Fatigue Enters the Finals as Bryant’s Minutes Add Up

Though not as detectable in his late-game legs, determination was painted on Kobe Bryant’s face. He was hungry — ravenous, even — to take the competitive life out of the N.B.A. finals, just not spry enough to slip past Superman on the defining Lakers possession of Game 3. Orlando’s franchise player, Dwight Howard, was not actually caped in his crusade to win a finals game for a franchise that had an 0-6 record between here and its previous appearance in 1995. But Howard was a well-studied man of steal, claiming he anticipated Bryant’s “little in-and-out move” as Bryant overzealously responded to a moment of opportunity and foolishly tried to split two defenders with the rallying Lakers trailing, 104-102, approaching a half-minute to play.

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