Los Angeles Lakers, Nba Playoffs Second Round | featured news

The Los Angeles Lakers played more like they were trying to avoid a sweep rather than complete one....

Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher hit back-to-back 3-pointers during an 8-2 run in the final minute and the Lakers held on for a 111-110 victory over the Utah Jazz on Saturday night that put Los Angeles on the verge of sweeping the Western Conference playoff series....

The Houston Rockets ran out of All Stars before they ran out of steam in the playoffs. Missing their top two players and a backup center who happens to be the NBA's second all-time shot blocker, the Rockets pushed the Los Angeles Lakers to the brink in their second-round series before losing by 19 in Sunday's Game 7.

Kobe Bryant scored 32 points, but the series heads back to Staples Center on Sunday. The road to the NBA championship that the Lakers so desire has ran into a roadblock in the Western Conference semifinals.

Rockets center Yao Ming was ruled out for the remainder of the sesaon after a hairline fracture was found in his left foot.

Kobe Bryant has 33 points and Jordan Farmar fills in admirably for suspended Derek Fisher with 12 points, seven assists, five rebounds, two steals, one blocked shot and only one turnover in 33 minutes.

Down a player, weary from a brutal Game 2, on the road in a tougher-than-expected Western Conference semifinal series, the Lakers responded the only way they knew how.

Yao Ming, who briefly left with a knee injury in the closing minutes, had 28 points and 10 rebounds, to lead the Houston Rockets to a physical 100-92 victory win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.