AP News, April 16th, 2007
Kobe Bryant scored 50 points and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Seattle SuperSonics 109-98 to clinch a playoff berth Sunday night.
The Lakers, who have one regular-season game remaining, at Sacramento on Wednesday night, will finish seventh or eighth in the Western Conference and face either Dallas or Phoenix in the first round.
Bryant scored 50 or more for the 10th time this season, the third-highest total; in NBA history behind Wilt Chamberlain's 45 times with 50 or more in 1961-62, and Chamberlain's 30 times the following season.
Bryant has reached the 50-point plateau 21 times in his career.
The victory was only the third for the Lakers in their past 11 games.
Bryant took charge after the Sonics, who trailed by 19 points in the first half, narrowed the margin to 87-86 midway through the final quarter. He scored eight points as Los Angeles opened a 99-89 lead with three minutes remaining.
The only other Lakers in double figures were Lamar Odom, with 14 points, and Maurice Evans, with 10.
Rashard Lewis scored 24 for Seattle, Chris Wilcox had 20 and Mike Wilks had a career-high 22.
The Los Angeles Clippers' 105-100 loss to Sacramento on Sunday afternoon at Staples Center meant the Lakers had only to win one of their remaining two games to make the postseason. The Clippers and Golden State Warriors are still contending for the final Western Conference playoff berth. The Lakers have the tiebreaker over the Clippers and Warriors.
The win kept Phil Jackson's postseason streak; Jackson-coached teams have never failed to make the playoffs in his 17 years as an NBA coach.
