamons said. "I'm hopeful he'll travel with us to San Antonio tomorrow and be on the bench Tuesday night."<br>
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O'Neal was 17-for-23 from the foul line, along with five assists. Derek Fisher scored 17 for Los Angeles.<br>
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Tim Duncan led the Spurs with 36 points and nine rebounds. He made 16 of 20 free throws. Stephen Jackson added 15 points and a playoff career high 10 rebounds and Tony Parker scored 14.<br>
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Stephen Jackson's 3-pointer with 1:31 remaining capped a 6-0 run and gave the Spurs a 95-93 lead, but the Spurs wouldn't score again.<br>
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O'Neal made two free throws 14 seconds later to tie it, and after the Spurs committed a turnover, Bryant made a free throw with 48 seconds to play to put the Lakers ahead for good.<br>
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Stephen Jackson missed a 3-pointer with 24 seconds to go, forcing the Spurs to foul. They got to Bryant with 14.2 seconds left, and he made two more foul shots, making it 98-95.<br>
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Bryant then stole Parker's inbound pass and added another free throw. Duncan missed a 3-pointer, and after the Spurs got the ball back, O'Neal deflected Danny Ferry's pass to Bryant, who dribbled out the remaining time.<br>
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The Spurs led 64-55 when Duncan went to the bench with 2:54 left after picking up his fourth foul.<br>
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The Lakers quickly took advantage, outscoring the Spurs 16-3 for a 71-67 lead. Bryant had six points, Fisher four, and Devean George and Brian Shaw made 3-pointers, with Shaw banking his in from about 30 feet as the period ended.<br>
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That was similar to what happened with Duncan on the bench at the end of the second quarter.<br>
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He picked up his third foul with 3:37 left and the Spurs holding a 43-27 lead _ the largest of the game for either team.<br>
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The Lakers then outscored the Spurs 12-3 to finish the half, making it 46-39.<br>
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After Bryant's two free throws put Los Angeles on top 19-17 late in the first quarter, the Spurs outscored the Lakers 21-4 for a 38-23 lead.<br>
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Duncan scored his team's first 11 points of the spurt, and capped it by making a short jumper.<br>
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At that stage, Bryant (14) and O'Neal (9) had scored all their team's points, combining to shoot 7-of-22 while their teammates were 0-of-7.<br>
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Fisher became the third Los Angeles player to score when he made a 3-pointer with 5 1/2 minutes left in the second quarter.<br>
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<!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>Notes</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END-->:@ San Antonio's David Robinson fouled out with 7:13 left with no points and three rebounds. He played only 14 minutes. ... Phil Jackson missed three games because of a kidney stone that was removed on Feb. 24. Before that, he had coached 1,249 regular-season and playoff games without missing any in nearly 13 seasons. ... O'Neal became the seventh-leading scorer in playoff history midway through the third quarter, passing former Houston star Hakeem Olajuwon. O'Neal entered trailing Olajuwon by 14 points and John Havlicek by 35. ... O'Neal has already passed Wilt Chamberlain, Scottie Pippen, Elgin Baylor and Magic Johnson in career points during these playoffs. ... The Spurs were 20-4 during the regular season after a loss, and beat Phoenix in both games after losing in the first round of the playoffs. ... Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez had courtside seats, not far from Jack Nicholson.<br>
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05/11/2003 <br>
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