Lakers rally to stay undefeated

Reporting from Dallas -- Funny thing, life in the NBA. Phil Jackson had been preaching the importance of winning a gritty game and declined to compare the toughness of the current Lakers team to those that won three championships earlier this decade. 

So the present-day rendition went out and presented a "for your consideration" game. They collected floor burns, rang up a blocked shot at a critical time and held the Dallas Mavericks to 39 second-half points in a tense 106-99 victory Tuesday at American Airlines Center. It wasn't poetic, it won't make the year-end highlight video and it started out more Slowtime than Showtime, but it ended with the Lakers' sixth consecutive victory to start the season.

There were sighs and smiles after it ended, the Lakers now 3-0 in road games. Pau Gasol was again a steadying influence with 22 points and 11 rebounds, and Kobe Bryant had 27 points, but this was one for the reserves.

Trevor Ariza had 13 points, played all 12 minutes of the fourth quarter and had the play of the game, blocking a late three-point attempt by Jerry Stackhouse.

Lamar Odom had 12 points and played almost 10 minutes in...read full article