
Fisher knocks on door of career high with 26 points Derek Fisher scored 26 points and Kobe Bryant added 25 to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 117-101 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night. It was the 13th win in 16 games for the Lakers, who have won six of their last eight road games. The Grizzlies, who never led in the game, were paced by Mike Miller with 19 points. Pau Gasol added 18 points and 12 rebounds. Rudy Gay finished with 15 points. Memphis didn't give itself much of a chance by committing 20 turnovers that led to 25 Lakers points. In the second half, the Grizzlies got only as close as 12 points, and the Lakers answered with seven in a row to put away the game. Bryant, who scored 60 points on his last visit to Memphis, was 8-for-22 from the field. Fisher connected on 10 of 11 attempts. Memphis had won seven of the past 10 meetings, but the Lakers led by 16 points after one quarter and extended their lead to 26 in the second. The Grizzlies missed 11 of their first 12 shots in the second period. The Grizzlies closed the half with a 13-2 run, but that cut the lead to only 61-47 at halftime. Game notes LAKERS-GRIZZLIES PREVIEW Kobe Bryant hasn't been to the FedEx Forum in more than nine months, but surely he remembers his last visit well. Playing on the road for the first time in more than two weeks, Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers face the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night for the first time since he scored 60 points in a game there last season. On March 22, Bryant's fourth career game with at least 60 points lifted the Lakers to a 121-119 win. He shot 20-of-37 from the floor and 17-of-18 from the free throw line just six days after scoring 65 at home in a win over Portland. Bryant hasn't scored more than 45 in a game this season, and he's averaging 26.7 -- nearly five points fewer than last season's average. But the Lakers, who finished 42-40 last season and were eliminated by Phoenix in the first round of the playoffs, appear to be a better team. They enter this game having won 12 of 15, including five of seven on the road. They haven't left Staples Center since Dec. 23, and are coming off a 112-96 win there against Indiana on Sunday. Against the Pacers, Bryant had 26 points and Andrew Bynum added 23 on 8-of-11 shooting with 13 rebounds. The emergence of the 7-foot Bynum, who averages 12.8 points and 10.1 rebounds, has been a major reason for the Lakers' resurgence. "Andrew's playing great," forward Lamar Odom said. "He's dominating the inside and moving the ball and everyone's getting the ball. It's fun to play like that." Fun has been rare for the Grizzlies (10-23) this season, but they've won two of three this month after losing their last five games in December. They beat Miami 101-94 at home on Sunday, closing on a 9-2 run. Pau Gasol had 28 points and 13 rebounds for Memphis, which had lost three straight and seven of eight at home coming in. "That's a big difference for us, when it comes down to the end of the game to make plays and make sure we get the win at home," Gasol said. Mike Miller added 25 points and Rudy Gay had 22, his third straight game with at least 20. Gay leads the Grizzlies with 19.4 points per game this season, more than eight points better than his 2006-07 rookie season average. The Grizzlies and Lakers split four meetings last season, including two in Tennessee. Memphis won the most recent meeting in Los Angeles five days after Bryant's 60-point game, getting 24 points from Tarence Kinsey and 20 from Gay in an 88-86 victory. This is also the first game between the teams without Jerry West actively involved on one side. The Hall of Famer spent more than 20 seasons as Los Angeles' general manager before taking over as president of the Grizzlies in 2002. West left Memphis last season after the Grizzlies finished an NBA-worst 22-60, and was rumored to be joining the Lakers after Bryant demanded his hiring, but he remains retired. Copyright 2007 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited |
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GAME NOTES SEASON & SERIES NOTES; CONNECTIONS The Lakers split last season’s series with Memphis (2-2) for the second time in series history. Prior to 2004-05, the Lakers had never lost a series to the Grizzlies but have since lost twice and split once. This will be the 47th meeting between the two franchises and the 24th since the Grizzlies moved to Memphis with Los Angeles leading the all-time series 34-12. In their last 10 games versus the Grizzlies, the Lakers are 3-7. In the Lakers last visit to Memphis, Kobe Bryant scored a series-high 60 points, becoming only the third player in NBA history to score 50 or more points in three consecutive games en route to a 121-119 victory. The Lakers’ 121 points tied for the mark for most points given up by the Grizzlies to the Lakers. Earlier in the season on January 9, Memphis scored a series-record 128 points en route to a 128- 118 victory over the Lakers at FedEx Forum. Memphis’ 128 points were the most the Lakers have ever given up to the Grizzlies, surpassing the previous mark of 112 established at Vancouver on January 15, 2001. The Lakers are 4-6 in their last 10 road games against the Grizzlies and just 2-4 all-time at FedEx Forum. The Lakers are 11-4 versus the Grizzlies all-time at STAPLES Center. Under head coach Phil Jackson, the Lakers are 20-8 against the Grizzlies. Individually, Kobe Bryant is averaging 22.5 points for his career against the Grizzlies in 40 games (33 starts).
JACKSON MOVES PAST RED AUERBACH FOR 7th ALL-TIME WITH 939th CAREER VICTORY Additionally, the Lakers victory at Philadelphia on December 21 marked Jackson’s 600th career game with the Lakers. Jackson ranks as the third longest tenured coach in Lakers history behind John Kundla (11 seasons, 734 games) and Pat Riley (9 seasons, 727 games).
LAKERS SHOOT .662 FROM THE FIELD TO OPEN 2008, BEST SINCE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON OF 1984-85 |
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