Halfcourt hysteria ... Oh yeah, and Lakers win

The Lakers pounded the Atlanta Hawks into submission, 96-83, tonight, but the big story at Staples Center was that somebody actually hit the halfcourt shot between the third and fourth quarters. Robert Ward, a Mission Viejo native who is a senior at USC, won $165,000 when he became the first winner in the three-year history of The Mirage Big Shot Jackpot Contest.