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HOUSTON - Kobe Bryant has been insisting the Los Angeles Lakers are a much better team than their terrible start indicated.For the past two nights, the Lakers have shown he might be right.Bryant had 29 points, Wesley Johnson made key free throws down the stretch and the Lakers took advantage of Dwight Howards absence Wednesday in a 98-92 victory over the Houston Rockets.It was the second consecutive win for the Lakers following a 1-9 start.Look, we had a bad start, Bryant said. Are we a 3-9 team? No. Were a much better team than that. We got off to a really bad start, but well (get better).Los Angeles used a 7-1 run, highlighted by Bryants three-point play and capped by four free throws from Johnson, to take a 94-92 lead with less than a minute left. Nick Young and Bryant added two free throws apiece to secure the victory.Young scored 16 points in his second game back from a right thumb injury. He had 17 in his season debut Tuesday night, causing him to jokingly wonder if he was what the Lakers had been missing this season. Bryant didnt argue with that theory.Listen, if thats whats rolling, thats whats rolling, Bryant said, flashing a huge smile. Ill take it.Tarik Black, a rookie who was filling in for the injured Howard (knee), missed a free throw and a jump shot down the stretch.Houston coach Kevin McHale appreciated Blacks effort.He was fighting out there hard, McHale said. He hadnt been in those positions.James Harden had 24 points for the Rockets, who dropped back-to-back games for the first time this season.Los Angeles took its first lead since the second quarter when Young capped an 8-0 run with a nifty reverse layup to make it 82-81 midway through the fourth. Houston missed three 3-pointers and had a turnover during that stretch.The Rockets outscored Los Angeles 8-2 after that to regain an 89-84 lead.The Lakers used a 9-0 run at the end of the third quarter and early in the fourth to cut Houstons lead to 75-74. Ed Davis led the way with four points.The Rockets broke a scoring drought of 4 minutes with a 3-pointer by Patrick Beverley, and another 3 — this one by Jason Terry — that extended the lead to 81-74 with 8 1/2 minutes remaining.Kostas Papanikolaou had a season-high 19 points for Houston. Beverley added 15.Howard sat out with a strained right knee, announced just minutes before the game, and his absence eliminated the drama that accompanied Houstons opening-night win over the Lakers.In that game, Howard had 13 points and 11 rebounds and got into a shouting match with Bryant, his ex-teammate. They received matching technical fouls when Howard elbowed Bryant in the face after grabbing a rebound in the fourth quarter.McHale didnt have any more details on Howards injury after the game.Howard spurned the Lakers in 2013 after one season with them to take about $30 million less as a free agent in Houston.Hardens scoring spree pushed Houstons lead to 75-65 in the third, but then the Lakers scored the last five points of the quarter.___TIP-INSLakers: Los Angeles made 19 of 23 free throws. ... Bryant has led the team in scoring 10 times this season.Rockets: F Terrence Jones missed his eighth straight game with nerve inflammation in his left leg. McHale said Jones is slowly getting better. ... Trevor Ariza had a pair of steals for his NBA-leading ninth game this season with at least two.IN MY DAYLos Angeles coach Byron Scott got a chuckle out of Youngs joke on Tuesday that he is one of the top five shooters in the league. Scott thinks he might need to remind Young how good a shooter he was during his 14-year playing career.Give him a copy of a classic NBA game, Scott said. Just like I used to tell the other guys ... I shot the ball pretty well.WARM WELCOMEJeremy Lin, who spent the previous two seasons in Houston before signing with the Lakers, received a hearty ovation when he was pictured on the big screen and welcomed back to town in the first quarter. Lin finished with three points, four assists and five turnovers.UP NEXTLakers: Visit Dallas on Friday.Rockets: Host Dallas on Saturday. Case Keenum Redskins Jersey . -- With his team down 16 points in the second quarter and headed for another blowout loss at home, Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson yelled out to his players to keep shooting and keep fighting on defence. DaRon Payne Youth Jersey . -- Miami Dolphins defensive co-ordinator Kevin Coyle defended the management style of coach Joe Philbin in the wake of the teams bullying scandal. http://www.redskinsfansproshop.com/Redskins+Trent+Williams+Rush+Jersey.html?cat=1291 . -- Manchester United thrilled a record crowd with a brilliant opening goal -- and even Cristiano Ronaldos unexpected entrance proved futile for Real Madrid. Clinton Portis Youth Jersey . At this point, even he isnt sure when it is going to stop. The right-hander dropped his fourth straight decision in Los Angeles 6-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night, leaving his status very much in doubt as the Dodgers prepare for the stretch drive. Sam Huff Womens Jersey . LOUIS -- David Ross never expected to be on a World Series podium.ST. JOHNS, N.L. -- All Tyler Beskorowany had to do was be patient. Beskorowany made 29 saves Saturday as the St. Johns IceCaps edged the Portland Pirates 3-2 in American Hockey League action. Beskorowanys start made him the teams third starting goaltender of the season after Eddie Pasquales season-ending injury and Michael Hutchinsons callup Friday to the Winnipeg Jets. "I went through it one save at a time," said Beskorowany. "That was the mentality I had all night. These guys played well in front of me. Ive never seen a team block so many shots in my life. I made the saves I had to and gave them a chance to win." The 23-year-old goalie said he didnt feel nervous ahead of the home game. "The nerves werent too bad," Beskorowany said. "Just being at home maybe helps the nerves a little, having that home crowd behind you." Due to NHL callups the IceCaps are also without Eric ODell, Patrice Cormier and John Albert. Team leading scorer Kael Mouillierat is also out with injury. With that in mind, head coach Keith McCambridge said the IceCaps need to stay focused. "The mindset is keep pushing forwardd.dddddddddddd We still have a lot of really good pieces in that dressing room," he said. "Our depth is being tested right now but this is part of what happens, day in and day out. You never know what your lineup is going to be. Im proud of the guys for being able to push forward." Josh Lunden, Andrew Gordon and Carl Klingberg scored for the IceCaps (38-20-4). Brandon Yip and Jordan Szwarz replied for the Pirates (22-30-10). The IceCaps opened the scoring when Jerome Samson found Gordon in front of the net for an easy tap-in. The shot snuck in under the glove 11:36 into the first period. Portland equalized when Yip roofed a wrist shot at the 7:37 mark of the second on the power play. Just under a minute later a Mathieu Brodeur point shot found its way to the net, banking off Szwarz in the crease and in for Portlands second goal. Klingberg pounced on a loose puck in the slot and scored a high slapshot 4:58 into the third period, tying the game for the IceCaps. Lunden put the IceCaps ahead with 6:58 left in the game on a backhander from the slot coming through the zone. Mark Visentin stopped 31 for Portland. ' ' '