Bryant gets warm welcome, Laker win in Philly

By Andy Jasner, for NBA.com
Posted Friday January 29, 2010 11:10PM

PHILADELPHIA (NBA.com exclusive) -- Kobe Bryant continues to score points at a record pace.

But let the record show that his biggest point was made to Lakers coach Phil Jackson. The message was simple: he wanted to guard Allen Iverson after the diminutive Sixers guard got red hot in the third quarter.

Iverson scored a season-high 23 points -- 15 in the third quarter. Early in the fourth, Bryant suffocated Iverson on consecutive possessions, which allowed the Lakers to pull away for an eventual 99-91 win over the Sixers before a sellout crowd of 20,809 Friday at the Wachovia Center.

"I asked for it," said Bryant. "Allen got hot and the crowd got behind him. I asked for the challenge and took it on. It was a fun challenge. I think it's just part of the responsibility of being on this team."

Bryant scored 24 points, leaving him only 47 shy of Jerry West's total of 25,192 career point total.

Bryant had only two points at halftime and then tweaked his ankle very early in the third. On top of an avulsion fracture of his right index finger, Bryant simply marched on unfazed.

"I think he will get through this," Jackson said of Bryant.

By the way, Jackson won his 532nd game with the team, leaving him one short of Pat Riley's all-time mark of 533 regular-season victories.

Never mind that this was the sixth game of a season-long eight-game trek away from Staples Center.

The Lakers, who are 4-2 on the trip, looked fresh in the fourth quarter.

Bryant hit a difficult baseline jumper over Andre Iguodala, giving the Lakers an 80-71 lead less than two minutes into the fourth.

Then came the defensive intensity from the Lakers, anchored by Bryant's tenacious on-the-ball guarding of Iverson.

After the Sixers got within six, the Lakers clamped down and forced a couple of difficult shots. Bryant later posted up Iverson for an 88-76 advantage with 5:44 remaining.

Game over.

"We know it starts with defense for us," said Lakers forward Ron Artest, who scored 18 points. "Even if we're not shooting well, we can step it up on the defensive end. Kobe did a great job taking on the challenge of stopping Iverson when he got going."

The Sixers dropped their third in a row and fell a season-low 16 games over .500.

This time, they shot the ball well -- 36-for-80 (45 percent). They committed 20 costly turnovers which wound up being 26 points for the Lakers.

"It helps to attack them, and I think we did a good job attacking it," said forward Elton Brand, who had 19 points and nine rebounds. "Allen got hot and we got our looks, but we did not knock them down. Again, turnovers really hurt us. So if we can execute and play defense like that, we will be fine."

Things are obviously not fine for the Sixers, who have lost three straight to the Lakers at the Wachovia Center.

Bryant had a lot to do with it. So did All-Star Pau Gasol with 19 points, 10 rebounds and five assists as well as forward Lamar Odom (13 points, nine rebounds).

"I thought Andre [Iguodala] did a good job making it tough [on Bryant]," Sixers coach Eddie Jordan said. "But what can you do? He has been doing it for years and no one has found an answer. We did not find an answer, so we are like everybody else."

Bryant draws sellouts crowds in many arenas. In this particular arena, it's always more special considering he attended nearby Lower Merion High School.

"It was like back in the day for me," Bryant said.

Every day, he inches closer to an incredible franchise record. Points or no points, his defense in the second half was arguably the difference.

And the Lakers improved to 36-11.

"Defense does win championships," Artest said. "We'll always be able to score. If you can get stops, you'll win."

• Lakers: Morrison
• 76ers: Brezec, Ivey

• Lakers: --
• 76ers: --

• Lead Changes: 2
• Times Tied: 3

• Arena: Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, PA
• Officials: #43 Dan Crawford, #28 Tommy Nunez Jr., #73 Ed Malloy
• Attendance: 20809
• Duration: 2:9