Kobe scores 33 in Lakers' win over Nuggets

LOS ANGELES (AP)- Kobe Bryant scored 27 points, and the unbeaten Los Angeles Lakers used a 22-0 run in the fourth quarter to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 106-88 Wednesday night, giving them six straight wins over their crosstown rivals.

Cuttino Mobley scored five straight points to give the Clippers an 81-79 lead with 8:16 remaining when the Lakers suddenly took command.

Bryant and Lamar Odom each scored six points and Jordan Farmar added four during the decisive run. Al Thornton ended the spurt by making a 3-pointer with 1:04 remaining -- the Clippers' first points in more than 7 minutes.

Odom had 15 points and nine rebounds for the Lakers (4-0); Derek Fisher scored 13 points, Vladimir Radmanovic added 11, Trevor Ariza had 10, and Andrew Bynum had nine points, 17 rebounds to match a career high and four blocked shots.

Thornton led the Clippers (0-5) with 22 points. Tim Thomas added 18 points and 11 rebounds and Baron Davis had 17 points and seven assists.

The game was the second in eight days between the teams -- the Lakers won a 117-79 decision Oct. 29. The Clippers have lost their five games by an average of 20.8 points per game. The Lakers have won their four games by an average of 20.7 points.

Clippers rookie Mike Taylor scored five points in a span of 15 seconds early in the fourth quarter to trim the Lakers' lead to two at 75-73, and Mobley put the Clippers ahead shortly thereafter before the Lakers took over.

Neither team led by more than four points in the third quarter, which ended with the Lakers on top 72-68.

Marcus Camby, held to two points and seven rebounds, in 16 minutes because of foul trouble, picked up two in the first 2 1/2 minutes to put him on the bench until the second quarter, but Davis had 10 points and six assists in the opening period to help the Clippers take a 29-27 lead.

Both teams cooled off in the second quarter. With Bynum and four reserves on the floor, the Lakers outscored the Clippers 10-1 to begin the period for a 37-30 lead. The Clippers missed their first eight field goal attempts before Thomas hit a jumper with 3:34 left before halftime.

It was 44-38 before Thornton scored nine points during a 13-3 run to finish the second quarter, giving the Clippers a 51-47 halftime lead.

LAKERS-NUGGETS PREVIEW

by Mike Trudell, Lakers.com

Today we talk with Clippers radio voice Brian Sieman to get some information on the Lakers cross-hall rivals heading into tonight's matchup.

Clippers-Lakers Preview

Maybe the Los Angeles Clippers' road jerseys will make a difference on Wednesday against their city rivals.

Because the last time they played the Los Angeles Lakers, they left Staples Center with the worst home opening-game defeat in franchise history.

Since losing 117-79 to the Lakers on Oct. 29, the Clippers have dropped three in a row for their first 0-4 start since an 0-17 beginning to the lockout-shortened 1998-99 season, when they finished 9-41.

"We need to start building from here, getting guys minutes and getting guys playing together for really the first time," said Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy, whose team has lost its four games by an average of 21.5 points. "We haven't really played together since the beginning of training camp."

First-year Clippers Baron Davis and Marcus Camby played their first game together on Monday, but the result was another loss -- 89-73 to Utah. After missing the entire preseason and first three games with a bruised right heel, Camby had five points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots off the bench.

Davis was back after sitting the previous two games with a sore left hip. He added 14 points, nine assists and three rebounds.

"I didn't really feel like myself," said Davis, who hit 3-for-7 from 3-point range, but missed six of eight shots inside the arc. "They were able to make the run, and we didn't. We're a work in progress. It's going to take some patience."

Chris Kaman posted his third consecutive double-double in Monday's loss with 19 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks. He's averaging 13.3 points and ranks among the league leaders with 10.5 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game.

While the Clippers are trying to build continuity and some momentum, the Lakers have been running on full throttle all season, winning their first three games by an average of 21.7 points.

In Saturday's 104-97 victory at Denver, they shot 37.9 percent from the field and nearly had as many turnovers (15) as assists (18), but Kobe Bryant scored 14 of his game-high 33 points in the final 6:50 for the Lakers' first come-from-behind win of the season.

"We were stuck in the mud, and it's my responsibility to get it going," said Bryant, who has 16 points in each of the Lakers' last three games against the Clippers -- all wins.

Andrew Bynum looks ready to go on Wednesday after straining the rotator cuff in his right shoulder while attempting to block a shot in Monday's practice. Bynum completed all of Tuesday's practice, according to coach Phil Jackson.

"He had some discomfort but he played all right, he played right through it," Jackson told the team's official Web site. "He went to work and did his job."

Bynum has averaged 7.3 points and 5.4 rebounds in seven career games against the Clippers, including last Wednesday's 12-point, nine-rebound outing.

The Lakers have won the last five meetings with the Clippers by an average of 28.4 points. The Clippers' last win in the series was 118-110 on April 12, 2007, despite 50 points and nine rebounds from Bryant.

Tonight we face a familiar coach running the same system we have seen for years but with some new faces. The Clippers have nine new players this season.
Read more...

GAME NOTES
NOTES & CONNECTIONS

The Lakers lead this season’s series with the Clippers 1-0 after sweeping last season’s series
4-0 for the first time since the 2002-03 season (4-0). The two teams have met 178 times overall and on 112 occasions since the Clippers moved to Los Angeles with the Lakers leading the all-time series 133-45 (87-25 vs. LAC). Overall, the Lakers have lost just two series in franchise history (1992-93 & 1974-75) to the Clippers. The Lakers are 8-2 in their last 10 games against the Clippers overall. At home against the Clippers, the Lakers are 14-4 alltime at STAPLES Center and have gone 7-3 in their last 10 home contests. On the road against the Clippers, the Lakers are 7-3 in their last 10 games as a visitor at STAPLES Center. Under head coach Phil Jackson, the Lakers are 26-7 versus the Clippers. In their first meeting of 2008-09, the Lakers defeated the Clippers 117-79 with their 38-point margin of victory marking the Lakers largest margin of victory over the Clippers since they moved from San Diego to Los Angeles prior to the 1984-85 season. The previous mark of 37 was established just last season in a 119-82 victory 3/7/08. In 47 career games versus the Clippers including 39 starts, Kobe Bryant is averaging 24.9 points. Additionally, Bryant has posted two 50-point games against the Clippers, most recently 4/12/07 vs. LAC (other: 50 points 1/7/06 @ LAC). With the departures of Elton Brand and Corey Maggette this offseason, no Clippers remain from Lamar Odom’s time with the team. Current Clippers Head Coach and General Manager Mike Dunleavy led the Lakers to a 101-63 record in two seasons with the team (1990-92) including a Western Conference Championship in 1990-91. Lakers forward Vladimir Radmanovic averaged 10.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 29.5 minutes in 30 games (11 starts) with the Clippers in 2005-06. Lakers forward Josh Powell played the 2007-08 season with the Clippers, averaging career-highs in points (5.5), rebounds (5.2) and minutes (19.2) in 64 games (25 starts).