Lakers-Warriors Preview

By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO
Posted Dec 22 2012 9:16PM

Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers have capitalized on a favorable schedule in an effort to begin turning around a rough start.

A visit to Oakland should begin to make things a bit more difficult.

Bryant, along with a returning Steve Nash, will try to lift the Lakers to a season-high fourth straight win Saturday night when they face the surging Golden State Warriors, one of the NBA's biggest surprises so far.

Bryant leads the league with 29.5 points per game, but Los Angeles (12-14) has struggled to take advantage of his staggering production.

The Lakers were 1-11 when he'd scored at least 30 points until recently, but the 14-time All-Star has reached that mark in each of the last three games - all wins. However, they've all come against teams with losing records, including league-worst Washington in a 102-96 victory Dec. 14.

Los Angeles exploited another struggling opponent Tuesday, when Bryant scored 30 points in a 101-100 win over Charlotte - which hasn't won since beating the Wizards on Nov. 24.

"We're playing much better," said Bryant, who needs one more 30-point game to be the fifth player in league history to amass 400. "The last three games, we've been playing much better. We're moving the ball a lot better and playing with a lot better energy.

"We've had a lot of ups and downs. Now, things are starting to stabilize a little bit for us."

Things are also going to get tougher against the Warriors (18-9), winners of eight of 10, before Los Angeles returns home to face Atlantic Division-leading New York on Christmas Day. The Lakers fell 116-107 to the Knicks on Dec. 13 in their last loss.

Having Nash and Pau Gasol fully healthy should give them a much better chance of extending this run.

Gasol returned against the Bobcats after an eight-game absence due to knee tendinitis, scoring 10 points with nine rebounds, five assists and four blocks.

Nash had been questionable to play for the first time since Halloween due to a non-displaced fracture in his leg, but the team Tweeted on its official account the two-time NBA MVP is in the starting lineup for this game.

The Lakers have won 17 of the past 18 games with Golden State, including an 8-1 record at Oracle Arena.

Bryant has averaged 33.3 points in the past six meetings, and he had 27 with nine rebounds and seven assists Nov. 9 in a 101-77 romp as Los Angeles beat the Warriors for the fifth straight time.

Gasol had 14 points and 16 boards in that meeting, and has averaged 23.2 and 11.8 over his last 18 games against Golden State.

He figures to have his hands full battling David Lee, who is averaging 24.1 points and 11.8 rebounds over the past 11 games.

"You can pencil in 20 and 10, and then sprinkle in some other stuff around the tree," coach Mark Jackson said. "He's been that good all year long."

Lee's versatility produced his third triple-double Friday, as he had 23 points, 11 boards and 11 assists to power a 115-100 win over Charlotte.

Stephen Curry scored 27 points while connecting on 8 of 13 from beyond the arc after putting up a season-high 32 in a 131-127 loss at Sacramento two days earlier.

Curry had 18 points against the Lakers last month, while Lee was held to 10 and 12 rebounds.

Lakers rally past Warriors in OT in Nash's return

By ANTONIO GONZALEZ
Posted Dec 23 2012 2:28AM

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Steve Nash sliced through the lane, broke down the defense, and created shots for Kobe Bryant time and again, just the way he has for teammates throughout his brilliant 17-year NBA career.

So much for an adjustment period.

Bryant had 34 points and 10 rebounds, Nash finished with 12 points and nine assists in his first game in almost two months, and the Los Angeles Lakers rallied from 14 points down in the fourth quarter to beat the Golden State Warriors 118-115 in overtime on Saturday night.

"It's easy. It's very easy. It's beyond easy," Bryant said about playing with Nash, who had missed 24 straight games while recovering from a small fracture in his lower left leg. "You put two guys together who can do opposite things and it fits extremely well. When I get a rebound, I look to get the ball in his hands because I know I will be getting an easy shot."

While defense remains an issue for the Lakers, the offense had no problems in Nash's return.

Metta World Peace and Nash each made a go-ahead 3-pointer in the final minutes of regulation before the Warriors came back. World Peace scored 20 points, and Nash converted a step-back shot for the final basket in overtime to lift Los Angeles to its fourth straight victory.

This one had 20 lead changes, eight ties, and a sellout crowd of 19,596 cheering every possession as if it was the last one.

"To play 40 minutes after seven weeks was more than I could ask for," Nash said. "I felt in a decent rhythm. I feel positive about it. We'll see (Sunday). I'll have to keep working on it. I know it will be sore and painful but I'm used to that."

As well as the Lakers looked at times, the Warriors seemingly had the game in their hands.

Jarrett Jack scored 29 points and David Lee had 20 points and 11 rebounds in a disappointing collapse for Golden State, which had won 11 of 14 to get off to its best start in 20 years. As so often has happened in this one-sided California rivalry, though, the Lakers took over when it mattered most.

"This will not put a damper on our Christmas spirits," Warriors coach Mark Jackson said. "We're excited about where we're at, and we're excited about where we're headed."

For the first time in a long time, the Lakers and Warriors share that sentiment.

The 38-year-old Nash was injured in the second game of the season, the former Phoenix star's first with the Lakers, who have struggled for most of this season without their point guard. Nash showed no signs of rust throughout the game, and not in the crucial moments, either.

Nash's 3-pointer gave the Lakers a 103-102 lead with a little less than 2 minutes left in regulation. Festus Ezeli answered with an alley-oop from Jack to put the Warriors back ahead, only to watch Bryant swish a pull-up jumper from 20 feet on the other end.

After Lee's jumper gave Golden State the lead again, World Peace made a corner 3 to put Los Angeles ahead 108-106 with 24.1 seconds remaining. Jack followed with a tying, step-back shot, and the Lakers took over with 14.9 seconds left before Bryant missed a jumper over two defenders at the buzzer.

Bryant made three quick jumpers in overtime, including a fadeaway that left him pumping his fist near the Warriors bench, to put Los Angeles ahead by four. He sank 16 of 41 shots and has scored at least 30 points in eight straight games.

After Stephen Curry's 3-pointer trimmed the Lakers' lead to one, Nash's step-back shot in the paint over Curry extended Los Angeles' cushion again. Curry missed a potential tying 3-pointer before Los Angeles grabbed the rebound - and the game.

"The guy is a winner," Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni said of Nash, who he also coached with the Suns. "There was a difference before the game. He changes everything. He changes the whole perspective."

The Lakers handed Golden State its most lopsided-loss of the season on Nov. 9, a 101-77 rout in Los Angeles. In the past two months, the Lakers had continued to slide while the Warriors had become surprising winners.

The matchup Saturday marked the first time the Warriors faced the Lakers with a better record through at least 25 games since April 23, 1994.

D'Antoni said before the game that Nash's return could be a fresh start for the franchise, especially with more difficult matchups looming, including one against the New York Knicks (19-7) on Christmas. He said the lineup with Nash is what he envisioned when the Lakers called him in November to replace Mike Brown, who was fired after a 1-4 start to his second season.

With Nash anchoring D'Antoni's fast-paced system, the Lakers had no problem settling in offensively.

They scored 15 points off 10 turnovers in the opening quarter to take a 31-27 lead. Dwight Howard was in foul trouble throughout, and the center's absence hurt Los Angeles on the other end, with the Warriors moving in and around the paint almost unchallenged.

At one point, Jack juked Nash and every other defender Los Angeles threw his way. He scored 15 points in the second quarter, sparking a 14-0 run that helped put Golden State ahead 61-53 at halftime.

The up-and-down pace had everybody winded. Curry had to ask Jackson to come out for a moment in the third quarter as Golden State played its fourth game in five nights. After a brief rest, Curry keyed another surge to give the Warriors an 88-74 lead early in the fourth quarter.

Bryant practically willed the Lakers back by himself - with Nash's help, this time - as he has done so often in his illustrious career. He finished an alley-oop from Nash on the next play with two hands, sliced Golden State's lead to 90-88 when he dunked after a give-and-go bounce pass from Howard midway through the fourth, and tied the game at 95 with a 3-pointer in the face of Harrison Barnes minutes later to set up the frantic finish.

"It was the collective energy we're playing with, and that's the most important thing," Bryant said, "the fact we're fighting together as a group through adversity."

NOTES: Darius Morris started at shooting guard for the Lakers ahead of World Peace, who had 20 points and seven rebounds in 37 minutes. D'Antoni said he likes World Peace's energy off the bench, but he will still make some starts depending on the matchup. ... The Lakers have swept the Warriors in three of the last four seasons, including all four during the 2011-12 campaign. They have two more games against each other this season. ... Carl Landry's put-back layup at the halftime buzzer was waved off after officials reviewed television replays.

Notebook: Lakers 118, Warriors 115

Eric Gilmore, for NBA.com
Posted Sun Dec 23, 2012 2:47 AM - Updated Sun Dec 23, 2012 2:47 AM

THE FACTS: Kobe Bryant scored six of his game-high 34 points in overtime, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Golden State Warriors 118-115 Saturday night at Oracle Arena as point guard Steve Nash returned to the lineup after missing 24 games.

Nash played for the first time since Oct. 31 against Portland when he fractured a bone in his lower left leg in the second game of the season. Nash started and played nearly 41 minutes. He had nine assists and 12 points, including a fade-away jump shot from 14 feet, giving the Lakers a 118-115 lead with 16.9 seconds left in overtime.

After Warriors guard Stephen Curry missed a 3-point shot, rookie center Festus Ezeli grabbed the rebound for Golden State, but he turned the ball over on an errant pass.

The two teams ended regulation tied 108-108, but the Lakers outscored Golden State 10-7 in overtime.

Metta World Peace came off the bench to score 20 points and grab five rebounds for the Lakers. Jordan Hill, another reserve, scored 14 points and had eight rebounds. Dwight Howard scored 11 points before fouling out in overtime.

Guard Jarrett Jack came off the bench to score a season-high 29 points for Golden State and had 11 assists for his second double-double of the season. Curry scored 20 points, and David Lee had a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Klay Thompson added 18 points for the Warriors.

The Lakers (13-14) beat the Warriors (18-10) for the sixth straight time overall and second straight time this season. They've won 18 of the past 19 games against Golden State.

The Warriors led 31-27 after the first quarter, 61-53 at halftime and 87-74 after three quarters. But the Lakers outscored Golden State 34-21 in the fourth quarter to force overtime.

The Lakers scored the first four points in overtime on a Howard put-back and Bryant jumper, taking a 112-108 lead. The Warriors cut the lead to 116-115 on a Curry 3 with 33.8 seconds, but Nash answered with his jumper.

Bryant shot just 16 of 41 from the field overall, but he was 3-for-6 in the fourth quarter and 3-for-6 in overtime.

QUOTABLE: "There's some soreness and some pain, but right now it's OK. It's manageable. As long as it's manageable I'll just keep going."

-- Nash, after playing his first game since breaking a bone in his left leg Oct. 31.

THE STAT: Lee scored just two points in the fourth quarter and was shut out in overtime.

TURNING POINT: The Lakers opened the fourth quarter on a 21-8 run and tied the game 95-95 on Bryant's 3-pointer, with the assist going to Nash.

QUOTABLE II: "They started making shots and we didn't take care of the basketball. You look back and realize that one defensive rebound, one well executed defensive trip, one less turnover and we are out of here before overtime. It's disappointing the way the fourth quarter went, but Kobe Bryant has a history of making shots. He did that tonight."

-- Warriors coach Mark Jackson

ROOKIE WATCH: Warriors starting forward Harrison Barnes scored 13 points, grabbed four rebounds and had three steals. Seven of his points came in the final six minutes of regulation. He spent much of the night guarding Bryant, contributing to the Laker superstar's off shooting night.

HOT: Jack was blistering hot for the Warriors in the second quarter. After drilling a 3-pointer late in the first -- his only shot of the quarter -- he went 7-for-10 from the field and 1-for-2 from long range in the second for 15 more points. He went 13-for-19 for the game.

NOT: Lakers forward Antawn Jamison is averaging 20 minutes per game, but for the second straight game he didn't get off the bench.

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: Bryant, who entered the game as the NBA's leading scorer at 29.5 points per game, got off to a slow start, shooting 5 of 17 for 11 points in the first half and went just 16-for-41 for the night. But he hit some clutch shots in the fourth quarter and overtime and scored over 30 points for the eighth straight game.

INSIDE THE ARENA: Lakers radio color commentator Mychal Thompson had a courtside seat to watch the game and his son, Warriors guard Klay Thompson. Mychal was drafted No. 1 overall in the 1978 NBA draft by Portland. He played for the Trail Blazers and Lakers during his 12-year NBA career.

NOTABLE: Lee scored over 20 points for the 12th straight time, setting another career high. He had at least 20 points and 10 rebounds for a league-leading 12th time. ... Bryant had 10 rebounds to go with his 34 points for a double-double. ... Bryant attempted 41 shots and became the first NBA player to attempt 40 or more in a game since he accomplished that feat on Jan. 14, 2008 against Seattle. Saturday's game marked the ninth time in his career he's attempted at least 40 shots.

UP NEXT: For the Lakers, Tuesday vs. New York, Wednesday @ Denver, Friday vs. Portland. For the Warriors, Wednesday @ Utah, Friday vs. Philadelphia, Saturday vs. Boston.

• Lakers: Blake, Johnson-Odom
• Warriors: Bogut, Rush

• Lakers: Howard
• Warriors: --

• Lead Changes: 20
• Times Tied: 8

• Arena: ORACLE Arena, Oakland, CA
• Officials: #55 Bill Kennedy, #35 Kane Fitzgerald, #44 Eli Roe
• Attendance: 19596
• Duration: 2:26