MVP! MVP! MVP!
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Kobe Bryant became the first Lakers player with consecutive 50-point games in 44 seasons, following a 65-point game with 50 against Minnesota on Sunday night in Los Angeles' 109-102 victory over the Timberwolves.
After shooting 23-for-39 from the field in Friday's overtime victory against Portland, Bryant was 17-for-35 against the Timberwolves, who lost their 10th straight road game. Last season's scoring champ helped secure the victory with a critical three-point play after Minnesota sliced a 19-point deficit to 95-92 on Ricky Davis ' 3-pointer from the left sideline with 2:55 to play.
The last time a Lakers player scored 50 or more points in consecutive games was in December 1962, when Elgin Baylor reached that figure in three straight contests - including a home-and-home set against the San Francisco Warriors.
Only two other players in the last 10 years have recorded back-to-back 50-point games. Antawn Jamison did it in December 2000 against Seattle and the Lakers (51-51) and Allen Iverson did it in December 2004 against Milwaukee and Utah (54-51).
Bryant has scored at least 50 points four times this season and has averaged 40 in his next game. Prior to this game, the most he ever scored immediately after a 50-point game was 45 - which he did twice. The fewest was 14, on a night when Shaquille O'Neal had 34 at Seattle.
It was the 17th time that Bryant has scored at least 50 points. The Lakers are 12-5 in those games.
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http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/recaps/2007/03/18/20769_recap.html