Bryant scores 41 points in loss, ends streak of 45-plus at four games
By The Associated Press





Portland coach Nate McMillan drew a heart on the play board in his pregame address and gave a passionate speech aimed at stopping the Trail Blazers' six-game skid in the face of Kobe Bryant's scoring spree.


It seemed to have worked.


The Trail Blazers ``held' Bryant to 41 points, ending his streak of 45-plus at four games, and beat the Los Angeles Lakers 113-103 on Wednesday night.


``They came out and played a lot harder than we did,' Bryant said. ``After the last showing they had on their home floor, I think they took it upon themselves and played with more effort and more heart. And they did it.'


Bryant, who had 23 points at the half, dunked with 23.9 seconds left to narrow it to 111-103, but the Lakers couldn't get any closer and ended a three-game winning streak.


``(Coach) explained what it was all about,' guard Steve Blake said. ``He just said you've got to play with a lot of heart and a lot of passion. You've got to want it.'


Bryant had scored at least 45 points in his last four games, becoming the first player to score as many since Wilt Chamberlain in 1964. Elgin Baylor also reached the milestone in 1961.


The only player with more than four straight is Chamberlain, who had nine consecutive games with 45 or more points in 1962.


In other games, it was: New York 117, Dallas 115, OT; Utah 110, Philadelphia 102; Washington 103, Atlanta 72; Indiana 112, Milwaukee 88; Toronto 95, Charlotte 86; Minesota 99, Chicago 93; Sacramento 88, Houston 80; Seattle 113, Orlando 104; Miami 110, Golden State 96.


While Bryant was held under 45 points for the first time in five games, Rashard Lewis scored a season-high 45 and the Sonics overcame Ray Allen's ejection for a win over Orlando.


The Sonics played much of the game without Allen, who was ejected for fighting with Orlando's Keyon Dooling with 10:53 left in the second quarter.


After Jameer Nelson missed for the Magic, Allen pulled down the rebound and replays showed that he caught a glancing blow in the chin from Dooling.


At the other end, the two collided as Seattle ran a set play and Allen appeared to give Dooling a short elbow to the chest before running along the baseline. Dooling went running at Allen and pushed him to the ground. Allen got up and tackled Dooling into the first row of seats along the sideline and onto some fans.


``You get in the heat of the battle and sometimes situations aren't handled the way they should be,' Dooling said. ``I think that was an example of that tonight.'


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