Bryant posts second straight triple-double in win

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- For a brief moment, the seemingly always-poised Kobe Bryant was at a loss for words.

Bryant had his second straight triple-double Sunday night to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 98-95 overtime victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.

When informed afterward he was the first Lakers player to accomplish such a feat since Hall of Famer Magic Johnson in March 1991, Bryant hesitated before saying: "That's great company, to be mentioned with the Magic man. I don't even know what to say about that.''

Bryant had 33 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists two nights after getting 33 points, a career-high 15 rebounds and 12 assists in a 108-93 victory over the Clippers.

"He's playing out of his mind,'' Portland's Scottie Pippen said following Bryant's fifth career triple-double.

The 37-year-old Pippen won six championship rings while playing with Michael Jordan for the Phil Jackson-coached Chicago Bulls in the 1990s.

The 24-year-old Bryant has helped the Jackson-coached Lakers win three straight titles.

"I thought he looked a little fatigued in the third quarter, but he got his teammates involved,'' Jackson said of Bryant, who played 50 of a possible 53 minutes. "He seemed comfortable playing the entire second half and overtime. That's what I'm concerned about.

"It's fortunate that he responded and had such a great game.''

The Lakers again played without Shaquille O'Neal, on the injured list while recovering from surgery on his right big toe, and Rick Fox, suspended for six games for his fight with Sacramento's Doug Christie during the preseason.

Bryant and Devean George, who scored six of his career-high 25 points in overtime, picked up the slack.

"Big game by George, by George,'' Jackson said with a smile.

"This was a game we needed -- they got us up in Portland,'' George said, referring to the Blazers' 102-90 victory over the Lakers last Wednesday night. "We got down, but we didn't put our heads down.''

A steal and dunk by Ruben Patterson with 5:11 left in the fourth quarter gave the Blazers a 77-69 lead -- the largest lead of the game for either team -- before the Lakers came back.

Two baskets by George and a 3-pointer by Brian Shaw gave the Lakers a 92-85 lead with 3:13 left in overtime.

But the Blazers fought back, and a three-point play by Derek Anderson with 1:48 remaining drew them within one.

Bryant made a basket and Anderson, who scored eight of his 24 points in overtime, made two free throws before George hit a pair of foul shots with 16.7 seconds left to complete the scoring.

Pippen missed a 3-pointer with about 5 seconds left and Bryant got the rebound. The Blazers didn't have time to foul before the game ended.

Anderson made a 22-foot jumper as time expired to tie it at 85 and force overtime.

Bryant, who scored 15 points in the fourth quarter, made two free throws with 4.5 seconds left to cap a 12-3 run and give the Lakers a two-point lead, but Anderson connected over George from the top of the key -- just inside the 3-point line -- to force the overtime.

"It's hard to swallow, man,'' Anderson said. "It's one of those games that I loved being a part of, but I wish I was on the other side.

"They stayed together. They're three-time defending champions, they hit some big shots.''

Shaw added 14 points for the Lakers.

Damon Stoudamire and Rasheed Wallace each scored 16 points, and Patterson added 15 for the Blazers.

The Blazers were without Arvydas Sabonis, who strained his right hamstring Saturday night in a 96-79 loss to Denver.

"There was a contrast from the other night to compete on a competitive level,'' Blazers coach Maurice Cheeks said. "We competed to the highest level tonight. In that respect, I am a happy man. Obviously, we didn't get the win, so I'm disappointed in that.''

Game notes
O'Neal is eligible to come off the injured list Thursday night at Boston, but it's likely he'll play his first game of the season Nov. 12 against Atlanta or Nov. 15 against Golden State. ... Fox is eligible to return Friday night at Washington. ... The game was the fourth in five nights for the Blazers. ... Jackson said forward Mark Madsen, on the injured list with a strained left hamstring, had a setback Thursday, hurting himself in practice. "It wasn't the same injury, it was a different part of the muscle he tweaked a little bit,'' Jackson said. ... The game was the second half of an NBA doubleheader at Staples Center -- the Clippers beat the Detroit Pistons 74-72 in the opener. ... The Lakers and Blazers have split their four regular-season games the last five seasons and in six of the last seven. But the Lakers have eliminated the Blazers from the playoffs five of the last six years, winning 16 games and losing only five.