Los Angeles Lakers Blog – Page 79 – NBA Blog

Kobe leads Lakers past Oklahoma City 105-96

Kobe Bryant had 21 points, 14 assists and nine rebounds, Steve Nash added seven of his 17 points in the final 5 1/2 minutes, and the Los Angeles Lakers held off the NBA-leading Oklahoma City Thunder 105-96 Sunday.

Pau Gasol scored 16 points in a reserve role as the Lakers picked up the most impressive victory of their thoroughly unimpressive season, coolly maintaining a small lead down the stretch of their second straight win after a four-game skid.

Los Angeles had lost nine of its last 11 against the powerful Thunder, including four of five in the clubs’ second-round playoff series last spring.

Kevin Durant scored 35 points and Russell Westbrook had 17 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds for the road-weary Thunder, who finished their longest trip of the season at 3-3.

Bryant and Westbrook briefly tangled in the third quarter in an exchange that earned a technical foul for Kobe. Both All-Star guards entered the fourth quarter needing just one rebound for a triple-double, but neither got it.

Westbrook also missed his first eight shots and 12 of his first 13 before finding his shot, but the Lakers didn’t wilt down the stretch…

Howard had eight points and 10 rebounds while fighting foul trouble and missing eight of his 10 free throws. Bryant and Nash led a passionate effort by the Lakers, whose season-long missteps and embarrassments have left them well out of the playoff picture heading into the second half of the season.

— Reported by Greg Beacham of the Associated Press

Lakers beat Jazz 102-84 to snap 4-game skid

Airing things out among themselves had the desired effect for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Metta World Peace hit five 3-pointers on his way to scoring 17 points and the Lakers pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat the Utah Jazz 102-84 on Friday night, snapping a four-game skid.

Coming off an 0-3 road trip during which players confronted each other last Wednesday in Memphis, the Lakers got balanced scoring and better team defense that helped them beat the Jazz for the first time in three meetings this season.

Kobe Bryant suggested ”our closed-door meeting that everyone seems to know about” had something to do with the victory.

”It’s a relief, especially against a team that’s handled us pretty well,” he said. ”We made shots and that makes the game a lot easier. It’s not about showing we’ve turned the corner. It’s about doing it.”

Derrick Favors led the Jazz with 14 points off the bench. Fellow reserve Gordon Hayward scored 13 and Al Jefferson had 12. Paul Millsap and Randy Foye added 10 points each. Utah had won six of its previous seven.

Dwight Howard had 17 points and 13 rebounds, Steve Nash scored 15 and Pau Gasol added 15 points off the bench for the Lakers. Bryant had 14 points, a season-high 14 assists and nine rebounds in bringing Utah’s four-game winning streak to an end…

The Lakers’ 15-4 run to start the game was helped by World Peace and Nash combining for three 3-pointers. The Jazz quickly closed within two before the Lakers stretched their lead to 26-19.

— Reported by Beth Harris of the Associated Press

Dwight Howard does not expect a trade

As he begins the process of refusing to complain anymore about his role, Dwight Howard wanted to make one thing clear about his Lakers future.

“I plan on being here for the remainder of the season,” he said. “My focus and team’s focus is to do what we can do to get into the playoffs.”

Will that sentiment last once he becomes an unrestricted free agent July 1? He could re-sign for five years and $117.9 million instead of a four-year, $87.6 million deal with another team.

— Reported by Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News

Earl Clark set to be unrestricted free agent after season

With his breakout season, Lakers forward Earl Clark faces an unexpected reality.

Once he becomes an unrestricted free agent in July, he’ll likely have some interest. What does he think about his future?

“It’s not like I’m this big free agent where I’ll be at SportsCenter and people are asking me where I’m going,” said Clark, who’s making $1.2 million this season. “I’m focusing on the game and trying to continue to play well.”

— Reported by Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News

Jordan Hill out six months after hip surgery

Lakers forward Jordan Hill underwent surgery this morning in Nashville on his injured left hip. The surgery, performed by Dr. Thomas Byrd, included the removal of loose fragments, repair of a torn labrum and a microfracture procedure to repair damaged cartilage.

Hill will be re-evaluated by Dr. Byrd in a month, but is expected to be out approximately six months.

Jordan Hill having hip surgery Wednesday

Lakers forward Jordan Hill was examined today in Nashville by Dr. Thomas Byrd, and has scheduled surgery for tomorrow morning on his left hip.

Hill, who suffered the injury on January 6th in a game against the Denver Nuggets, has appeared in 29 games this season, averaging 6.7 points and 5.7 rebounds in 15.8 minutes.

An update, including an estimate for Hill’s recovery time, will be issued following the surgery.

Metta World Peace hopes to stay with Lakers for rest of career

At least one person is excited about his future with the Lakers.

Metta World Peace could become a free agent in July by declining a player option for $7.7 million next season. He doesn’t plan on it.

“I want to stay here the rest of my career,” he said, and “get past this adversity. I want to finish as a Laker.”

The adversity would be the team’s 17-24 record after a 95-83 loss Monday against Chicago.

It makes sense that World Peace, 33, wants to stay. He’s almost surely not going to get more than that as a free agent next season.

But whether he finishes his career with the Lakers might not be up to him.

— Reported by Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times

Landry Fields steps up in Raptors win over struggling Lakers

A worn-down Kobe Bryant called it a ”sub-par” performance. For the Los Angeles Lakers, it was the latest in a string of similar efforts by a struggling team.

Landry Fields had a season-high 18 points and 10 rebounds as the Toronto Raptors sent the Lakers to their fifth straight road loss, 108-103 on Sunday.

Bryant scored 26 points and Pau Gasol had 25 for the Lakers, whose road skid is their longest in six years. Dwight Howard was ejected after drawing his second technical foul with 1:18 left in the first half.

The Lakers fell behind by 15 points midway through the first quarter and lost for the eighth time in 10 games.

”We’ve got a lot of issues,” coach Mike D’Antoni said. ”Offensively the ball sticks and we don’t take very good shots. Defensively, ups and downs, we forget guys.”

Jose Calderon had 22 points and nine assists while Ed Davis had 18 points and eight rebounds for Toronto. Alan Anderson added 14 points and eight assists as the Raptors ended a four-game losing streak against the Lakers.

”That was one of the most complete games we’ve had all year, top to bottom,” Raptors coach Dwane Casey said.

Bryant made 10 of 32 shots, including 3 of 12 on 3-pointers, and complained the ”heavy legs” had dulled his shooting effort…

Steve Nash scored 16 points and Earl Clark had 14 points and 14 rebounds for the poor-shooting Lakers.

— Reported by Ian Harrison of the Associated Press

LeBron dominates, Heat beat Lakers in LA

LeBron James had 39 points and eight assists [plus seven rebounds and three steals], Dwyane Wade added 27 points on his 31st birthday and the Miami Heat held off the Los Angeles Lakers 99-90 Thursday night to finish their six-game road trip with three wins.

Ray Allen scored seven of his nine points in the final 5 minutes as the defending NBA champions repelled a late charge by the Lakers, who lost for the seventh time in nine games.

Kobe Bryant scored 13 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter for Los Angeles, which rallied for a brief lead midway through the final period before James and Allen secured the Heat’s second win in their last eight road games against the Lakers.

Dwight Howard had 13 points and 16 rebounds, but missed two key free throws with 1:51 left while Miami pulled away, capping the All-Star starting center’s 5-for-13 effort at the line. Metta World Peace scored 16 points for the Lakers, who committed 20 turnovers and didn’t score in the final 2 1/2 minutes.

Pau Gasol had 12 points and four rebounds in his return from a five-game absence with a concussion for the Lakers, who had hoped to build on consecutive victories following a six-game losing streak that knocked them well out of the Western Conference playoff picture…

James and Wade got little help until Allen’s late flurry, but they didn’t need it. Chris Bosh had just seven points and six rebounds in 35 minutes for Miami.

Bryant scored at least 20 points in his 23rd consecutive game, but the NBA’s leading scorer missed 14 of his first 17 shots.

— Reported by Greg Beacham of the Associated Press

Dwight Howard shines in Lakers win over Bucks

Kobe Bryant played relentless defense, spurring his fellow Los Angeles Lakers to do the same. Dwight Howard dominated the paint, scoring easy baskets and blocking shots against the bewildered Bucks.

Over the last two games, the Lakers have resembled the powerhouse everybody envisioned before their tumultuous season began.

They’re about to find out whether they got it together in time to compete with the Miami Heat.

Howard had 31 points and 16 rebounds, Bryant also scored 31 points and the Lakers beat Milwaukee 104-88 Tuesday night for their second straight win after a six-game skid.

Metta World Peace added 12 points as the Lakers prepared for Thursday’s visit from the NBA champion Heat with an impressive effort featuring 30-point games for both Bryant and Howard for the second time in their brief tenure together. After a similar effort against Cleveland two days earlier, the Lakers are cautiously optimistic they’ve solved a few problems.

”It’s been great,” Howard said. ”When we play the way we played these last two games, I don’t see anybody beating us. The problem is we have to do it on a consistent basis and not have any lapses during the game. We’re learning, but stuff like that takes time. The biggest thing, we’ve just got to stick together. We can’t let nothing on the outside tear us apart.” …

Monta Ellis scored 17 points for the Bucks, who lost for the second time in five games under interim coach Jim Boylan. Brandon Jennings was held to 12 points on 4-of-14 shooting by Bryant, and Milwaukee’s young star emerged from Staples Center with newfound respect for the fifth-leading scorer in NBA history.

— Reported by Greg Beachman of the Associated Press