LAKERS STAKE CLAIM AS BEST IN THE WEST BY DISMANTLING SPURS

Kobe Bryant led five Los Angeles players in double figures, as the Lakers downed the San Antonio Spurs, 99-85, in a matchup of two of the Western Conference's top teams. Andrew Bynum finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers, who have won four consecutive games. Trevor Ariza added 17 points, Pau Gasol 16 and Jordan Farmar 14 in LA's win. The Lakers and Spurs came into the contest leading their respective divisions -- Los Angeles atop the Pacific and San Antonio in front in the Southwest. But the Lakers came...read full article

Lakers crush Spurs in Western Conference showdown

Kobe Bryant led a balanced scoring attack as the Los Angeles Lakers crushed the San Antonio Spurs 99-85 Sunday in a showdown of the Western Conference's top teams. Bryant scored 22 points while playing only three quarters. He was not needed in the fourth after the Lakers turned a six-point halftime lead into a 15-point spread in the third quarter. The margin eventually went to 21 in the fourth. "We played a stellar game and our bench was the difference breaking the game and holding the lead," Lakers coach Phil Jackson told reporters. "They (Spurs) just...read full article

Video: Kobe Bryant sells ankle insurance from a horse

If you're not wearing the new Nike Zoom Kobe IV, you could have your ankles broken by someone who is wearing them. Take it from Kobe.

Lakers star Bryant to write blog for Chinese web site

Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant has signed a lucrative marketing agreement with Internet giant SINA.com to write a blog for their Chinese website. The 30-year-old Bryant enjoys a huge following among the 1.3 billion people in China where his popularity rivals that of Houston Rockets star Yao Ming. "As a kid growing up I never in my wildest dreams thought I would have this big fan base half way around the world in Beijing and Shanghai," said Bryant during a red-carpet reception Thursday at the Club Nokia bar to announce the...read full article

Mason's late three pointer lifts Spurs over Lakers

Roger Mason nailed a three pointer with just 10 seconds left as the San Antonio Spurs edged the Los Angeles Lakers 112-111. After Kobe Bryant drilled a three-pointer over Mason that gave the Lakers a 111-109 lead with 12 seconds left, the Spurs called a timeout, setting up Mason for the heroics. Matt Bonner had trouble inbounding the ball, but found Mason in the corner. He faked, then hit a tough shot as he was fouled by Derek Fisher. Mason made the ensuing free throw, giving the Spurs a one-point lead. The Lakers had one last chance but Bryant was doubled...read full article

Lakers don't always finish strong

They have played a lot of close games, and sometimes things don't bounce their way.

If the Lakers could have shortened some of their games to 47 minutes and varying degrees of seconds, their record would be that much better. It's akin to saying some baseball teams would look better in eight innings of play, or that some football teams would be just fine if an opponent's final 83-yard drive had been wiped off the record. But for conversation's sake, of the losses suffered by the Lakers (31-7), four have been in the waning seconds, including...read full article

Kobe Dogs Wade, Lakers Escape The Heat With Win

Kobe Bryant The Doberman, the defensive stopper from Beijing, was unleashed again for one night.
He shadowed Dwyane Wade all over the court, denied him the ball and took him out of the game at key moments, all while leaving his team’s scoring to others. It worked. Wade shot just 1 of 10 in the second half when Kobe was on him and was virtually a non-factor on the Heat’s last few possessions, Andrew Bynum led the Lakers with 24 points including what was essentially winning tip in with 18.5 seconds left and Los Angeles picked up another close win at...read full article

Bynum helps Lakers edge Heat

Andrew Bynum scored a team-best 24 points, including a key putback bucket in the waning moments of the fourth, and the Los Angeles Lakers went on to post a 108-105 victory over the Miami Heat at Staples Center. Kobe Bryant had 19 points on 5-of-14 shooting with seven assists, while Derek Fisher had a game-high 11 helpers and 13 points for LA, which has won three straight and nine of 10 overall. Pau Gasol logged a game-high 18 rebounds and scored 14 for the Lakers, while Vladimir Radmanovic drained four three-pointers en route to 18 points. The...read full article

Bynum lifts Lakers to close win over Heat

Kobe Bryant again misfired against the Miami Heat. This time, Andrew Bynum had his back. Bynum tipped in Bryant's miss with just under 19 seconds remaining Sunday, helping to lift the Los Angeles Lakers to a 108-105 victory over the Heat in a matchup of two of the NBA's top three leading scorers. Bynum had 24 points and six rebounds for the Lakers, who suffered an 89-87 loss to the Heat on December 19, when Bryant's game-tying attempt rimmed out at the buzzer. With the game tied at 102-102 on Sunday, Bryant drove to Dwyane...read full article

Bryant, Wade square off when Lakers host Heat

Miami (19-16) at LA Lakers (29-6) 9:30 p.m. EST

Kobe Bryant appears determined to defend his MVP crown. Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers go for their third straight win on Sunday when they host the Miami Heat. The 30-year-old guard, Bryant earned his first NBA MVP last season when he ranked second in the league in scoring, averaging 28.3 points per game. He also added 6.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists as the Lakers advanced to the NBA Finals before losing to the Boston Celtics. Bryant is poised to duplicate that success this campaign as he ranks third in scoring at 27.2 points per game and has...read full article

Miami Heat looks for season sweep of Lakers

After needing overtime to beat one of the worst teams in the West, the Heat can do something no team has done this season against the conference's best: Beat the Lakers twice. The Heat (19-16) looks to sweep the Lakers (29-6) for the first time since the 2004-05 season when they play Sunday at Staples Center. The Heat won the first of two regular-season games 89-87 on Dec. 19 in Miami. Kobe Bryant's jumper rimmed out as time expired. Coach Erik Spoelstra said the Heat is a more confident defensive team now that it was three weeks ago, when it held the...read full article

MVP Bryant lifts Lakers over Pacers

National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player Kobe Bryant hit the game-winner with three seconds to play Friday as the Los Angeles Lakers beat Indiana 121-119. Bryant finished the game with 36 points, 13 assists and seven rebounds. Indiana called timeout to set up a final play that didn't pan out. Mike Dunleavy inbounded the ball to Jeff Foster, who looked to get the ball back to Dunleavy but couldn't and ended up holding it as time ran out. The victory avenged the Lakers' December 2 loss at Indiana, when the Pacers won with a last-second tip-in. The...read full article

Recap: LA Lakers vs. Indiana

Kobe Bryant recorded 36 points -- including the game-winning jumper with three seconds left -- and the Los Angeles Lakers returned to their winning ways at home with a 121-119 victory over the Indiana Pacers. The Lakers had lost their previous home tilt to the Hornets, snapping a 15- game win streak as the host. But LA improved to 19-2 at home this season, which is second in the NBA behind the Cavaliers, who are a perfect 19-0 at Quicken Loans Arena after a 98-83 rout of the Celtics on Friday. "We were never quite comfortable with a 10- or 12-point lead...read full article

Kobe sinks Pacers in final three seconds

Kobe Bryant hit the game-winning jumper with three seconds left to give the Los Angeles Lakers a 121-119 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Friday. Bryant, who finished with 36 points, 13 assists and seven rebounds, backed down Jarrett Jack before drilling the shot. Indiana called timeout to set up a final play, which went awry. Mike Dunleavy inbounded the ball to Jeff Foster, who looked to get the ball back to Dunleavy but couldn't and wound up holding it as time ran out. Foster launched a futile shot after the game was over. The win was a form of revenge for...read full article

Lakers are put through paces again

Teammates Vladimir Radmanovic and Pau Gasol congratulate Kobe Bryant after he hit an 18-foot jumper with three seconds to put the Lakers ahead, 121-119, on Friday night against Indiana. Should the Lakers be fortunate enough to make it to the NBA Finals, they can be thankful for one thing. The Indiana Pacers won't be there. Cleveland, Boston and Orlando are headline-takers in the Eastern Conference, but the well-under-.500 Pacers are simply headline-makers for the Lakers. A little more than a month after beating the Lakers in...read full article

Gasol's 4th-quarter surge leads Lakers

Pau Gasol had 33 points and a career-high 18 rebounds, Kobe Bryant added 21 points and the Los Angeles Lakers rallied from a fourth-quarter deficit for their seventh victory in eight games, 114-106 over Golden State on Wednesday night. Andrew Bynum had 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers, whose home loss to New Orleans on Tuesday snapped a six-game winning streak for the Western Conference leaders. Los Angeles struggled for the second straight night before Gasol took charge against Golden State's undersized frontcourt, scoring six points during the...read full article

Gasol, Lakers outlast fiesty Warriors

Pau Gasol scored 33 points to lead five players in double figures and the Los Angeles Lakers claimed a 114-106 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday. Gasol made 12-of-21 shots from the field and added 18 rebounds for the Lakers, who bounced back one night after having a six-game win streak snapped during a 116-105 setback to the New Orleans Hornets.
Reigning MVP Kobe Bryant scored 21 points, Trevor Ariza added 17 off the bench and Andrew Bynum contributed 18 and 11 rebounds for Los Angeles. Jamal Crawford poured...read full article

Kobe can't save Lakers in 116-105 defeat

Kobe Bryant turned Staples Center electric in the third quarter Tuesday night. The New Orleans Hornets turned it nearly silent in the fourth. The Lakers were stuck in neutral in a game that demanded top speed, so Bryant got them moving in the right direction - temporarily, at least. He scored 20 of his team-leading 39 points in the third quarter, but the Lakers fizzled in the fourth.
New Orleans regrouped and ended the Lakers' six-game winning streak with a 116-105 victory in front of a sellout crowd of 18,997. It was the Hornets' first win over the...read full article

Lakers Are Now the Best: It's Official

With their win against the Portland Trail Blazers, after the Celtics lost at New York and the Cavaliers lost at Washington on Sunday night, the Los Angeles Lakers claim the top spot with a league-best 27-5 record. Boston (29-6) and Cleveland (27-6) are now looking up to the Lakers' best record in the league. Kobe Bryant played for just 33 minutes and scored 26 points, Pau Gasol added 19 points in 28 minutes, and Los Angeles beat the Portland Trail Blazers 100-86 Sunday night for its sixth consecutive victory and 15th straight at...read full article

Lakers Overtake Celtics for NBA's Top Record

Kobe Bryant finished this reverse dunk against the Blazers last night, and in the process helped his team to pass the Boston Celtics in the league-wide standings. Thanks to a bizarro night in the Association -- one where the Celtics fell to the Knicks, and LeBron's crab dribble couldn't save the Cavs from losing a close one in Washington -- the Lakers now own the NBA's best record with a 27-5 mark through the team's first 32 games. Of course, it's not like they're running away with it or anything; the Celtics have actually played three more games, and...read full article