The Los Angeles Lakers re-gained the eighth and final playoff spot Tuesday with a 104-96 win over the New Orleans Hornets. Los Angeles' 34-point scoring outburst in the fourth quarter was due in large part to another impressive performance from Kobe Bryant.
Bryant scored 23 of his game-high 30 points in the last 12 minutes. No Laker but Bryant made a shot in the first seven minutes of the fourth as the Black Mamba realized it was time to strike with his trademark clutchness.
"Aw ... I got to go in again and I really didn't want to," Bryant told ESPN he was thinking. "It's about conserving energy. The more I can kind of lag in the weeds the better. If you're making shots, I can sit back. If you're playing (bad), I can't."
Bryant finished the game shooting 9-18 from the field and 10-11 from the free throw line. He added six rebounds, six assists, five steals and a block to his impressive scoring total.
Los Angeles will continue their chase for a playoff spot Wednesday when they travel to the Rose Garden to face the Portland Trail Blazers at 10:00 p.m. ET. Fans can watch the game live on NBA.com with a paid subscription.
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