After his feverish outbreak from mid-March and his four games in a row to more than 50 points, Kobe Bryant had come down to temperature for only a few days. 43 points against Golden State then 23 against Memphis.
But the smell of a duel against one of his best opponents, Tracy McGrady, could only wake him up.
Result: for the second time this season, he sticks 53 points to the Texans, 19/44 to shoot, including 17 in the last four minutes of regulation time.
T-Mac is less successful, with certainly 30 units marked but an ugly 7/24 to shoot. The Lakers and the Rockets will go to overtime to decide between themselves and it is Yao Ming who will make the cleanest copy with 39 points at 11/18 shooting, 11 rebounds and above all important baskets in the final minutes, for win 104-107.
