LAKERS: Lakers Gameday | 12/22/08 | Lakers 105, Grizzlies 96

Lakers Gameday | 12/22/08 | Lakers 105, Grizzlies 96

Location: FedExForum, Memphis, TN | Time: 5:00pm | TV: KCAL HD | Radio: AM 570 KLAC, ESPN 1330

Los Angeles Lakers (22-5)
Western Conference Standing : 1
Streak: Won 1

Memphis Grizzlies (9-18)
Western Conference Standing : 10
Streak: Lost 3

Injury Report

Sasha Vujacic (bone bruise, right hand) will play.

Pau Gasol (strep throat) is probable.

Jordan Farmar (lateral meniscus tear, left knee) is out.

Lamar Odom (upper respiratory infection) is probable.

Team	1	2	3	4	F
Los Angeles Lakers	25	24	28	28	105
Memphis Grizzlies	25	32	23	16	96

None

POST-GAME NUMBERS

54 - The Lakers shot the ball effectively tonight converting 40 of their 74 attempts, shooting a high 54% from the field. After struggling in the last two games Andrew Bynum shot a team high 75% from the field making 6 of his 8 attempts.

45 - At the end of the first half the Grizzlies were shooting 53% from the field. However, during the second half the Lakers defense was awakened by a quick pep talk during a time out from Kobe Bryant and limited the Grizzlies to finish the game shooting 45% from the field.

39 - After allowing the Memphis Grizzlies to score 57 points in the first half of the game, the Lakers played better defense and limited them to only 39 points in the rest of the game.

30 - Total lead changes during the course of tonight's game. The Lakers trailed much of the second half, but their defense in the fourth quarter helped them pull away and acquire the first win of their road trip.

4 - Technical fouls during tonight's contest. The teams had two each: Kobe Bryant and Lamar Odom picked up the fouls for the Lakers while Marc Gasol and Greg Buckner picked them up for Grizzlies.

---Francisco Gomez, Lakers.com

LAKERS BEST
Points K. Bryant 36	Rebounds P. Gasol 7	Assists P. Gasol 6	Plus/Minus L. Odom +18

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Hey Memphis … Pau’s Back

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Los Angeles Lakers

Memphis Grizzlies

Guard

D. Fisher

Guard

K. Bryant

Forward
Luke Walton

L. Walton

Forward
Pau Gasol

P. Gasol

Center
Andrew Bynum

A. Bynum

Guard

K. Lowry

Guard

O. Mayo

Forward
rudy gay

R. Gay

Forward
darrell arthur

D. Arthur

Center
darko milicic

D. Milicic

POST-GAME
GAME PREVIEW
GAME NOTES
SCOUTING REPORT
LAKERS UPDATES

Bryant keys late rally to help Lakers beat Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tenn.(AP) Kobe Bryant scored 36 points and keyed a late rally to help the Los Angeles Lakers snap a two-game losing streak with a 105-96 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night.

The Lakers trailed by 93-88 with 3:08 left, but closed the game on a 17-3 run, including 10 points from Bryant to overtake the Grizzlies down the stretch.

Bryant was 14-of-23 from the field, part of Los Angeles shooting 54 percent on the night.

Pau Gasol had 15 points, seven rebounds and had six assists in his return to Memphis. Gasol played six-plus seasons with the Grizzlies before being traded to Los Angeles in February.

Gasol is the Grizzlies franchise leader in 12 statistical categories, including points, rebounds and blocks, and the only All-Star in Grizzlies history (2006).

He was met with a mixture of cheers and boos in the pregame introductions. Later, when the Grizzlies presented a video tribute during a timeout, the boos were louder.

Rudy Gay led Memphis with 23 points, while O.J. Mayo scored 22 and had six assists.

Andrew Bynum had 13 points and Lamar Odom finished with 12.

The game was close throughout without either team building a lead of more than eight through the first three quarters. The Lakers had lost their last two games on the road - at Miami and Orlando - by a total of five points.

Memphis led 57-49 at the half and couldn't pull away in the third quarter. The two teams got testy as Marc Gasol and Bryant drew technicals. Odom would also draw one for arguing a no-call later in the half.

The two teams exchanged leads late in the third period before Memphis carried an 80-77 lead into the fourth quarter.

Notes: Monday was the final game of a season-long five-game homestand for the Grizzlies. After winning the first two, Memphis lost three straight. ... Earlier in the day, the Lakers announced that a pair of doctors had confirmed Jordan Farmar suffered a torn lateral meniscus and will need surgery. He could be sidelined for eight weeks.

Lakers - Grizzlies Preview

The Los Angeles Lakers are 0-2 on their four-game road trip, but they're not worried heading into Monday's contest against the slumping Memphis Grizzlies.

Los Angeles (21-5) has lost consecutive games for the first time this season, falling to Miami and Orlando to open the trip. Kobe Bryant scored a season-high 41 points Saturday, but missed a potential tying 3-pointer in the closing seconds as the Lakers came up short in a 106-103 defeat to the Magic.

"They had three guys over at me every time (in the second half),'' said Bryant, who had 25 before halftime. "When I get going, they send everybody."

Bryant also missed a possible tying 3 in the final seconds against the Heat on Friday.

"Those things are going to happen when you're on the road," coach Phil Jackson said. "Those shots are more friendly at home perhaps. They'll go in. But we had our shots, we took them and they just didn't go in."

Jackson may be taking comfort in knowing Bryant has played well versus the Grizzlies of late, averaging 35.0 points in his last nine games against them. He scored 53 in a 114-111 loss March 28 in the teams' most recent meeting, and also had one of his four career 60-point games at Memphis, finishing with 60 in a 121-119 victory March 22, 2007.

Los Angeles wraps up its road swing Tuesday at New Orleans, its fourth game in a five-day span.

While the Lakers believe they can bounce back from consecutive losses, the Grizzlies (9-17) probably aren't as confident in their ability to avoid a third consecutive defeat. Memphis is coming off a 112-83 home loss to Charlotte on Friday in which O.J. Mayo - leading all rookies and his team at 20.3 points per game - was held under double digits for the first time in his career, finishing with seven points on 2-of-10 shooting.

Mayo's rough game was a secondary concern to Grizzlies coach Marc Iavaroni, whose club allowed the Bobcats to shoot 65.8 percent - worst in team history.

"We showed our immaturity," Iavaroni said. "We showed that we were satisfied with a pretty good effort against the Hornets where we broke our four-game winning streak. They took the initiative early in this game, and they just amped it up and amped it up.

"We found ourselves surprisingly surprised."

During the four-game win streak that preceded the back-to-back losses, Memphis limited opponents to 44.7 percent shooting and 95.3 points. Teams are averaging 47.0 percent from the field and 99.2 points versus the Grizzlies this season.

The Lakers have averaged 112.5 points in winning three of their last four at Memphis.

GAME NOTES
NOTES & CONNECTIONS

The Lakers won last year’s season series with Memphis (2-1) after splitting the previous 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 50th meeting between the two franchises and the 27th since the Grizzlies moved to Memphis with Los Angeles leading the all-time series 36-13. In their last 10 games versus the Grizzlies, the Lakers are 5-5. The Lakers are 4-6 in their last 10 road game in Memphis. The Lakers are 5- 5 in their last 10 home games against the Grizzlies and are 12-5 all-time at STAPLES Center. Under head coach Phil Jackson, the Lakers are 22-9 against the Grizzlies. Individually, Kobe Bryant is averaging 23.6 points for his career against the Grizzlies in 43 games (36 starts). In their last meeting, Kobe Bryant scored an NBA season-high 53 points. Two seasons ago in 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. On January 9, 2007, Memphis scored a series-record 128 points en route to a 128-118 victory over the Lakers at FedEx Forum. On 2/1/08 the Lakers acquired Pau Gasol from Memphis in exchange for Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, Aaron McKie and the rights to his brother, Marc Gasol. Pau and Marc Gasol will be facing off in the NBA for the first time on 12/22/08 in Memphis. Pau remains the franchise leader in 12 statistical categories, including points (8,966), rebounds (4,096) and blocks (877) in six-plus years with Memphis.

LAKERS SCOUTING REPORT

The Memphis Grizzlies are trying to become a team like the recent fastbreaking Phoenix Suns. The emergence of OJ Mayo as their leading scorer is becoming more evident every night.
Read more...

LAKERS UPDATES

40-POINT GAMES
In the Lakers 103-106 loss at Orlando December 21, Kobe Bryant scored 41 points, marking the 93rd time in his career that he has scored 40-plus points in a game. Last season, Bryant’s 46 points February 1 at Toronto moved him past Elgin Baylor (88 40-plus games) for third all-time. In the history of the NBA, only two players have more career 40-point games: Wilt Chamberlain (271) and Michael Jordan (173). The Lakers are 63-30 in games that Bryant has scored 40-plus points. This season, the Lakers are 0-1 when Bryant scores 40-plus while in the last three seasons the Lakers have gone 4-3 (2007-08), 13-5 (2006-07) and 18-9 (2005-06).

BRYANT PASSES CLYDE DREXLER FOR 21st ON NBA’S ALL-TIME SCORING LIST
With 28 points December 16 against New York, Kobe Bryant moved past Clyde Drexler (22,195) for 21st on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. Earlier this season, with 29 points November 14 against Detroit, Bryant moved past both Larry Bird and Gary Payton on the all-time list. With 22,220 points, Bryant now trails Elgin Baylor (23,194) and Adrian Dantley (23,177) for 20th and 19th respectively on the scoring list. Bryant, currently in his 13th NBA season, passed Drexler in his 890th career game. Drexler reached 21,195 points in 1,086 career games over 15 seasons. Bryant passed Bird and Payton in his 874th career game. Bird reached 21,791 points in 897 career games over 13 seasons while Payton reached 21,813 points in 1,335 games over 17 NBA seasons. With 28 points December 2 at Indiana, Kobe Bryant became the 22nd player in NBA history to score 22,000 points and in doing so, became the second youngest player ever to 22,000 points (30 years, 101 days), one day older than Wilt Chamberlain (30 years, 100 days) who scored his 22,000th point on 11/26/66. The next youngest to 22,000 points were Oscar Robertson (31 years, 117 days) on 3/21/70 and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (31 years, 350 days) on 4/1/79. The youngest player in league history to accumulate 12,000 – 20,000 career points, Bryant became the 12th fastest to 22,000 points in terms of games, reaching the mark in 881 career games. Through his career, Bryant has been the 29th fastest to 15,000, the 22nd fastest to 16,000, the 20th fastest to 17,000, the 16th fastest to 18,000, the 15th fastest to 19,000, the 15th fastest to 20,000 and the 12th fastest to 21,000 points in terms of games. Last season, Bryant became the 25th player in NBA history to score 21,000 points and in doing so, became the second youngest player ever to 21,000 points (29 years, 194 days) and second ever under the age of 30 behind Wilt Chamberlain (29 years, 184 days). Michael Jordan was the third youngest to 21,000 (30 years, 40 days). Earlier in the season, Bryant, at 29 years, 122 days, became the youngest player in NBA history to reach 20,000 career points and the third player ever to reach 20,000 points under the age of 30, ranking ahead of Wilt Chamberlain (29 years, 134 days) and Michael Jordan (29 years, 326 days).

JACKSON MOVES PAST RED AUERBACH IN GAMES COACHED
The Lakers 116-114 victory over New York December 16 was Phil Jackson’s 1,418th game as a head coach, moving him ahead of Red Auerbach for the 12th most games coached in NBA history. Additionally, with the victory, Jackson moved within THREE wins of 1,000 for his career. Should Jackson reach the 1,000-win mark in the next 13 games, he would become the fastest coach to 1,000 career victories in NBA history, surpassing Pat Riley (1,434 career games). Already the fastest coach to 900 career victories, Jackson reached the mark in 1,264 games, 14 games fewer than Riley who held the old mark at 1,278 games. The only coach in NBA history to win better than 70 percent of his games (997-423, .702), Jackson ranks 6th all-time in terms of victories behind Larry Brown (currently 1,019 after starting the season 1,010). Earlier this season at Dallas (11/11/08), Jackson coached his 1,400th career game. Back on March 25, 2007, Jackson coached career game 1,300 to pass his mentor Red Holzman (1,299) on the all-time list. Additionally, on September 7, 2007, Jackson was inducted in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, earning induction in his first year of consideration for election. Now in his 18th season as an NBA head coach, Jackson is 997-423 for a .702 win percentage, the best in league history.

JACKSON NAMED WESTERN CONFERENCE COACH OF THE MONTH
On December 1, Phil Jackson was named Western Conference Coach of the Month for October/November 2008. The award is Jackson’s fourth Western Conference Coach of the Month honor and second consecutive Western Conference Coach of the Month award as he won for games played in April 2008 as well. Jackson also won back-to-back awards for April 2003 and October/November 2003. This season, Jackson led the Lakers to an NBA-best 14-1 (.933) mark during October and November in which they were the lone one-loss team remaining in the league and boasted an 11-0 record in Western Conference play. Prior to these honors, Jackson was last named Coach of the Month in November of 2001 before the award was divided by conference.