Category: Los Angeles Lakers Blog

The AP reports: Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers dispatched the defending champions, and are headed to the NBA finals for the first time in four years. Bryant scored 17 of his 39 points in the fourth quarter, and the Lakers rallied from an early 17-point deficit to beat the San Antonio Spurs 100-92 on Thursday night and win the Western Conference finals in five games… A 3-pointer by Luke Walton and baskets by Jordan Farmar and Bryant gave the Lakers a 74-68 lead with 8 1/2 minutes remaining, and they were on top the rest of the way. The Spurs led by as many as 10 points early in the third quarter, but the Lakers turned up their defensive intensity during a 19-8 run that gave them a 61-60 lead—their first since the opening minute. Bryant scored nine points during the spurt. Los Angeles led 64-63 entering the final period. The Spurs got 3-pointers from Finley, Ginobili and Barry during a 15-1 run that gave them a 33-16 lead early in the second quarter. The Lakers went nearly 7 1/2 minutes without a field goal until Farmar scored three straight baskets to trim San Antonio’s lead to 11.

InsideHoops.com Stat Notes: The Spurs shot 48.6%, the Lakers 44.7%, but the Lakers took 85 shots, the Spurs 74. The Spurs also nailed 7-of-15 three-pointers, the Lakers 8-of-21, which is still good. Both teams shot 18 free throws, but the Lakers hit a few more. The Lakers grabbed a few more rebounds, but the Spurs had 22 assists, the Lakers 16. Overall, the Lakers shit two more field goals, one more three-pointer, and three more free throws.

For the Lakers, Kobe Bryant (16-of-30) had 39 points, 2 steals, and not too much else. Lamar Odom (5-of-10) had 13 points, 8 rebounds and little else. Pau Gasol (just 5-of-15) had 12 points, 19 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 blocks. Sasha Vujacoc scored 9 with 3 steals, and Vladimir Radmanovic and Jordan Farmar each scored 8.

For the Spurs, Tony Parker (11-of-22) scored 23 with 4 assists. Tim Duncan (just 7-of-19, just 5-of-10 free throws) had 19 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists. Mike Finley (4-of-9) had 13 points and 4 rebounds. Brent Barry and Kurt Thomas both shot very well for 11 points each, and Thomas had 7 rebounds (but 3 turnovers). Manu Ginobili (just 3-of-9) had 9 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks, and the same turnovers as assists. Bruce Bowen had 3 steals and little else, offensively at least, in almost 38 minutes.

The AP reports: Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers are one win away from returning to the NBA finals. Bryant had 28 points and 10 rebounds and the Lakers beat the San Antonio Spurs 93-91 on Tuesday night to take a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference finals. It was the Spurs’ first home loss this postseason, and the defending champions face elimination when Game 5 is played in Los Angeles on Thursday. Tim Duncan led the Spurs with 29 points and 17 rebounds. Reserve Brent Barry had 23 points and his last-second 3-point attempt could have given the Spurs the win. He claimed he was fouled on the play by Derek Fisher but there was no call… The Lakers led all game after opening a 22-8 lead. The Spurs got within 81-79 in the fourth quarter, but the Lakers scored seven straight points… The Lakers were up 77-70 heading into the fourth quarter. Barry’s 3 brought the Spurs within 77-75 and his running jumper got them to 79-77… Los Angeles came out with energy and took advantage of sloppy play by the Spurs to lead by as many as 14 points in the first quarter.

InsideHoops.com Stat Notes: The Lakers shot 44.7%, the Spurs 40.0%. But the Spurs shot a bit better from three-point range (though under 30%) and hit 24-of-26 free throws, the Lakers 14-of-19. The Lakers had 9 more rebounds, but the Spurs had 5 more assists. And the Lakers had 14 turnovers, the Spurs just 8.

For the Lakers, Bryant (14-of-29) had 28 points, 10 rebounds and just 1 assist. Lamar Odom on just 9 shots (and 8-of-9 free throws) had 16 points and 9 rebounds. Vladimir Radmanovic (5-of-8) scored 11 with 6 rebounds. Pau Gasol (4-of-7) had 10 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 blocks. Luke Walton needed 10 shots for 9 points off the bench.

For the Spurs, Tim Duncan shot just 10-of-26 (plus 9-of-11 free throws) for 29 points, 17 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 blocks. Tony Parker (8-of-17, 7-of-7 free throws) scored 23 plus 4 rebounds and 9 assists and just one turnover. Brent Barry (7-of-14, 5-of-12 threes) had 23 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals in 27 minutes off the bench. Francisco Oberto, Mike Finley, Robert Horry and Ime Udoka did very little. Manu Ginobili in 36 minutes off the bench was lousy, shooting 2-of-8 for 7 points and 7 assists.

The AP reports: “He is such a competitor,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said after Manu Ginobili scored 30 points to lead the Spurs to a 103-84 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals… Tim Duncan had 22 points, 21 rebounds and five assists, and Tony Parker added 20 points and five assists for the Spurs, who remained unbeaten at home this postseason. Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 30 points and Pau Gasol scored 15… Lamar Odom struggled all night, finishing 2-of-11 from the field for seven points. But he had six of the Lakers’ 13 assists and 11 rebounds… Up 69-57 entering the fourth, the Spurs opened with a 12-4 run, and Parker’s layup gave them a 20-point lead with a little over 8 minutes to play. Then Bryant did what Bryant does: almost single-handedly pulled his team out of the hole. He hit four 3-pointers over the course of less than 2 1/2 minutes and his last one brought the Lakers within 88-76 with 5 minutes to play… The Lakers struggled in the second quarter—turning the ball over early in the period on a shot-clock violation, missing free throws and shooting 7-of-17 from the field—and the Spurs pulled away.

InsideHoops.com Stat Notes: The Spurs shot 51.4%, the Lakers 42.7%. The Spurs nailed a terrific 10-of-18 three-pointers (Ginobili hit 5 threes), the Lakers a decent 6-of-17. The Spurs hit a decent 17-of-23 free throws, the Lakers an awful 8-of-17. The Lakers had a few more rebounds, but the Spurs had 22 assists, the Lakers just 13. Turnovers were close.

For the Spurs, Ginobili (9-of-15, 5-of-7 threes) had 30 points (and not much else) off the bench. Tim Duncan (8-of-17) had 22 points, 21 rebounds and 5 assists. Tony Parker (9-of-15) had 20 points and 5 assists. Mike Finley scored 8, Francisco Oberto 7, Brent Barry 6 off the bench.

For the Lakers, Kobe Bryant (13-of-23) had 30 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, but 4 turnovers and one assist. Pau Gasol needed 18 shots for 15 points and not much else. Jordan Farmar (4-of-9, 2-of-3 threes) scored 10 off the bench. Vladimir Radmanovic on 8 shots had 9 points and 9 rebounds. Lamar Odom (awful 2-of-11) had 7 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists, but 5 turnovers. Derek Fisher and Sasha Vujacic were lousy.

The AP reports: The San Antonio Spurs appear to be a tired, beaten-up team in trouble. Perhaps the fact that they just survived a similar predicament will give them hope. Kobe Bryant scored 22 points, Lamar Odom added 20 points and 12 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Lakers took command late in the second quarter to rout the Spurs 101-71 on Friday night for a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals over the defending champions… Los Angeles had to rally from a 20-point third-quarter deficit to win the opener 89-85 Wednesday night, and didn’t take its first lead in that game until the final 3 minutes. The Lakers never trailed in Game 2—the third time in their last four playoff games that happened. After a basket by Duncan enabled the Spurs to forge the only tie, the Lakers scored the final nine points of the second quarter for a 46-37 halftime lead… It was 74-57 entering the fourth quarter, and the Lakers made it a blowout by outscoring the Spurs 14-3 to begin the final period and make it 88-60… Manu Ginobili, who had started San Antonio’s previous six postseason games, was used in a reserve role, as was the case most of the season when he won the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award. It didn’t make any difference.

InsideHoops.com Stat Notes: The Lakers shot 54.9%, the Spurs just 34.5%. Both teams launched 20-something threes and shot badly from outside. The lakers hit 18-of-20 free throws, the Spurs had just 10 attempts and only hit 5. The Lakers had 8 more rebounds. Assists and turnovers were even.

For the Lakers, Kobe Bryant (10-of-17) had 22 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Lamar Odom (7-of-10) had 20 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocks. Jordan Farmar (5-of-7) had 14 off the bench. Derek Fisher (4-of-5) had 11. Pau Gasol (4-of-9) had 10 with 7 rebounds and 2 steals.

For the Spurs, Tony Parker (just 6-of-15) had 13 points, no rebounds, and the same assists as turnovers. Tim Duncan (just 6-of-14, 0-of-4 free throws) had 12 points, 16 rebounds and 4 assists. No other Spurs even reached double-digit points. And other than Duncan no Spur had more than 5 rebounds. And the entire Spurs team had just one block (Duncan).

The AP reports: Kobe Bryant scored all but two of his 27 points after halftime, including a go-ahead, 10-foot jumper in the lane with 23.9 seconds remaining, and the Lakers rallied from a 20-point deficit to beat the Spurs 89-85 on Wednesday night in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals… Bryant’s jumper put the Lakers ahead for good after two free throws by Manu Ginobili with 1:22 remaining and a follow shot by Tim Duncan with 41 seconds left tied the game at 85. After Bryant’s game-winner, Ginobili missed a 3-pointer and Sasha Vujacic made two free throws with 7.3 seconds to go, completing the scoring… The Lakers outscored the Spurs 24-13 in the fourth quarter, when San Antonio shot 3-for-21, including 1-for-9 from 3-point range… The Spurs outscored the Lakers 14-2 to start the third quarter for a 65-45 lead, drawing groans from the crowd of 18,997 at Staples Center, where the Lakers haven’t lost since March 28. Suddenly, the Lakers came together, scoring 14 straight points in a span of 3:05 to draw within six. Bryant had seven points and two assists during the run.

InsideHoops.com Stat Notes: The Lakers shot 43.2%, the Spurs 40.5%. But the Lakers shot a respectable 4-of-10 three-pointers while the Spurs were just 5-of-20 (Mike Finley went 0-of-5). Free throws were close, but the Lakers were a bit better. Rebounds, assists and turnovers were fairly close.

For the Lakers, Bryant (shot 11-of-21) had 27 points, 5 rebounds and 9 assists. Pau Gasol (9-of-16) had 19 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks. Vladimir Radmanovic (5-of-5) had 10 points and 5 rebounds. Sasha Vujacic on 8 shots had 10 points and 5 rebounds. Lamar Odom (3-of-12) and Derek Fisher (1-of-9) had bad games, though Odom had 8 rebounds and 2 blocks.

For the Spurs, Tim Duncan (12-of-25) had 30 points, 18 rebounds, 2 steals, 4 blocks, but more turnovers than assists. Tony Parker needed 17 shots for his 18 points, 10 rebounds (yup) and 6 assists. Bruce Bowen (5-of-8) scored 12. Manu Ginobili (just 3-of-13) had just 10 points, 4 rebounds and more turnovers than assists. Mike Finley shot 0-of-5 for no points. Ime Udoka had 7 of the Spurs 9 bench points.