LOS ANGELES, May 15 (UPI) -- Kobe Bryant scored 26 points and again starred down the stretch Tuesday night as the Los Angeles Lakers dispatched the sputtering San Antonio Spurs in five games in the NBA Western Conference semifinals with a 93-87 victory at the Staples Center.
The third-seeded Lakers eliminated the second-seeded Spurs from the playoffs for the second straight year and advanced to a much-anticipated showdown with the top-seeded Sacramento Kings, who host Game One of the conference finals Saturday afternoon.
Game Five of the Lakers-Spurs series followed almost the same similar script as the previous four. Led by Tim Duncan, the Spurs maintained control into the fourth quarter, where their offense stalled and Bryant, who scored 46 fourth quarter points in the series, took charge.
He scored on consecutive possessions to give the Lakers control, penetrating for a spin move that gave L.A. an 83-81 lead with 2:57 remaining, and after a layup by Antonio Daniels gave San Antonio the seventh and last tie of the quarter, he drove for a bank shot to give the Lakers the lead for good with 2:22 to go.
Duncan, who had a monster game with 34 points and 25 rebounds, missed inside, leading to a driving layup by Rick Fox with 1:27 left. San
Antonio's Tony Parker missed a three-pointer, and Bryant drew the defense before passing to Robert Horry for a three-pointer that sealed it with 56 seconds remaining.
The play was similar to the one that ended the first-round series against Portland. In both instances, Horry took a pass from a driving Bryant and hit a shot from the right corner.
Shaquille O'Neal had 21 points and 11 rebounds for two-time defending champion Los Angeles, which has won 23 of its last 25 playoff games.
