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Rockets beat banged-up Lakers 125-112 for 5th straight win

James Harden scored 31 points and Chandler Parsons added 20 to help the Houston Rockets pick up their fifth straight win with a 125-112 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night.

Houston trailed by as many as 14 in the first half, but used a pair of runs in the third quarter to go on top and build a big lead.

World Peace had a season-high 24 points for the Lakers, who were playing without their top three big men: Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol and Jordan Hill – who are all out with injuries.

Bryant added 20 points for the Lakers and Nash had 16 points and 10 assists to become only the fifth player to surpass 10,000 career assists, joining John Stockton, Jason Kidd, Mark Jackson and Magic Johnson…

The Rockets have rallied from double-digit deficits for their last three wins. As usual, they did it on Tuesday night behind the strong play of Harden, who has scored at least 25 points in 13 straight games…

Howard has a torn labrum in his right shoulder, Gasol has a concussion and Hill a right hip injury. All three are out indefinitely. Seven-foot rookie center Robert Sacre made his first career start due to the injuries, and finished with 10 points, four blocked shots and three rebounds…

Jeremy Lin chipped in 19 points with six rebounds and five assists for Houston, and Carlos Delfino also scored 19.

— Reported by Kristie Rieken of the Associated Press

Lakers waive guard Darius Johnson-Odom

The Los Angeles Lakers have waived guard Darius Johnson-Odom, it was announced today.

Johnson-Odom, the 55 th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, was acquired by the Lakers from Dallas on draft night. The 6-2 guard out of Marquette averaged 15.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 105 collegiate games. As a senior, the Raleigh, North Carolina native led his team in scoring (18.3 ppg) and earned First Team All-Big East honors in addition to being named an Honorable Mention All-American by the Associated Press.

Johnson-Odom appeared in four games for the Lakers this season, where he totaled four rebounds and one assist in six minutes.

Dwight Howard to get MRI on shoulder

The Lakers training staff will have more work. After posting 19 points and tying a career-high 26 rebounds, Howard aggravated his right shoulder and will receive an MRI this morning. Howard remains optimistic he will be fine, but what about the team’s progress?

“It’s a tough stretch, but we have to stay together. We can’t point the finger at anybody,” Howard said. “It seems like everything is against us right now, but we have to keep our heads and stay together.”

Few have such patience.

A loud group of Lakers fans yelled out “We want Phil” a not-so-subtle suggestion they’d rather have Phil Jackson coach this current group. Clearly, they’re pinning the Lakers’ poor defense on D’Antoni, who has never had a good reputation in that department. Meanwhile, Gasol and Nash each picked up technicals.

— Reported by Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News

Nuggets beat struggling Lakers 112-105

Ty Lawson had 21 points and 10 assists, Danilo Gallinari scored 20 points and hit a big 3-pointer with 13.8 seconds left, and the Nuggets beat the struggling Lakers 112-105 Sunday night for their fifth win in seven games.

JaVale McGee scored 17 points for the Nuggets, who showed no signs of weariness after a home win over Utah one night earlier. Despite two last-minute 3-pointers by Kobe Bryant, Denver calmly maintained a lead throughout the fourth quarter of its second win in 12 days over the star-studded Lakers, who aren’t exactly putting fear or fury into their opponents.

”They’re struggling,” Denver coach George Karl said. ”It’s a great win for us, but I’m not going to get overinflated.”

Staples Center was mostly silent while Los Angeles dropped to 15-18 with another mediocre performance featuring 18 turnovers, intermittent defense and little structured offense down the stretch. Bryant scored 29 points and Dwight Howard had 14 points and a career high-tying 26 rebounds for the Lakers, who have lost three straight and four of five…

After the game, the Lakers said Howard aggravated his shoulder injury. He will have an MRI exam on Monday before the Lakers leave for a quick two-game trip to Texas, and Howard didn’t know whether he’ll play Tuesday at Houston…

Steve Nash had 10 points and 13 assists for the Lakers, while Pau Gasol had 11 points and five rebounds before leaving with a bloody nose with 1:05 to play in a collision with McGee.

Andre Iguodala had 15 points, seven assists and six rebounds for the Nuggets, and Miller finished with 12 points and 10 assists…

Lakers G Chris Duhon returned after missing the past two games with back spasms. F Jordan Hill also played with a sprained right ankle.

— Reported by Greg Beacham of the Associated Press

Kobe Bryant discusses self-doubt

The NBA’s most confident player showed insecurity on a night he almost single-handedly carried the Lakers to a win.

After posting 38 points in the Lakers’ 107-102 loss Friday to the Clippers, Bryant tweeted on his new account.

“Thoughts of self doubt-Am I done?” Bryant tweeted. “Is this how my career will end?? I REFUSE to give in to these thoughts.”

Bryant elaborated on self-doubt following Saturday’s practice.

“Everybody has it,” Bryant said. “The way I react to it is different than everybody else. I don’t feed into it. I’m able to face it. I’m able to deal with it and I’m able to get through it. That’s probably the difference between myself and other people.”

— Reported by Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News

Lakers re-assign Robert Sacre to D-League

The Los Angeles Lakers have re-assigned center Robert Sacre to the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the NBA Development League, it was announced today.

Sacre has played in 13 games with the Lakers this season, averaging 0.5 points and 0.8 rebounds in 4.2 minutes.

Selected by the Lakers in the second round (60th overall pick) of the 2012 NBA Draft, Sacre finished his collegiate career at Gonzaga ranked second all-time in school history in career blocks (186), while averaging 9.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 135 games.

Starting at center for the D-Fenders’ first three games of the season, Sacre averaged 7.7 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 27.0 minutes. Sacre, on his third assignment with the D-Fenders this season, will join the team for tonight’s game against the Sioux Falls Skyforce (NBA Affiliates: Miami, Minnesota, Orlando, Philadelphia) at 6:30 pm in El Segundo.

Pau Gasol not seeking trade from Lakers

After he endured his fourth benching in the fourth quarter since Mike D’Antoni was hired as coach, there is no denying Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol is having a hard time fitting in with the team he once helped win two championships.

The Lakers ultimately could decide they just can’t make it work with the former four-time All-Star; however, it won’t be Gasol pushing his way out of town.

“No, oh, that’s radical,” Gasol said when asked whether he would request a trade following the Lakers’ 107-102 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday. “I still believe. I still have faith in what we have. I still have faith that I can be a big part in helping this team succeed. Right now, I’m not being able to do that very often.”

Gasol finished with just two points on 1-for-6 shooting along with four rebounds and two assists in 27 minutes against the Clippers. He sat the entire fourth quarter until Dwight Howard fouled out with 1:07 remaining and Gasol finished off the game in his stead.

— Reported by Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles

After losing 2 straight, Clippers beat Lakers

Los Angeles belongs to the Clippers right now, and they’re looking for much more than city dominance at this point.

Chris Paul had 30 points and 13 assists, Blake Griffin added 24 points, and the Clippers led all the way in a 107-102 victory on Friday night, giving them two wins in two games this season against their Staples Center co-tenants. They also stopped a two-game skid and maintained the NBA’s second-best record at 26-8.

”Right now we’re just focused on being one of the best teams in the league, not just the city,” said Lamar Odom, one of four former Lakers on the Clippers’ roster. ”Focus can’t be just to be better than one team. Now we’re trying to be great.”

Kobe Bryant scored 38 points and Dwight Howard had 21 points and 15 rebounds for the Lakers.

Bryant carried them in the fourth quarter when they closed to 99-97 on his 23-foot jumper with 1:29 left. But Paul scored the Clippers’ final eight points to seal the victory and drop the Lakers two games below .500. The Clippers lead the Lakers by 10 games in the standings…

Bryant scored 16 points in the fourth, when the Lakers rallied from 19 points down. The Clippers fouled for much of the final 5:51, and the Lakers made 10 of 12 free throws. Howard missed two foul shots but then made two to get the Lakers within four before Bryant’s jumper got the Lakers the closest they had been since early in the game…

Clippers F Jamal Crawford missed the game with a sore left foot that he hurt in Denver. … Clippers G Chauncey Billups will start working out Saturday after being out most of the season recovering from surgery.

— Reported by Beth Harris of the Associated Press

Jeanie Buss tweets engagement to Phil Jackson, shows off ring

Known for getting rings, Phil Jackson finally has given one as well.

The retired coach, who won 11 NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls, is engaged to longtime girlfriend and Lakers executive Jeanie Buss.

Buss posted a picture Thursday night on her official Twitter account of her left hand with a diamond ring on her finger.

The accompanying tweet read ”Twitter family – Phil finally gave me that ring I wanted!” followed by a smiley face.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Kobe Bryant says Jamal Crawford should be Sixth Man of Year

“He gets my nomination for sixth man of the year,” Bryant said of Crawford after Thursday’s Lakers practice.

It’s quite an endorsement, though Crawford’s numbers speak pretty well for themselves.

Crawford, who comes off the bench for the Clippers, is averaging 16.5 points in 29.1 minutes a game. He was instrumental in the Clippers’ franchise-best 17-game winning streak and has helped the team to an impressive 25-8 record.

Crawford, 32, was named sixth man of the year in 2010, but he’s never made an All-Star team.

— Reported by Melissa Rohlin of the Los Angeles Times