Bryant, Bynum help Lakers win big in Indiana -- for a change

By John Oehser, for NBA.com
Posted Wednesday January 27, 2010 11:11PM

INDIANAPOLIS (NBA.com exclusive) -- Conseco Fieldhouse didn't present its usual difficulties for the Western Conference's best team.

In fact, Indiana's home was downright comfortable for the Los Angeles Lakers for a change.

With a defense that dominated the second half, and with chants of "M-V-P" filling the building as Kobe Bryant turned in a solid performance during the same period, the West-leading Lakers pulled away for a comfortable 118-96 victory over the Pacers in front of 18,165 Wednesday.

The Lakers had lost seven of 10 games in Indiana, a stretch that included a loss last season when Pacers forward Troy Murphy scored on a buzzer-beating tip-in to cap a dramatic fourth-quarter rally.

"We kept in mind the game from last year," said forward Pau Gasol, who had 21 points and 13 rebounds and was one of three Lakers players with at least 20 points and nine rebounds. "The Pacers really play well here and they can put runs together. That makes them real dangerous."

The Pacers, who had won two of three games, kept the game close early, trailing by three points at halftime, but shot just 39.5 percent in the second half and scored just 40 points.

"We did play a great basketball team and they played like it," said Pacers center Roy Hibbert, who had a team-high 21 points in a reserve role.

"They're a great basketball team," Pacers coach Jim O'Brien said. "I'm stating the very obvious. They were just too much for us."

Bryant, who had 19 of his game-high 29 points in the second half, left to a mix of standing ovation and boos, with the former overcoming the latter. At various times in the game, a sold-out arena that featured a mix of Lakers and Pacers fans cheered Bryant louder than it did the home team.

"It just means the home team is struggling, and there are a lot of Lakers fans in the building," Bryant said. "But yeah, it is good to hear a response like that and you definitely appreciate it."

What Bryant appreciated perhaps as much was his continued return to health.

The Lakers' victory Wednesday came in the fifth game of an eight-game road trip, but during that trip, Bryant said he has started to feel better physically. His sore back has improved, and the broken finger that hampered him in recent weeks is bothering him less. In recent games, his shooting has improved accordingly.

He was 8-for-15 in a victory over Washington Tuesday, and against Indiana, he followed a 5-for-6 first half with a 5-for-9 performance in the second half to finish 10-for-15 from the field -- 3-for-4 from 3-point range.

He also finished with nine rebounds and seven assists.

"I feel better," Bryant said. "I'm bouncing around out there, moving around. I feel good."

As important to the Lakers early Wednesday was the inside presence of Andrew Bynum, who against a smaller Pacers lineup finished with a season-high 27 points on 12-for-14 shooting. He also had 12 rebounds.

The Pacers started center/forward Troy Murphy against Bynum, a true post player.

"I don't know if Jim was baiting us by starting Murphy at center," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "It was impossible for them to cover Pau and Andrew.

"We had to find a way to move our offense to get it into them."

The Pacers kept the game close with a gutty, solid-shooting first-half performance, leading by as many as four and trailing at halftime, 59-56.

Bryant then scored 13 third-quarter points going 2-for-3 from 3-point range, with the Lakers taking a 92-78 lead entering the final period. The Lakers shot 55.8 percent in the period and Indiana shot 43.5 percent.

Indiana had shot 47.8 percent in the first quarter and 40.7 percent in the second to stay close early.

"I was very disappointed (in the defense) and I told them at halftime," Jackson said. "They're not an easy team to cover with the pace they play. They're different covers for our players."

Said Gasol, "I think it was our intensity and the way we rebounded a lot better in the second half. We got back in transition better, especially when they went small. They came out (in the first half) and really pushed the ball and got us a little out of whack.

"We imposed our own rhythm and controlled the game better in the second half."

• Lakers: Mbenga
• Pacers: Diener, Foster, Hansbrough

• Lakers: Brown
• Pacers: --

• Lead Changes: 2
• Times Tied: 9

• Arena: Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
• Officials: #17 Joe Crawford, #51 Leroy Richardson, #58 Zach Zarba
• Attendance: 18165
• Duration: 2:6