Lakers hold off lowly Wolves for 11th win in 12

By GREG BEACHAM

LOS ANGELES (AP) Pau Gasol scored 25 points, Kobe Bryant added 18 on his sprained left ankle, and the Los Angeles Lakers overcame Andrew Bynum's fourth-quarter ejection to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves for the 15th straight time, 106-98 on Friday night.

Bynum had 10 points and 14 rebounds before getting tossed with 6:16 to play for a flagrant foul against Michael Beasley, who crashed to the floor after Bynum clobbered him on a drive.

Despite a rusty return from a three-day break, Los Angeles has won 11 of 12 since All-Star weekend.

Wes Johnson scored a career-high 29 points for the Timberwolves, who have lost 14 of 18. Beasley scored 18 points before leaving with apparent hip pain from Bynum's foul.

The Lakers (49-20), who have lost only to Miami since the All-Star break, also opened a one-game lead over Dallas (48-21) for second place in the Western Conference standings. Los Angeles was unable to wrap up the formality of its fourth straight Pacific Division title because Phoenix beat Golden State.

Yet the Lakers barely held off the lowly Timberwolves, who led for most of the first three quarters and went in front again in the final 4 minutes.

Beasley and Matt Barnes argued vehemently after Bynum's flagrant foul, with teammates and officials separating them. Beasley got a technical foul for the exchange - and after he hobbled off the floor in pain moments later, Martell Webster's skull collided with Bryant's jaw while Webster drew a foul and made a jumper, sending Bryant facedown to the floor in pain.

That collision finally sparked the Lakers, who already have lost this season to Sacramento and Cleveland - two of the three NBA teams with poorer records than the Timberwolves.

Bryant immediately hit an 18-foot jumper, and Los Angeles made a 13-3 run highlighted by a 3-pointer with 2:33 to play by Lamar Odom, who scored eight points.

Bryant sprained his left ankle during last week's win at Dallas, but played through it in Monday's victory over Orlando before resting the past three days. The rest didn't appear to help as Bryant missed his first six shots before returning late from the locker room at halftime, likely while getting treatment.

Bryant still hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the final minute of the first half, trimming Los Angeles' halftime deficit to 51-49. Shannon Brown, who scored 14 points, then played the first 5 1/2 minutes before Bryant re-entered the game.

Ron Artest also missed his first six shots, but engaged in an entertaining duel with Beasley in both defense and trash-talking.

Johnson surpassed his previous career high with 2:10 left in the third quarter, but Bryant led a 10-4 run to take a 78-74 lead into the fourth. Johnson managed just two points in the final period.

NOTES: Minnesota hasn't beaten the Lakers since March 6, 2007. ... Johnson had 20 points and eight rebounds in the Wolves' loss to the Lakers in Minneapolis on March 1. ... The Lakers also have won 10 straight home games against the Timberwolves. ... Fans near courtside included the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson and Mike Love, Stacy Keibler and will.i.am.

POSTGAME QUOTES

Lakers coach Phil Jackson on tonight's performance:
"It was a difficult game. We kind of anticipated it. The first half was erratic at best; second half we played a little bit better."

Lakers coach Phil Jackson on Andrew Bynum's Flagrant 2:
"…He was going to go block the shot but he was too late so he just bumped him, just gave up on the ball…he didn't do it in a way that was malicious. He just stopped [Beasley's] penetration, but Andrew looks bad and [Beasley] fell hard."

Lakers coach Phil Jackson on Kobe Bryant not starting the second half:
"Kobe was detained."

Lakers coach Phil Jackson on the significance of moving into sole position of second place in the Western Conference:
"The significance will be if we have a chance to beat them at home. That will be a real head on head-on opportunity to not only take the series setting but it will also have an opportunity to step ahead of them maybe at that time."

Lakers coach Phil Jackson on the remainder of the season:
"We're just trying to focus. Portland, Phoenix those are the next two down the road here at home. We want to bring our game back, elevate our game again."

Lakers coach Phil Jackson on Kobe Bryant's health:
"We'll talk about it tomorrow. I'm sure he's going to say no. We'll definitely talk about it and see exactly how he's doing and if there's anything bothering him [physically] about tonight's game."

Lakers' guard Kobe Bryant on his head-to-head collision with Martell Webster:
"It was in my jaw, but my jaw is fine. I can take a hit. It was just that my neck snapped back. My neck is pretty stiff right now."

Lakers' guard Kobe Bryant on his injured ankle throughout the game:
"It was okay. It was a little stiff, so I had to stretch it out a little bit. It was alright.

Lakers' guard Kobe Bryant on playing through his injured ankle:
"I just had to get my rhythm, really. I haven't practiced for the last three days or shoot or do anything. So I kind of had Bambi legs out there a little bit. I just had to get my rhythm down. But I'm okay."

Lakers' guard Kobe Bryant on Andrew Bynum's flagrant foul:
"He committed a hard foul. He did what a big guy is supposed to do, protect the paint."

Lakers' guard Derek Fisher on tonight's game:
"They play us tough almost every time we face this team. Obviously, with Kurt Rambis being the coach, I think they have some understanding of what we're trying to do offensively and defensively. They do a good job of executing their offense and making it hard for us to slow them down."

Lakers' guard Derek Fisher on Andrew Bynum's flagrant foul:
"It was just guys competing. The game had been really hotly contested the entire night, and sometimes the calls don't go your way in terms of if it was a flagrant foul or not. Andrew is not the type of person to ever try to hurt anyone but I think he was just trying to make a play to help us out. It was just an emotional game."

Lakers' guard Derek Fisher on Kobe's performance with his injure ankle and his limited playing time:
"He's had limited ability to be on his feet since he hurt it. It's tough not to be able to do the same things you do to prepare every game and come out and just play in the game. But I think he's just trying to be a captain and be a leader and make himself available for us. He's still a threat out on the floor even if he's not 100 percent."

Lakers' forward Pau Gasol on moving into second place in the Western Conference:
"Well there's 13 games to go for us. There's still many tough games for us to get and keep getting better. At this point, you're just trying to win as many as you can and hopefully that will translate into a good position as far as the standings, and just get ready for the next part [playoffs].

Lakers' forward Pau Gasol on the physical game tonight:
"It was just a random play. I mean, it was just a drive to the basket, and he [Bynum] got him [Michael Beasley] and he fell awkward...he didn't get hurt hopefully. I don't think it got terribly chippy out there."

Lakers' forward Pau Gasol on Kobe Bryant's ankle and how it affects the duo's on-court chemistry:
"I mean it obviously shows once again how tough he is and how much he's willing to play no matter what. It's a bad sprain and he's out there fighting and competing as hard as he can, so that doesn't affect our chemistry or our understanding when we're out there at all."

Lakers' forward Lamar Odom on Bynum's flagrant foul play:
"It was just a basketball play. Players jump in the air and they loose control when they get hit. Sometimes, it looks a little worse than it is."

Lakers' forward Lamar Odom on Kobe's play tonight on his injured ankle:
"He's going to take his time. He still hit some big shots. Hopefully, he'll get some treatment and get better."

Timberwolves Coach Kurt Rambis on how physical the game got tonight:
"That's playoff basketball, they're gearing up for it. I thought it was good for our guys to see how rough and physical a game can be, that's a good thing for our learning experience. I thought our guys did a really good job when the ball came, offensively and defensively we played a very mindful game for the most part and gave ourselves a chance to win."

Timberwolves Coach Kurt Rambis on the flagrant foul called against Andrew Bynum:
"Those are judgment calls by the referees. Unfortunately, Michael [Beasley] got hurt on it and had to come out of the ball game because of it, but I know Andrew, he wasn't going up to do anything malicious, he was just going up to protect the basket. So I think he was making a good basketball play out of it."

Timberwolves Coach Kurt Rambis on the extent of Michael Beasley's injury:
"His hip is very sore. I don't know anything more than that. I know they took X-rays, but I don't know anything more about that, or what the X-rays showed."

Timberwolves Coach Kurt Rambis on Wesley Johnson's defense against Kobe Bryant:
"Well, he gets up for the challenge. They have a relationship, so I know Kobe talks to him, things that Wes can work on offensively and defensively. You could see that Wes was really geared up for this ball game, to take the individual challenge defensively, which is a very tough assignment, he's one of the greatest players to ever play the game. But, I thought Wes did a really good job of, for the most part, taking shots at his rhythm and got himself going in the ball game and stayed with him. He had a good ball game."

Michael Beasley on the game tonight:
"..They are getting ready for the playoffs. That's the kind of basketball you have to get used to playing. "

Wesley Johnson on if his performance is a difference in his normal routine:
"I just went out there and felt good. I had a nice rhythm going and I just stayed real poise and confident out there."

Wesley Johnson on what it's like going up against Kobe Bryant:
"That's what you want, you want to go against the best. Playing against him, it brings out the best in a lot of people. It's definitely good coming out here and playing against him, I really wanted to go out there."

LAKERS VS. TIMBERWOLVES GAME PREVIEW

By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN, STATS Senior Writer

The Los Angeles Lakers may be able to clinch another Pacific Division crown Friday night. Of course, that's not too meaningful to the two-time defending NBA champions.

The Lakers should be able to ease into their return from a three-day break between games as they look to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves for the 15th straight time.

Los Angeles (48-20) can clinch a fourth straight division title with a victory and a loss Friday by Phoenix to Golden State. It's not surprising that the Lakers aren't concerned about winning the Pacific.

"Winning your division means you are on top but we have bigger goals in mind," forward Pau Gasol said.

The Lakers, tied with Dallas for the second-best record in the Western Conference, have not played since opening a seven-game homestand with Monday's 97-84 win over Orlando.

Coach Phil Jackson's club has won 10 of 11, and he wants that level of play to continue over the last 14 games of the season.

"We always talk about the fact that you have to save some energy and have a build-up at the end of the season," Jackson said. "You can't do that with a team that's not playoff-bound or of championship quality, you have to push them from the start, and this team understands that this is the time to push it to get ready for what remains of this season and the postseason."

Kobe Bryant did not practice Wednesday as he continues to rest his sprained ankle. It won't prevent him from playing, although it may be some time before he's at 100 percent.

"It's still an ankle that's badly sprained," Jackson said. "He's got to be doing therapy a lot."

Bryant is shooting 35.0 percent and averaging 18.7 points over his last three games.

Minnesota (17-52) should not pose much of a threat Friday. The Timberwolves have dropped their last two games by an average of 19.0 points, allowing Utah to shoot 54.8 percent in a 119-104 loss Wednesday.

"They just sliced us apart," coach Kurt Rambis said. "Whenever a team gets 60-plus points in the paint scored on you, you don't give yourself a very good chance."

The Timberwolves have not beaten the Lakers since March 6, 2007, and have lost nine straight in the series at Staples Center.

Los Angeles is 3-0 in the season series, winning by an average of 14.0 points in two road games. The lone matchup at Staples Center was a 99-94 victory despite former UCLA star Kevin Love's 24 points and 23 rebounds.

Love's 53-game streak of double-doubles ended in the opener of this three-game trip Sunday against Golden State. He could find it difficult inside Friday because of how Lakers center Andrew Bynum is playing.

Bynum has posted four straight double-doubles and is averaging 15.8 rebounds over his last six games.

"Some nights he's got to score," Jackson said. "He's got the hands that can make the games different. But every night he can change it with rebounding and defense."

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