Kobe Bryant scored 28 points
and Karl Malone had 20 points and 10 rebounds before sitting out the fourth
quarter as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Memphis Grizzlies 121-89 on Sunday
night.
The Lakers shot 59.2 percent despite playing without
Shaquille O'Neal, who sat out his first game this season because of a strained
right calf muscle. Injured in the third quarter of Friday night's victory over
the Chicago Bulls, O'Neal is listed as day-to-day. The Lakers' next game is
Wednesday against Washington.
"It shouldn't bother him once he gets a chance to heal," coach Phil Jackson
said before the game.
The win was the sixth in seven games for the Lakers (11-3) since they
committed a season-high 23 turnovers in a 105-95 loss at Memphis earlier this
month. The Grizzlies had a season-high 24 in this game, their most one-sided
loss of the season.
The victory also extended the Lakers' regular-season home winning streak to
22, including seven this season.
Gary Payton, who also sat out the fourth quarter, added 17 points and 10
assists and Bryon Russell had a season-high 14 points for the Lakers.
Slava Medvedenko, activated from the injured list before the game, had 14
points and a career-high 11 rebounds for the Lakers. He hadn't played this
season because of a bruised left heel.
Horace Grant started in O'Neal's and scored a season-high eight points in 27
minutes. Grant didn't play in the final period and Bryant came out for good with
9:12 to play.
Shane Battier led Memphis with a season-high 18 points. Pau Gasol added 14
and Wesley Person 12.
Neither team led by more than five points until a 3-pointer by Bryant
triggered a 14-2 run that gave the Lakers a 59-48 halftime lead. Bryant scored
nine points and Russell five during the spurt.
The Lakers, whose 121 points were a season high, scored nine straight points
for an 82-61 lead with 4:12 remaining in the third quarter, and it was 90-67
entering the final period.
Notes:@ The Lakers were 5-10 when O'Neal was sidelined last season and 54-44
without him in the 98 games he missed in his first seven seasons with them. ...
The Lakers are 30-3 against the Grizzlies franchise and 17-0 against them in Los
Angeles. ... To make room for Medvedenko, the Lakers placed forward Jamal
Sampson on the injured list because of back spasms. ... The Lakers' longest
regular-season homecourt winning streak since moving to Los Angeles from
Minneapolis in 1960 is 24, which they accomplished at the end of the 1987-88
season and the start of the following season. ... Memphis' James Posey played
only 11 minutes before fouling out with 10:07 left. He had two
points.
The Lakers shot 59.2 percent despite playing without
Shaquille O'Neal, who sat out his first game this season because of a strained
right calf muscle. Injured in the third quarter of Friday night's victory over
the Chicago Bulls, O'Neal is listed as day-to-day. The Lakers' next game is
Wednesday against Washington.
