Just what the Lakers needed after a shakey win over Golden State at home and a disaster in Detroit. A nice, soft oppenent. Tonight they eat up and spat out a Knicks team that looked like they didn't know what hit them. And most the Lakers joined in the feeding frezy. Not often this year that there have been 6 players with in double figures.
New York had the first run of the game and lead by nine early. The Lakers 22-4 run began their very steady climb to a lead that reached 35 points, with barely a murmer from the Knicks. So with a 25-point lead going into the 4th quarter, Phil Jackson decided it was time to give young Andrew Bynum some extedned minutes.
And the kid made good use of his 12 minutes, hitting double figures for the first time in his career with 16. He scored on a variety of inside moves and some hooks that even made his tutor smile from the sidelines. Very valuable experience for Andrew, and the best part of the game for me.
As a team, the Lakers lead in almost all statistical categories. Kobe Bryant scored 40 points in 34 minutes and had 4 steals. All the Knicks could do was foul him and then watch him hit 23 of 26 from the line.
After two shakey games, Lamar Odom had just 4 points and 3 turnovers after one period. But he only had 2 more TOs the rest of the game and finished with 11 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and a block.
Smush Parker had 15 points had 5 rebounds, and Sasha Vujacic added 11 off the bench. Chris Mihm scored 14 while a more active Kwame Brown scored 7 and grabbed 8 rebounds.
LA Lakers 93 Detroit 102
Jan. 29, 2006
Reverse-Slam-Dunked
LA Lakers 93 Detroit 102
That's what Ben Wallace did with one of his 7 offensive rebounds, and it best describes what the Detroit Pistons did to the Lakers today. It happened during their 20-5 third period run that the Lakers never recovered from. The Pistons' defenive pressure kept them off-kilter all game long. At the end of three periods, they had 14 turnovers to only 5 for Detroit.
Kobe Bryant did score 39, but got little consistent help from his teammates. Chris Mihm had 16 points and 14 rebounds, but only scored 5 in the second half. Lamar Odom had 9 points and 8 rebounds, but also 8 turnovers.
Some other key Lakers Stats: 3 of 19 from 3-point range (3 of 11 by Kobe), and only 14 assists as a team. And although they actually out-rebounded Detroit 46 to 44, the Pistons controlled the middle and had way too many inside scoring opportunities.
Jan. 27, 2006
Escaping
Golden State 105 LA Lakers 106
In their first game since the historic 81-point game by Kobe Bryant, the Lakers looked flat. As a result they barely got an overtime win against a Warriors team missing one starter, losing another at the half, and yet another key player going into overtime.
In their previous seven games, the Lakers hit free throws at 85%, 94%, 85%, 87%, 80% 90%, and 86%. Tonight they made just 70% (32 of 46). Add to that 20 turnovers and some very bad defense, and you see why they had so much trouble.
Things were looking good in the 2nd quarter. A 21-9 run help the Lakers go into the half with an eight point lead. But that's apparently when they lost their edge as they watched Golden State start the second half 15-1. Down by 9 with 6 mintues to play in regulation, the Lakers 14-5 run got them into overtime.
Kobe scored 16 of his 30 in the 4th period, and Devean George grabbed 5 rebounds and was instrumental in the comeback. The Lakers scored the first 5 points of overtime, and hung on for the one point win.
Jan. 22, 2006
Taking Over
Toronto 104 LA Lakers 122
With his team down by 14 at the half, Kobe Bryant must have figured his 26 points in the first 2 quarters just wasn't good enough. Determined not to let his team lose three in a row, he went out and scored 27 in the 3rd quarter and 28 in the 4th. He finished with 81 points on 28 of 46 shots from the field, 7 of 13 from 3-point range, and 18 of 20 free throws. Oh, and 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals.
Looking hung over from their disasterous recent road trip, the Lakers watched the Raptors go on a 21-9 run in the 1st quarter without a response and trailed by 7. Their deficit grew another 7 in the 2nd, and they had allowed 63 points at the half. Defense, in addition to no one but Kobe scoring, was a problem. It improved in the second half, mostly due to everyone standing around watching Kobe score even more.
Although reaching less than a 10th of Kobe's total, Lamar Odom had another near-triple-doube with 8 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists. Smush Parker and Chris Mihm were the only other Lakers with over 10 points, 13 and 12 respectively. And as a team they had a nice 51-27 rebound advantage.
But this game was all Kobe. In his 62 point performance earlier this season, he didn't even play the 4th quarter. I thought he might have gone for 80 then, but it wasn't necessary that night. With the lead at just 6 and his total at 53, it was decided to ride Kobe to the end. Statistically he reached levels I have never seen; 2.17 prod and 71 eff. But all you had to do was watch to see new levels reached. Something not seen very often.
Jan. 19, 2006
19-5
LA Lakers 109 Sacramento 118
With 22 seconds left in regulation and a 5-point lead, the Lakers seemed a pretty good bet to come away with a nice road win. But at that very moment Lamar Odom drove to the hoop with lots of time on the 24-second clock and picked up an offensive foul. It was the first of a series of bone-headed plays that did them in.
The kings went on a 19-5 run that spanned into overtime and turned a close game into a route. A very disappointing loss on the road. 51 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists by Kobe Bryant wasted. A 16 point, 10 rebound, 6 assist performance by Lamar overshadowed by his mental errors at the end. He wasn't alone in that department though. The disaterous extra period was a team effort.
Jan. 16, 2006
Kobe Strike's Back
Miami 92 LA Lakers 100
Kobe Bryant returned in the 4th quarter with a lead that was once 19 parred down to 4. In that final 9:19 of the game, he scored 12 of his 37 points and lead the Lakers to a win. After a final push by the Heat got the lead back down to 3 with a minute to go, a 6-1 run put the game away.
Things were looking very good in the first half. The Lakers were hitting shots and playing defense. A 16-7 2nd quarter run provided a good cushion going into the half. The Heat's 20-10 run in the 3rd quarter put them back in the game. Kobe's final stint seemed to help the Lakers regain their composure and hang on to the lead.
Lamar Odom provided some much need support with 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assits. Another near tripple double. Off the bench, Deavean George was huge scoring 17 points, grabbing 6 rebounds, and playing active defense.
Very encouraging to see good free throw shooting for the 4th game in a row at 87%.
Jan. 14, 2006
Shooting For The Win
LA Lakers 110 Golden State 104
Tonight's game in Oakland was not much of a defensive exhibition. But the Lakers kept hitting their shots and got the stops they needed down the stretch. They shot 52% from the field, 35% from 3-point range, and a nice 80% from the line.
In the 4th quarter they held the Warriors to 19 points (their lowest period) on just 33% shooting. With the game tied in the mid-4th-quarter, a 16-8 run gave the Lakers the lead for good.
Kobe Bryant, playing with a wrapped wrist, scored 38 on 13 of 28 shooting, with 7 rebounds and 7 assits. An amazing game from Smush Parker with 24 points. 12 rebounds, and 6 assists. Although Smush did have the nerve to miss 3 of his twelve shots.
And the bigs came up big; Kwame Brown looking aggressive with 18 pints and 12 boards, and Chris Mihm scoring 12 with 6 boards.
Jan. 12, 2006
Filling In
Cleveland 98 LA Lakers 99
With Kobe Bryant limited for most of the game with a wrist injury, the rest of the Lakers rose to the occasion. Larmar Odom had a near triple double (20 points, 10 rebounds, 9 assists). Chris Mihm scored 15 and grabbed 6 rebounds (and only 3 fouls). And Smush Parker added 12 points.
Of course Kobe did lead the team with 27 points, 10 comming in the last 7 minutes. But it was nice to see them play well with Kobe on the bench, and not need 40+ points from him to get a win.
It was another tight game with no more than 7 points separating the two teams. A 10-2 run by the Cavs in the mid 4th quarter gave them a 3-point lead. A little 5-0 run (Lamar's jumper and a Devean George 3-pointer) was all the Lakers needed to get the lead back, followed by three jumpers from Kobe to seal the win.
Although not a great defensive effort, it was better than last's nights debacle. Fortunately they shot 51%, even with another horrible night from long range; just 19%. Really encouraging to see the second consecutive night of good free throw shooting at 90%!
Jan. 11, 2006
Not On Guard
LA Lakers 103 Portland 113
Facing a team not known for their offensive production this season, the Lakers gave up 113 points on 52% shooting to the Portland Trailblazers. Defense was sorely lacking this night. Particularly on the Blazers starting guards, Juan dixon and Steve Blake, who combined for 46 points on 17 of 26 shots.
The Lakers had just a few short runs in the first half, then ran out of steam altogether in the second. The 4th quarter is an unusal flat line, indicating the Lakers inability to make any headway and the Blazers doing just enough to hold their 10-point lead.
The Lakers 48% shooting would have been much better had they not been so enamoured with the 3-point shot. There they only hit a miserable 4 of 21. Unfortunate since they uncharacteristically shot a very good 86% from the free throw line. If they could have just played some defense...
Kobe Bryant kept up his offensive run with 41 points on 13 of 29 shooting. Indicating that offense was not the problem tonight were the four other Lakers in double figures. Lamar Odom had 15 points with 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Chris Mihm with 13 points and 7 rebounds. A nice game by Smush Parker with 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. And 10 by Brian Cook off the bench.
Jan. 9, 2006
One More Time
Indiana 90 LA Lakers 96
For the 4th game in a row, Kobe Bryant took the offense on his shoulders and scored 45 points. Add to that his 10 rebounds and 5 assists in 45 minutes, and you have a huge game.
The biggest lead was 7 for both teams, and there were plenty of lead changes and ties. It came down to a 6-0 run late in the 4th quarter that broke the last tie and gave the win to the Lakers.
Lamar Odom hit a big 3-pointer in that last run, and was the only other Laker in double figures. He finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Kwame Brown added 9 and 9 boards in his second solid game in a row.
Andrew Bynum also had a strong 4 minute stint just before the half.
Jan. 7, 2006
40-Point Half
LA Lakers 112 LA Clippers 109
After scoring just 10 points in the first half, Kobe Bryant added 18 in the 3rd quarter and 22 in the 4th. The Lakers, down by 13 in the mid-3rd, mixed in some defense with this offensive explosion and went on a 35-10 run that spanned into the 4th. They had turned the tables on the Clippers and now had a 12-point with about 6 minutes to play.
Problem was that the Clips answered with a 19-6 run of their own and lead by 1 with just 25 seconds to go. Kobe then added his final jumper to get the lead back, and Smush Parker stole a Shaun Livingston pass and broke for a dunk to seal the win. A key stat in the final period is the Clippers 7 turnovers to the Lakers none.
Kobe finished with 50 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists. A unusually less foul plagued game by Chris Mihm let him socre 14 points and grab 10 rebounds in 35 minutes. Lamar Odom had 9 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists. Kwame Brown had a nice 10 points and 10 rebounds. And off the bench Brian Cook hit 6 of 9 shots for 16 points.
Jan. 6, 2006
Happy Returns
Philadelphia 93 LA Lakers 119
Kobe Bryant returned after a two game suspension. Kwame Brown returned to the starting lineup. Smush Parker's shot started falling again. And the Lakers returned to the win column after 5 straight losses. After a 7-2 run to start the game, they steadily built the lead despite some very sloppy play. Fortunately they shot lights-out tonight to make up for that.
Making up for lost games, Kobe scored 42 points, Smush reached a new career high 24, and they combined for an amazing 12 of 12 from beyond the arc. The team shot an amazing 56% from the field and 65% from three point range. Shooting like that will help you overcome 20 turnovers and hitting only 10 of 18 free throws. Kobe also grabbed 11 rebounds as the Lakers had an edge of 12 in this area.
Lamar Odom added 7 rebounds and 12 assists, and Chris Mihm 13 points and 7 rebounds. Moving back to PF, Kwame only had 4 points and 5 rebounds. But having he and Mihm on the court together seemed to cause the opponent defensive problems.
Jan. 3, 2006
Faltering Late
LA Lakers 80 Utah 90
The Lakers were in this game until giving up a 18-5 run in the mid-4th-quarter. They had been close the whole way and played well in the 2nd and 3rd quarters. This was after they shot badly and scored only 16 in the 1st, but so did the Jazz. The problem was they only scored 18 to Utah's 27 in the 4th, and shot 37% when they needed to hit shots.
For the game, the Lakers shot 40% and a decent 72% from the line. The stat that really jumps out is only 28 rebounds as a team. Lamar Odom lead the way again in Kobe's absence with 25 points and 8 rebounds. No other Laker reached double figures. This is at least in part due to the team hitting only 7 of 19 shots in the final period.
Jan. 1, 2006
Losing Another Close One
Utah 98 LA Lakers 94
Once again the Lakers come up on the short end of another close game. They were never more than 10 points down and matched the Jazz in most categories except one. Utah hit 24 of their 26 free throws, while the Lakers made just 15 of their 25. Half of those 10 misses could have come in real handy.
Down by 10 early in the 3rd quarter, the Lakers used a 17-8 run to stay in reach going into the final period. After a swap of runs, they were tied near the close of regulation. It was the Jazz that came up with a 6-0 run to get the win. Defense was also a problem tonight as they alloed 98 points to a team that averages just 89.
With Kobe Bryant suspended, five Lakers stepped up to score double figures. They were lead by Lamar Odom's 18 points and 12 rebounds. Brian Cook scored 19, 10 comming in the 1st quarter. Chris Mihm scored 12 and grabbed 6 boards. Substitute starter Luke Walton added 10 points and 2 blocks. And Deavean George was big off the bench with 15 points and 8 rebounds.