LOS ANGELES, March 12 (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Lakers set a franchise record for fewest points allowed, taking advantage of a tired team to rout the Charlotte Hornets, 107-66.

Los Angeles' previous low for points allowed was 67 in a victory over Utah on February 4, 2000. The Lakers, who recorded their most lopsided victory this season, limited Charlotte to 33 points in the first half.

"That was a strange night for us tonight," Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson said. "I thought our defense was good, not as good as it appears on the stat sheet, but we had a lot of activity, a lot of steals, and opened up that game in the third and fourth quarter."

The Lakers outscored the Hornets, 33-12, in the final period -- the fewest points allowed in the fourth quarter this season.

NBA TV highlights from Hornets-Lakers: 56k | 300k With 12 points and eight boards, Stanislav Medvedenko had his best game since December. Catherine Steenkeste NBAE/Getty Images

Kobe Bryant scored 23 points and Rick Fox, Lindsey Hunter and Stanislav Medvedenko each contributed 12 as Los Angeles extended its winning streak against the Hornets to seven games.

It has not lost to Charlotte since a 98-93 home setback on January 11, 1998.

The Lakers won for the ninth time in 10 games, despite resting reigning Western Conference Player of the Week Shaquille O'Neal, who had nine points and 10 rebounds in just 23 minutes.

O'Neal, who led Los Angeles in scoring the previous nine games, failed to score in double figures for only the second time this season. His season low is eight points at Seattle on November 30.

"He said a little bit before the game that he wasn't feeling well," Jackson said. "It was a perfect opportunity. It's a night where it was good to rest him."

O'Neal told the media before Tuesday's contest that he is 80 percent sure he will undergo surgery on his arthritic big toe after the season.

"We're going to support him however he wants to solve this problem," Jackson said. "Operations are one of the last things you want to do, but if there's no other solution for it, I'm sure there's a way that they can alleviate some of the discomfort. That would be a big plus."

Los Angeles also moved within one game of first-place Sacramento in the Pacific Division. Although the Lakers are a lock to make the playoffs, they don't take a third title for granted.

"What we've accomplished in the past is in the past," Fox said. "We have to be careful not to carry that attitude into the playoffs because 2000 was a great championship team, 2001 was a great championship team. This team here in the locker room has some players that have been a part of those teams, some coaches that have coached a lot of championship teams. But this team hasn't done anything yet, and we have to conduct ourselves in that fashion."

Sporting a shaved head, Fox scored in double figures for the first time in 12 games.

"He's a lot lighter out there," Jackson joked. "I just thought he made real good decisions. He did one questionable full-court pass to Shaq on the break but didn't repeat or double up. I like the game that he played. He played a good defensive game on (Jamal) Mashburn, who we consider their primary scorer."

David Wesley scored 15 points and Mashburn added 13 for the Hornets, who concluded a 2-2 western road trip. They shot just 35 percent (26-of-74) in their fourth game in six nights.

"We had a good road trip up until this game," Charlotte coach Paul Siles said. "We played well, but we just couldn't get it going tonight. You're playing a quality team like the Lakers, you have to bring your `A' game. We probably had a `D' game today.

"You never see (a blowout) coming; this was one of those games that there's just nothing you can do about it. They were on all cylinders and we couldn't get one cylinder going, but it happens and you move on."

In their previous meeting this season on February 22 at Charlotte Bryant hit a jumper at the buzzer to give the Lakers a 96-94 triumph.

"I don't know what is worse, a shot at the buzzer to lose or to just sit there with a bad, terrible effort," said Hornets forward P.J. Brown, who scored 12 points.

The Lakers used a 10-0 run over a three-minute stretch of the first quarter to take a 16-6 lead and cruised thereafter.

"They didn't play very well, so we just did what we're supposed to do," Los Angeles guard Derek Fisher said. "We finished the game out and we probably needed a game like that with the type of schedule we have coming up."

Devean George had 11 points and Mark Madsen contributed nine for the Lakers, who shot 46 percent (42-of-92) and owned a 52-38 rebounding edge. They outscored the Hornets, 50-28, in the paint, 20-6 in second-chance points, and 25-8 on the break.

Former Laker Elden Campbell grabbed 13 rebounds for Charlotte, which gave up 23 points on 22 turnovers. The Hornets are eighth in the Eastern Conference, just a half-game ahead of Miami.

Baron Davis was held to four points on 1-of-10 shooting. In the first meeting, he scored 37 points -- the most by a Lakers' foe this season.

"I didn't come out aggressive in the start and I think that hurt my flow," he said. "The second quarter, I tried to pick it up by going to the hole and try getting fouled. I thought I had a rhythm, and the next thing you know, we weren't passing the ball and we had no flow to our offense."