By BRETT MARTEL
Posted Mar 15 2012 12:36AM
NEW ORLEANS (AP) Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers are defying conventional wisdom, summoning the determination to play their best when their veteran legs should be turning to jelly.
Bryant scored 33 points, and the Lakers won their fourth straight game and second in a row in overtime, 107-101 over the New Orleans Hornets on Wednesday night.
"We don't get down whenever we trail by 14, 15, whatever points. We don't get discouraged," Bryant said. "We've been through it before. We've been down big in Game 7 of an NBA finals, so this is really nothing to us to maintain our composure."
For the second night in a row, the Lakers climbed out of a double-digit hole in the second half to force an extra period. On Tuesday night, they came back from 17 down to win at Memphis in double-overtime. They also trailed New Orleans by as many as 17 late in the second quarter and 15 in the second half.
The Lakers needed only one extra session in New Orleans, taking the lead on Derek Fisher's jumper in the final minute and going ahead 102-99 on Metta World Peace's steal and fast-break layup.
"Having those old guys that are battle-tested and have been through it before is great," Fisher said, referring in part to World Peace's clutch overtime steal and score. "Those are the type of plays that I mean - plays where guys are willing to step into the moment and make a play and not be fearful or afraid of the consequences. We have a team full of guys that have been through that."
Andrew Bynum added 25 points and 18 rebounds for Los Angeles, while Pau Gasol had 18 points and 10 rebounds.
Jarrett Jack scored 30 points, while Chris Kaman had 21 points and 12 rebounds for New Orleans, which has dropped six of seven games.
Bryant scored seven of his points in overtime, starting with a fast-break dunk as he was fouled by Marco Belinelli, whose desperate jersey grab was unable to slow the Lakers star down. The basket marked Los Angeles' first lead since 17-16 in the first quarter.
"We foul Kobe on a fast break and give him a dunk as opposed to wrapping him up. ... From my standpoint, guys do that when they've never been in that position before. They don't understand a hard foul," Hornets coach Monty Williams said. "That's something we can learn from and grow from. But at the same time, when you lose, you're like, `Gosh, I wish we could have that one back."'
Bryant later added a difficult driving floater as he drifted across the lane to put the Lakers ahead 98-95. The Hornets briefly came back to regain a 99-98 lead on Trevor Ariza's jumper with 1:21 left before Los Angeles went back in front for good.
Fisher finished with 11 points and Matt Barnes 10 for the Lakers, who outrebounded New Orleans 44-34.
Greivis Vasquez added 15 points and Belinelli 10 for New Orleans, which lost despite outshooting Los Angeles 51.8 percent (44 of 85) to 45.1 percent (37 of 82).
"That's a team that won championships," Vasquez said of the Lakers. "They have been in that situation many times and they know how to act: Be calm, be relaxed and they executed. That really hurt us."
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