Kobe Bryant sets new mark as Lakers hold off Knicks



Kobe Bryant scored 39 to become the youngest NBA player to reach 20,000 career points when the Los Angeles Lakers beat the New York Knicks 95-90 on Sunday.

Kobe Bryant reached the milestone on a three-pointer with 11:08 left in the third quarter and finished the game with 20,019 career points.

He did it at 29 years, 122 days, surpassing NBA greats Wilt Chamberlain (29 years, 134 days) and Michael Jordan (29 years, 326 days).

"It is special to do it here," Bryant told reporters after connecting on 14 of 28 field goal attempts, including five of 12 three-pointers. He also had 11 rebounds and eight assists.

"The culture of basketball here, it is the Mecca, it is special to play in Madison Square Garden," Kobe Bryant added. "This is my favorite place to play."

He reached 20,000 points in 811 games to become the 31st NBA player to reach the mark. Chamberlain needed only 499 games.

The Los Angeles Lakers led 58-37 on Bryant's record-setting basket and eventually went ahead 65-41 on another Bryant three-pointer.

The Knicks roared back, cutting the deficit to a single point at 91-90 on David Lee's two free throws with 1:55 to play.

But the next five points, and the game, belonged to the Los Angeles Lakers as Kobe Bryant hit another three-pointer with 57 seconds to go. Jordan Farmar closed out the scoring with a slam dunk with a second to go.

Jamal Crawford led the Knicks with 31 points, including 11 consecutive for New York in the fourth quarter.

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