Kobe reversed roles in Game 5

From Call wire services

May 16, 2008

Kobe Bryant usually starts out as a facilitator and finishes as a scorer. He did just the opposite in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals.

Bryant, playing with a sore lower back, scored 26 points despite not attempting a field goal in the fourth quarter, and the Lakers extended the overwhelming success by home teams in the second round of the NBA playoffs by beating the Utah Jazz, 111-104, on Wednesday night.

The series heads back to Utah for Game 6 Friday with the Lakers leading 3-2.

''I just play the game,'' Bryant said. ''I don't go in with preconceived notions, I just play. Let the flow of the game take me. The biggest difference between tonight's game and the last game was tonight I could penetrate, I could put the defense in jeopardy. Last game I couldn't, I just couldn't do it, my back wouldn't let me do it.''

Bryant tweaked his back in the opening minutes of Sunday's 123-115 overtime loss at Utah.

The Lakers, who never trailed, can advance to the conference finals for the first time since 2004 with one more victory.

OTHER NEWS

Cavs' Gibson to miss Game 6: Cavaliers guard Daniel Gibson will miss Game 6 of Cleveland's playoff against the Boston Celtics after separating his left shoulder during the second half Wednesday night.

Gibson, one of the Cavs' best perimeter shooters, left early in the fourth quarter following a collision and did not return. The team estimated he would miss one to two weeks.

Pistons' Billups likely to be ready for next round: All-Star point guard Chauncey Billups has practiced with the Detroit Pistons and is expected to be ready to play in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Kirilenko misses practice with visa issue: Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko missed practice because of a travel visa, a day before Utah faced the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals.

Agent Marc Fleisher said Kirilenko had to finalize a travel visa for a family trip to France this summer and Thursday was the only day he could do it without having to wait another month.

Rockets' Mutombo not ready to ride off: Houston Rockets center Dikembe Mutombo still isn't ready to retire.

''I'm going to consider to keep playing basketball. The next part will be to tell my lawyer, David Falk,'' Mutombo said in Thursday's online edition of the Houston Chronicle. ''My body and my mind is responding to the thrill of the game. The coaches and the fans and everyone are in there.''

Barkley says he'll pay $400,000 gambling debt: Charles Barkley acknowledged he owes a $400,000 gambling debt to a Las Vegas Strip casino and promised Thursday to repay it after a prosecutor said the retired NBA star faced criminal charges.