Lakers add distance to Pacific lead with big win over Kings Kobe Bryant scored 29 points, Vladimir Radmanovic matched his season high with 21 and the Los Angeles Lakers stayed on track for the Pacific Division title with a 114-92 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday night. Radmanovic hit five 3-pointers and tied his career high with 14 rebounds, while Pau Gasol added 20 points and nine rebounds for the Lakers, who won their fourth straight. They snapped their longtime rivals' four-game winning streak with an outstanding second half, including a 23-9 run in the third quarter led by three of Bryant's four 3-pointers. Although the Lakers still trail New Orleans by 1½ games for the Western Conference lead, the win pushed Los Angeles (53-24) -- which has the same record as San Antonio -- two games ahead of Phoenix (51-26) in the Pacific standings with five games to play. The Lakers have 18 division titles, but none since 2004, Shaquille O'Neal's last season with the club. Kevin Martin scored 22 points for the Kings, who simply seemed exhausted after winning at Denver one night earlier. Bryant led Los Angeles to a big lead in the third quarter, and Lamar Odom had 16 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in the Lakers' fourth consecutive win in Sacramento. Bryant, who scored 17 points in the fourth quarter of the Lakers' win in Sacramento last month, didn't even wait that long in the rematch. He got rolling with 14 points in the first 6:02 after halftime, hitting a series of long shots that drew cheers from the thousands of Lakers fans who infiltrated Arco Arena to start "MVP!" chants. Radmanovic added eight points in the third, including two 3-pointers. Bryant hit one last 3-pointer with 2:45 to play, putting the Lakers up 110-88 -- and Kobe then waved goodbye to the Sacramento crowd as he ran back downcourt. The Kings were brought down off their high from upsetting the Nuggets on Saturday night despite playing without injured starters Ron Artest, Brad Miller and Beno Udrih. Artest returned but struggled to 19 points on 7-of-20 shooting against the Lakers, while Miller missed his second straight game with a lower leg strain. Los Angeles played without forward Luke Walton, who couldn't play after straining his right hamstring in Wednesday's win over Portland. Gasol and Derek Fisher both started for Los Angeles despite injuries. Sacramento must win its final five games to finish at .500, but the Kings already have improved on last season's win total in coach Reggie Theus' debut year. Before the game, Lakers coach Phil Jackson said Sacramento is much better than it was earlier in the season, citing Martin's development into the NBA's sixth-leading scorer as the biggest reason. Game notes |
GAME NOTES SEASON & SERIES NOTES; CONNECTIONS The Lakers have split the first two games of their four-game season series (1-1) with Sacramento after winning last season’s series with the Kings 3-1. This will be the 265th meeting between the two franchises and the 100th since the Kings moved to Sacramento. The Lakers lead the all-time series with the Kings 179-85 (70-29 vs. Sacramento). In their last 10 meetings, the Lakers are 6-4 against Sacramento but had their 3-game win streak against the Kings snapped with their 113-114 loss 3/9/08 at STAPLES Center. The Lakers are 10-7 all-time against the Kings at STAPLES Center but just 5-5 in their last 10 home games. At ARCO Arena, the Lakers have gone 4-6 in their last 10 games but have won three straight in Sacramento. Last season, the Lakers were whistled for 42 personal fouls in their 132-128 overtime victory January 4, 2007 at ARCO Arena, establishing a new Los Angeles era franchise record. The Lakers last committed 42 personal fouls back on 2/17/57 versus St. Louis when the team was still in Minneapolis. Additionally, the Lakers and Kings combined for 80 personal fouls and 102 free throws on the night, which was, at the time, the most fouls committed by two teams in more than seven years. Under head coach Phil Jackson, the Lakers are 18-12 against the Kings. In 41 career games against the Kings including 33 starts, Kobe Bryant is averaging 25.7 points. In four games against the Kings last season, Bryant averaged 31.3 points. The Lakers and Kings haven’t met in the postseason since the 2002 Western Conference Finals. While Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher both played in that series, no Kings remain on their roster from that season following the trade of Mike Bibby earlier this season.
LAKERS CLINCH PLAYOFF BERTH, MAGIC NUMBER TO CLINCH THE PACIFIC STANDS AT 5
50 WIN SEASONS |
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