 Kobe Bryant dominated the first quarter, matching Golden State's total by himself. Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty Images 56k | 300k |
"We played well," he said. "We came out in the first quarter and jumped on them early. We got a big lead and were able to sustain it. In the last couple of games, we let teams get back into the game and tonight we didn't do that. We maintained our distance."
Bryant was booted with 8:04 left for arguing a call with referee Bennie Adams almost a minute before complaining about another call against him.
"Well, basically we were just having a conversation," the All-Star guard said. "It wasn't anything out of control, but he felt I deserved a technical for it and threw me out."
Shaquille O'Neal bounced back from a sub-par effort Wednesday with 20 points and 10 rebounds in just 25 minutes as the Lakers improved to 7-0 at home this season. They have not lost at the Staples Center in the regular season since a 79-78 defeat to the New York Knicks on April 1.
Erick Dampier scored 16 points and Antawn Jamison and Larry Hughes added 12 apiece for the Warriors, who have lost 14 of their last 15 road games against the Lakers.
"We just didn't come out and play, myself included," Jamison said. "To come out and play the way we did, it wasn't the coaches, it wasn't anybody, it was the starting unit. We set the tone and I apologize to the rest of the guys on the team, because they were dealt a hand where it was almost impossible for them to come back and do something about it."
Golden State lost for the fourth time in its last five games and fell to 4-4 on the road this season.
"We just can't figure out why we've been coming out flat in the last couple of games," Warriors coach Dave Cowens said. "We've been trying to get a hold on that. If we can do that, then it will be good and just raise up the level of energy and intensity and get tough, come out with resolve... play the game like you love the game, not like it's a chore."
The Lakers scored 14 of the first 15 points and a jumper by Rick Fox with seven seconds left in the first period opened a 37-16 advantage.
"It was an awesome barrage there to start the game," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "I like the way we started out that game. We went out with a good lead in that first quarter, a lot of intensity."
Los Angeles had a season-high 62 points by halftime and owned a 22-point lead. It recorded its biggest edge with 3:15 left in the second quarter as Samaki Walker made two free throws and never trailed by less than 15 points the rest of the way.
"You can't come to work and be at the coffee-break stand. You've got to come to work and get to work," Cowens said in explaining his team's poor start.
The Lakers improved to an NBA-best 11-1, with their only loss a 95-83 defeat at Phoenix on November 16. They have won three in a row since that setback.
"I think we have a pretty good direction as to how we want to play teams, coming out with good defensive anticipation and knowledge of how we want to play teams, and that's getting us going," Jackson said. "We've started out with the right attack mode. Our defense has created some offensive easy baskets for us."
Fox, Walker and Lindsey Hunter each had seven points as none of the Los Angeles starters played more than 27 minutes. Reserves Stanislav Medvedenko, Devean George and Mitch Richmond contributed eight points apiece as the Lakers shot 53 percent (41-for-77) from the field.
Rookie Jason Richardson had 11 points and six rebounds and Danny Fortson collected six and 16 for the Warriors, who shot just 36 percent (34-for-94), including 3-for-13 from 3-point range. They outrebounded Los Angeles, 48-39, and have had the edge on the glass in 12 of 13 games this season.