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Andrew Bynum Helps Lakers Roll Over Magic
03.15.11
Andrew Bynum grabs one of his 18 rebounds.
If Andrew Bynum continues to play defense and rebound the way he has since the All-Star break, the Lakers will be a very difficult team to beat yet again come playoff time.
Bynum scored 10 points, grabbed a game-high 18 rebounds, and blocked four shots, as the Lakers overcame a five-point halftime deficit and pushed their way easily past the Orlando Magic 97-84 at Staples Center on Monday night.
The Lakers are 10-1 since the All-Star game, and continue to play well against the league’s elite teams. The win on Monday pulled the champs (48-20) virtually even with the Dallas Mavericks (47-19) for second in the Western Conference standings. Both teams are 6.5 games behind the San Antonio Spurs.
Kobe Bryant, playing despite a sore right ankle, scored 16 points, but struggled shooting just 7-19 from the field. He only needed to play a little over 30 minutes on this night however. Pau Gasol scored a game-high 23 points, Lamar Odom had 16 points and seven rebounds off the bench, and Derek Fisher chipped in 15 points. The Lakers had five players score in double figures.
The Magic were able to stay ahead early thanks to some hot shooting from the three-point line, and the Lakers’ inability to put the ball in the basket. In fact, the Lakers shot just 27% in the first quarter, but trailed only by six (25-19) thanks to the second efforts on the boards by Bynum, who had nine offensive rebounds for the game.
The Lakers trailed 46-41 at the half, but took over defensively in the second half. The game was still close after three quarters with Los Angeles nursing a 71-66 lead, until the Lakers’ reserves put together an 18-5 run against the Orlando starters to push the game to 85-69 with just over seven minutes left. The Magic were never able to get closer than 11 points the rest of the way as the two-time defending champs cruised to the victory.
Dwight Howard had 22 points and 15 rebounds, but did most of his damage with the game out of reach, and Bynum on the bench. He also turned the ball over a horrific nine times. He was also nowhere near as dominant as the first time the two teams met in Orlando, and was rejected near the rim twice by Bynum, a sign that this would be no easy night for the All-Star.
Jameer Nelson and Ryan Anderson each scored 13 points, and Hedo Turkoglu added 12. Orlando got just 13 points from their bench, including an 0-6 performance from the field from Gilbert Arenas, who continues to have a disastrous season since being traded from Washington earlier this year.
For the game, the Magic did out shoot the Lakers from the field, 47.1% to 43.8%, but the Lakers’ shooting woes were mostly in the first half. They shot over 50% in the second half. Los Angeles outrebounded Orlando 41-39, including 14-6 at the offensive end. The Magic as a team turned the ball over 18 times to the Lakers’ five giveaways. Orlando did make 10-23 (43.5%) from beyond the arc, but struggled after a hot start.
Monday’s win was the first of seven straight home games for the Lakers, as they continue their strong push towards the playoffs. They now get four days off until they host Minnesota on Friday night.
Gasol Doesn’t Miss, Lakers Hammer Warriors
11.22.10
Shannon Brown slams home two against Warriors.
Matt Barnes’ perfect night in Minnesota Friday must have rubbed off on his teammates, as Pau Gasol had an even better stat line Sunday night, in the Lakers’ 117-89 crushing of the Golden St. Warriors at Staples Center.
Gasol didn’t miss a shot or a free throw, tallying 28 points, nine rebounds, and five assists, on 10-10 from the field, and 8-8 from the foul line, just one game after Barnes’ perfect 20-point, 7-rebound, 6-assist performance against the Timberwolves.
Along with Charles Barkley, Barnes and Gasol are the only players in NBA history to score at least 20 points, grab five rebounds, and dish out five assists without missing a single field goal or free throw.
The game itself wasn’t close from the opening tip. The Lakers dominated inside early and jumped out 37-21 after one quarter, kept pouring it on all night, and lead 95-60 after three quarters en route to the easy victory. The Warriors could fare no better than they did on Halloween night, when they lost by 24, despite having guard Stephen Curry, who missed the first game with an ankle sprain, in the lineup.
Kobe Bryant had another short and restful night in the blowout, playing less than 27 minutes, scoring 20 points, with six rebounds, and five assists. Shannon Brown continues to play well off the bench, scoring 17 points on 7-10 from the field, including 3-3 from the 3-point line. Lamar Odom added 15 points and 10 rebounds in just over 27 minutes of action.
The Warriors were led by Dorell Wright’s 16 points, but it took 17 shots to get them. The Warriors did get a scare when their leading-scorer, Monta Ellis, took a hard fall on his hip and didn’t return to the game. Ellis, the league’s second-leading scorer, had just five points on 2-10 shooting. The injury is not believed to be serious.
The Lakers’ defense was on display again on this night, holding the Warriors to 35.2% from the field and just 3-20 (15%) from beyond the arc. The Lakers shot a season-high 55.7% from the field, and have won their last 4 games by an average of 17 points.
The Lakers’ next game is Tuesday night against Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls at Staples Center. The Bulls are playing well, leading the Central Division at 7-4, and are coming off an 88-83 win at Dallas on Friday. They are in the middle of a grueling seven-game road trip.
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