Perhaps Kobe Bryant just needed to get warmed-up to get his ankle loose. Whatever the case was, Bryant sprung to life after a quiet first quarter in Tuesday night's NBA playoff matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Hornets, scoring 12 points in the second quarter to give the Lakers the halftime lead, 54-51. If there was still any doubt about Bryant's health, it was answered emphatically as he drove the lane and threw-down on Emeka Okafor in the middle of the second quarter as the Lakers heated up while the Hornets cooled off.
Lakers Vs. Hornets Score: Kobe Bryant Awakens As Los Angeles Takes Halftime Lead, 54-51
For the game, Bryant has 13 points on 6-10 shooting after not taking a shot in the first quarter. Andrew Bynum scored 10 points to join Bryant in double-figures while also grabbing a team-high five rebounds. Derek Fisher and Pau Gasol each had nine points in the half, as well.
Trevor Ariza led all scorers with 16 points in the first half. Chris Paul picked up the scoring pace on the offensive end in the second quarter, pushing his total to 11 points for the game. Paul also dished-out eight assists, all of which came in the first quarter. Willie Green added eight points in seven minutes off the bench.
Be sure to see our Lakers vs. Hornets hub for full series coverage. For more on the Lakers, visit Silver Screen And Roll and SB Nation Los Angeles. For more on the Hornets, visit At The Hive.
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