Kobe Bryant had 16 points and 11 assists as the Lakers put on their best offensive performance since the loss of O'Neal in a 114-90 rout of the Houston Rockets.
O'Neal was placed on the injured list Tuesday with a bad toe. Los Angeles could not score more than 90 points in its previous three games as Bryant tried to carry the offense, but six players scored in double figures against the struggling Rockets.
"We're used to throwing the ball to Shaq 50 times a game," Bryant said. "If you take that piece out of the equation, it's going to be very difficult to respond to that. It has to take some period of time to get adjusted."
 Rick Fox scored 16 points in the Lakers' win over the Rockets. Catherine Steenkeste/NBAE/Getty Images |
Rick Fox scored 16 points and Devean George added 14 for Los Angeles, which shot 51 percent (46-of-91) and avoided its first three-game losing streak since March 21-26, 1999.
"It's a start in comparison to where we've been," Fox said. "We talked about how you overemphasize the fact that you're in a shooting slump. But you just try to relax and eventually you'll break out of it."
Samaki Walker and Lindsey Hunter chipped in 12 points apiece for the Lakers, who also committed a franchise-low three turnovers
"I figured it was something like that. At halftime, we had one turnover," Bryant said. "Some of the guys said, 'Don't say anything about it because you'll jinx it.' But it didn't happen, so it's great. We set a record."
Cuttino Mobley offset 2-of-17 shooting by making all 12 free-throw attempts and scored 18 points for the Rockets. Rookie Eddie Griffin had 17 points, eight rebounds and three blocks for Houston, which lost for the 17th time in 19 games.
Moochie Norris and Oscar Torres each added 12 points for the Rockets, who shot 41 percent (29-of-70).
Houston was reduced to seven players in the fourth quarter. Steve Francis sat out with a migraine and Kenny Thomas was sidelined with a hip pointer.
Kevin Willis was ejected in the third quarter for arguing a call and Mobley and Walt Williams left with injuries in the second half.
"It's getting real old. We just can't get healthy," Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. "We keep saying we're going to get our rotation and we're going to get our guys back, but then something happens."
The Lakers took the lead for good, 5-4, on a 3-pointer by Fox two minutes into the game. The shot sparked a 15-2 run that he capped with a fadeway that made it 17-6.
Houston closed within 23-16 by the end of the first quarter, but Horry scored seven points against his former team in the second period, when the Lakers led by as many as 16 en route to a 55-42 halftime bulge.
"They came out hard and we didn't," Mobley said. "We didn't play hard at all, I don't know why. There is just no excuse for us not to come out hard against a team like this."
Mobley scored 12 points in the third quarter to keep Los Angeles from pulling away. George had 10 as the Lakers opened the fourth with a 17-4 spurt and took their largest lead, 101-74, with 6:47 to go.