February 2010 Archives

Ron Artest won the game within the game today, slowing Carmelo Anthony of the Denver Nuggets. Artest held Anthony to 21 points on 7-for-19 shooting, forcing him into eight turnovers before fouling him out with 2 minutes, 13 seconds remaining in the Lakers' 95-89 victory at Staples Center. Artest benefited from the rough-and-tumble confrontation between the two muscular small forwards. "It's cool," he said. "It pushes you to the limit. It's fun to play a game where they're letting it go, where you're getting frustrated a little bit, but you're in the grind and you want to be in that situation. It's fun. It's like old-school basketball. I miss that."

Trailing by as many as 13 points in the first half, the Lakers rallied today to defeat the Denver Nuggets for the first time in three games this season. The Nuggets swarmed Kobe Bryant, who did not have a good shooting game. He scored 14 points on 3-for-17 shooting, but added a team-leading 12 assists. Lamar Odom led the Lakers with 20 points and also grabbed 12 rebounds. Ron Artest scored 17 points and played lock-down defense against Carmelo Anthony, fouling him out with 2:13 remaining in the game. Anthony had 21 points. Pau Gasol scored 15 points and grabbed a team-leading 14 rebounds for the Lakers. The Lakers held the Nuggets to 35.9 percent shooting.

Lamar Odom laid it out pretty clearly today after practice. He said the Lakers wanted to win their first two games against the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets, he said, needed to win their first two games against the Lakers. Now, it's the Lakers who need to win Sunday afternoon's showdown with the Nuggets at Staples Center. "We're looking forward to beating them because they beat us," Odom said. "They looked forward to playing us and beating us (earlier this season), because we really took care of them (in the playoffs the last two seasons). We just saw it as just one more game. They changed that by beating our butts pretty good. ... We need to let them know we can beat them."

FYI: the Nuggets won the first two games by 26 points and by 13.

You didn't really think the Lakers would lose this one, did you? Here's what Lakers coach Phil Jackson said after tonight's game: "They were probably looking past (the 76ers) to the Denver game a little bit. They wanted to win the game (against the 76ers). They probably knew they could do it at any point in the game. They just waited until the end." The Lakers play host to the Nuggets on Sunday afternoon, a game that should command their attention a little bit better than tonight's contest against Philadelphia. For the record, Andrew Bynum said, "Definitely," when asked if he was happy to get the Philly game over and done with. Bynum scored 20 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. Pau Gasol had 23 points and 11 rebounds. Kobe Bryant had 19 points and eight assists.

The Lakers turned in a lackluster first half against a lackluster team, trailing by as many as five points tonight at Staples Center. Pau Gasol had 17 points and seven rebounds and Andrew Bynum had 10 points and eight rebounds. Samuel Dalembert had 14 points to lead Philadelphia, and Lou Williams added 11 points and five rebounds. Before the game, the NBA fined Bynum $25,000 for criticizing the officials after the Lakers' loss Wednesday to the Dallas Mavericks. Bynum said tonight he wasn't surprised by the fine and planned to sound off about the referees before he was interviewed by a TV reporter.

The Lakers didn't practice today after losing Wednesday at Dallas and winning Tuesday at Memphis. Nothing new to report, but check back Friday for news, notes and quotes from the Lakers-Philadelphia 76ers game at Staples Center.

DALLAS -- Dirk Nowitzki scored 31 points and Jason Terry added 30 as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Lakers tonight. The Lakers did not have the same bounce in their step they showed while defeating the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night. "(Fatigue) is always a factor, but it's never an excuse," Pau Gasol said. "That's just the way it is, that's the way the NBA schedule is; you've got back-to-back (games), you've got to travel, and you play through it. We have enough of a veteran team here that we can play through it and fatigue is never an excuse or a big factor." Lamar Odom had a team-leading 21 points and Kobe Bryant added 20, one night after returning to the Lakers' lineup after sitting out five games because of a strained tendon in his left ankle. Bryant missed what would have been the tying 3-pointer with 24 seconds remaining in the game.

DALLAS -- Ron Artest and Lamar Odom each scored 11 points in the first half tonight to lead the Lakers. Kobe Bryant scored only six points on 3-for-11 shooting in his second game in as many nights after sitting out for five because of a strained tendon in his left ankle. Andrew Bynum had eight points on 4-for-5 shooting and a team-leading nine rebounds. Jason Terry led Dallas with 18 points in a reserve role. The Lakers went on a 10-0 run to take a 48-39 lead, but Dallas closed the half with a 10-2 run.

DALLAS -- Kobe Bryant needs to score two points tonight against the Dallas Mavericks to pass Reggie Miller for 13th place on the NBA's all-time scoring list. Next on the list: Alex English (12th with 25,163 points), John Havlicek (11th with 26,395) and Dominique Wilkins (10th with 26,668). Bryant moved ahead of Jerry West to become the Lakers' all-time leading scorer when he had 44 points during the team's loss Feb. 1 to the Memphis Grizzlies. Bryant has 25,278 points going into tonight's game against the Mavericks.

UPDATE: Bryant had 20 points in tonight's loss to the Mavs and moved past Miller. He has 25,298 points going into Friday's game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Staples Center.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Kobe Bryant returned to the Lakers' lineup and helped them pull out a victory tonight over the Memphis Grizzlies. He scored a team-leading 32 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 4.3 seconds remaining. He made 13 of 19 shots, including three of four from beyond the 3-point arc. He also had seven rebounds and six assists. O.J. Mayo missed what would have been the winning jump shot from about 20 feet at the buzzer. Bryant and Pau Gasol got caught on a switch, but Gasol stuck with Mayo as he dribbled into position to take the final shot. The Lakers trailed by as many as 11 points in the second half before rallying for their fifth victory in six games. They were 4-1 while Bryant was sidelined by a strained tendon in his left ankle.

"Nobody in the world is shocked anymore with what Kobe Bryant does," Pau Gasol said. "He stepped up at the end of the game, in his first game back, and he really played excellent. It feels good to have him back and doing what he does."

Said Bryant: "Every time, it just feels like the first time. I truly does. It's a great feeling. It's always brand new."

Bryant played in his 1,000th NBA game.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Kobe Bryant returned from a five-game absence because of a left ankle injury and scored 17 points on 7-for-9 shooting in the first half. He had a couple of rim-rattling dunks while playing 20 minutes. He added five rebounds and four assists. Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol each scored 11 points. Derek Fisher had four points, topping 9,000 for his career. O.J. Mayo (USC) scored 15 points to lead the Grizzlies, who trailed by as many as 14 points before drawing close late in the half.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Kobe Bryant played in his 1,000th career game tonight and hit his first shot of the game, a 3-pointer with 8 minutes, 44 seconds left in the first quarter. He drew a foul on Memphis' O.J. Mayo and made the free throw to complete a 4-point play. Bryant sat out the Lakers' last five games because of an injured tendon in his left ankle. He wore a high sock for stability. He also played mostly on the perimeter in the early minutes.

UPDATE: Bryant scored nine points on 3-for-5 shooting and added five rebounds and three assists to help the Lakers take a 27-16 lead by the end of the first quarter.

Kobe Bryant said today after practice that he will play in Tuesday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies, ending his five-game absence because of a strained tendon/sprained left ankle. He last played Feb. 5 against the Denver Nuggets. The Lakers won four of five games without him, losing only in the dying seconds Thursday against the Boston Celtics.

Here's some interesting reading from the New York Post today. Not sure it's anything more than wishful thinking by a New York scribe just itching to see the hometown Knicks with all the best players in the NBA next season, but it's worth a look.

Sasha Vujacic bruised his right shoulder when he ran into a hard pick set by Boston's Kendrick Perkins in the second half of Thursday's game. He continued to play but knew something was wrong right away. He's expected to be out for a couple of weeks. "It's pretty painful," he said earlier today. "It's frustrating. But that's the way it is, right? I think I fell down also. I felt something. It was frustrating. I didn't want to come out. After the game it got worse and worse and the next day it was terrible."

Kobe Bryant practiced with his teammates today and said he hopes to play Tuesday against the Memphis Grizzlies, the Lakers' next game. He has been sidelined for five games because of a strained tendon in his left ankle. He gave the following update after today's workout, which consisted of a scrimmage for him and a scrimmage and some conditioning drills for his teammates: "The ankle was still sore at certain points, but it went away. It didn't linger or anything like that, so I was able to move and pretty much do anything I wanted."

Derek Fisher said he wasn't about to let his missed jump shot at the buzzer Thursday night deter him from taking other big shots in tight situations. Fisher shanked what would have been the game-winning basket and the Boston Celtics held on to win. Fisher said after the game: "If you're confident in yourself and you know your teammates are confident in you, if you're open, you take the shot and live with the consequences. That wasn't the type of shot that I would like to get, but if there's anybody else on the team that is willing to take whatever (heat) comes with it, it's me. I just wish we would have won the game. I'll take anything individually, as far as my stats, as long as we win the game."

Derek Fisher missed a hurried jump shot from 20 feet as the final buzzer sounded and the Boston Celtics held on to beat the Lakers tonight at Staples Center, ending their four-game winning streak without an injured Kobe Bryant. Fisher scored only three points on 1-for-9 shooting. Pau Gasol led the Lakers with 22 points. Ray Allen had 24 points on 10-for-15 shooting for the Celtics. Rajon Rondo added 14 points, including the go-ahead runner over the outstretched arm of Lamar Odom (13 points and 14 rebounds).

So, what happened on the final play?

"Well, they had a foul to give," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said of the Celtics. "Fish broke off his cut. He was supposed to open the floor up and we were supposed to have an option there. It didn't work. We had another timeout to use in case it didn't work."

The Lakers didn't use that timeout, however.

What's more, they scored only two points after taking an 84-80 lead with 7:14 remaining.

What happened there?

"We had some wide-open shots," Jackson said. "Shannon (Brown) had a couple of wide-open shots. Pau had some opportunities. He opted to pass the second-to-last one. I still haven't looked at that sequence. I have to look at that to understand it."

Gasol had what looked like an open jumper along the baseline, but passed to Brown who failed to handle it cleanly and lost the ball out of bounds with 31.3 seconds left.

The Boston Celtics came out smoking tonight in the first half. They made 13 of their first 20 shots (65 percent) and hit 22 of 40 by halftime (55 percent). The Lakers couldn't keep pace, hitting ly 18 of 42 in the first half (42.9 percent). Ron Artest led the Lakers with 12 points in the first half and Pau Gasol had 10. Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum added eight apiece. Ray Allen had 12 to lead the Celtics. The Lakers played their fifth consecutive game without Kobe Bryant, who has a strained tendon in his left ankle. They were 4-0 in the first four.

It doesn't look like the Lakers will make a move before the NBA's trade deadline Thursday, apparently content with their roster at present. Lakers coach Phil Jackson acknowledged that he and GM Mitch Kupchak have spoken about possible deals, but nothing is going to happen. Are the Lakers doing the right thing by standing pat at the deadline?

Kobe Bryant revealed today he's more troubled by a strained tendon on the outside of his left ankle than by sprained ligaments. He said he was unsure whether he could play against the Boston Celtics on Thursday night at Staples Center. "Right now it's a no," he said. "If I wake up tomorrow and I feel drastically different, then I'll play, but I doubt it." Bryant suffered what the team has called a sprained ankle Jan. 29 against the Philadelphia 76ers. He played in the next two games, including the Lakers' victory Jan. 31 over the Celtics in Boston, but then skipped the next four games, plus the All-Star game Sunday in Dallas.

Shannon Brown started in place of an injured Kobe Bryant and delivered career-bests of 27 points and 10 rebounds for his first double-double in the NBA. Andrew Bynum returned from a two-game absence because of a bruised right hip and scored 21 points on 8-for-11 shooting. Ron Artest had 15 points, Pau Gasol had 14 and Derek Fisher scored 11. Lamar Odom scored nine points in a reserve role and grabbed a team-leading 18 rebounds. Oh, and the Lakers won their fourth in a row without Bryant, who has a sprained left ankle.

Next: the Boston Celtics visit Staples Center on Thursday.

Will Bryant be ready to play by then?

"I'm sure he wants to be," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "I'm sure he's making every attempt to be. He's doing therapy. He's almost doing therapy too much in the process of trying to get this thing better. I think he'll give it a try and we'll see how it is Thursday."

Andrew Bynum scored 15 points on 6-for-6 shooting and Shannon Brown had 13 points on 6-for-9 shooting in the first half tonight. The Lakers, playing for the fourth straight game without Kobe Bryant (sprained left ankle), led by as many as 14 points in the first half. The Warriors rallied just before halftime. Anthony Morrow led Golden State with 15 points. Two Lakers struggled in the first half. Ron Artest had only two points on 1-for-7 shooting and Pau Gasol had four points on 2-for-9 shooting.

Kobe Bryant won't play tonight against the Golden State Warriors, sitting out his fourth game because of a sprained left ankle. He practiced Monday, but wasn't going at anything close to full speed and had no strength in his ankle. Andrew Bynum will return to the active roster after sitting out two games because of a bruised right hip. He wasn't expected to be anywhere near 100 percent tonight. The Lakers were 3-0 without Bryant.

Kobe Bryant won't be playing in the All-Star game because of a sprained left ankle, but Pau Gasol will represent the Lakers on Sunday. Jason Kidd of the Dallas Mavericks has replaced Bryant on the Western Conference roster, and word on the street is Dirk Nowitzki will take his place as a starter. Gasol is a reserve. Shannon Brown will compete in the dunk contest. Derek Fisher will attend union meetings starting today in his role as the players' association president. A few other players might be headed to Dallas, too, including Jordan Farmar, Ron Artest and DJ Mbenga (as Brown's assistant in the dunk contest). Lakers VP Jeanie Buss will represent the team in Dallas, but Coach Phil Jackson will stay home and do laundry and feed the dog, as he put it the other day. Pretty much everyone else plans to get some rest and relaxation over the next few days, yours truly included.

In a move that is certain to make Lakers fans cheer, Kobe Bryant has decided not to play in the All-Star game Sunday in Arlington, Tex., because of a sprained left ankle. Bryant did not play in the Lakers' final three games before the break, including Wednesday's victory over the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City. David Stern, NBA commish, named Jason Kidd of the Dallas Mavericks to replace Bryant in the game. It will be up to Denver's George Karl, coach of the Western Conference All-Star team, to decide who starts in place of Bryant. Sitting out the last three games probably made it easier for Bryant to beg off the game. Stern can get cranky when his All-Stars decide to skip the event in favor of rest. Clearly, Bryant needs time off to mend his ankle, which he originally hurt Dec. 29 against Philadelphia.

SALT LAKE CITY -- Kobe Bryant didn't play tonight for the third consecutive game, which was probably the right move in the long run. His sprained left ankle might also keep him out of the All-Star game Sunday, which also might not be such a bad thing for the Lakers. It might bum out the 100,000 or so fans who are expected to attend the game at the Dallas Cowboys new stadium in Arlington, Tex., and it might disappoint TV viewers. But it should make Lakers fans happy to know Bryant is resting his ankle and not hurting it further.

The Lakers showed they could win without him in hostile territory, beating the Trail Blazers on Saturday and ending their nine-game losing streak in Portland. They also cooled off the Utah Jazz on their home court, ending their nine-game wining streak. They did it with Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom guiding them with monster games. Gasol had 22 points, 19 rebounds, four assists and five blocks. Odom had 25 points and 11 rebounds. Jordan Farmar added 18 points on 7-for-11 shooting in a reserve role.

"We decided we weren't going to complain or lose our focus," Odom said. "We kind of stayed poised. ... This is a good team no matter who's in or who's out of the lineup. We have a lot of guys who can play. Sometimes when you lose a guy or two, your focus is there as a team. In this building, it's kind of easy to get embarrassed and run out of the here. We just wanted to finish the right way right before the break."

SALT LAKE CITY -- Lamar Odom had 13 points on 5-for-6 shooting and seven rebounds in the first half tonight as the Lakers tried to go 3-0 without Kobe Bryant. Pau Gasol scored 12 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Jordan Farmar had 10 points in a reserve role. The Lakers led by as many as 17 points. Bryant sat out for the third consecutive game because of a sprained left ankle. Andrew Bynum did not play for the second straight game because of a bruised right hip. Carlos Boozer led Utah with 11 points in the first half.

SALT LAKE CITY -- Kobe Bryant and Lamar Odom, two former Olympians, made the cut today for USA Basketball's expanded roster for the world championships this summer and the 2012 London Games. Andrew Bynum also was selected, but declined the invite. Bryant played on the gold medal-winning team at the 2008 Beijing Games. Odom played in the 2004 Athens Games. Twenty-seven players were selected today. The world championship and Olympic teams will be picked from that large pool.

Others chosen from the Beijing roster included: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony, Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer.

Newcomers to the national team included: Minnesota's Al Jefferson and Kevin Love (UCLA); Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo of Memphis (USC); Philadelphia's Andre Iguodala; Boston's Kendrick Perkins; Indiana's Danny Granger; New York's David Lee; New Jersey center Brook Lopez; Oklahoma City guard Russell Westbrook (UCLA); Portland's LaMarcus Aldridge; Charlotte's Gerald Wallace; and Clippers guard Eric Gordon.

Kobe Bryant didn't practice today. Neither did Andrew Bynum. Lamar Odom also sat out in order to have tests done on his sore right foot. All three traveled with the team to Salt Lake City for Wednesday's game against the Utah Jazz, the Lakers' final contest before the All-Star break. Bryant and Bynum might not play because of ankle and hip injuries, respectively. Odom was listed as probably.

Question: Should any of them play or should they take the game off and get a jump on the All-Star break?

In case you missed it, here's what Charles Barkley had to say on TNT about the Lakers before their victory Monday night over the San Antonio Spurs: "I'm concerned about Kobe (Bryant's) health. Kobe and Pau Gasol are the only Lakers who have played well. Lamar Odom has been inconsistent, Andrew Bynum for some reason cannot play well with Pau Gasol. Ron Artest has not helped them and their bench has been inconsistent. I was watching Michael Wilbon the other day and he was talking about Kevin Garnett, Kobe, guys like that, those guys have actually played more minutes than guys like myself. I played more years than these guys, but these guys have played more minutes than I played. Kobe has played more minutes than I have and he's played four years less than me. That takes its toll. The Lakers are still the favorite if everybody's healthy."

Pau Gasol had a huge game to lead the Lakers past the San Antonio Spurs tonight at Staples Center. He scored 21 points, 19 rebounds, eight assists and five blocked shots as Kobe Bryant watched from the training room while getting treatment on his sprained left ankle. Ron Artest had 18 points, Lamar Odom had 16 points and 10 rebounds. Jordan Farmar and Derek Fisher scored 13 apiece. Andrew Bynum (bruised right hip) also didn't play. Manu Ginobili led the Spurs with 21 points and Tony Parker scored 20.

"It was fun," Gasol said after the Lakers improved to 40-13, including 2-0 without Bryant. "I think it was a good challenge for us. The way we played tonight, (it) was beautiful to be out there. We played hard and got a nice win. I think it's got to be reassuring for the rest of the team and for the guys who don't play that much that are now stepping up. We have to play different roles without Kobe and Bynum out there."

Lamar Odom scored 11 points, Ron Artest added nine points, Sasha Vujacic added eight points and Pau Gasol had six points and 10 rebounds in the first half tonight. How's that for balance? The Lakers were missing Kobe Bryant (sprained left ankle) and Andrew Bynum (bruised right hip) while facing the full-strength San Antonio Spurs. The Lakers gave up the game's first nine points, but rallied behind a pair of 3-pointers from Artest in the early minutes and things settled into a better rhythm. Tony Parker led the Spurs with 15 points.

UPDATE: Kobe Bryant underwent an MRI exam today, which revealed he has a sprained left ankle. So, nothing new there. He's not going to play tonight against the San Antonio Spurs. It's unclear whether he will play in Wednesday's game against the Utah Jazz. Lakers coach Phil Jackson said before the game he hoped Bryant could play. As for Andrew Bynum, he also isn't playing tonight. He has a bruised and swollen right hip and he could be out until after the All-Star break. He said he probably wouldn't play against the Jazz, adding that it could be week before he's ready to play.

Kobe Bryant is listed as questionable to play tonight against the San Antonio Spurs because of a sprained left ankle. Andrew Bynum is listed as doubtful to play because of a bruised right hip. If neither can play, the Lakers' starting lineup might look like this:

Fowards: Ron Artest, Lamar Odom.
Center: Pau Gasol.
Guards: Shannon Brown, Derek Fisher.

If Bryant plays and Bynum doesn't, it could look like this:

Fowards: Ron Artest, Lamar Odom.
Center: Pau Gasol.
Guards: Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher.

Best guess: Neither plays. More after the locker room opens at 6 p.m..

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Ron Artest scored 21 points to help lead the Kobe Bryant-less Lakers past the Portland Trail Blazers, ending their nine-game losing streak in Oregon. Shannon Brown added 19 points in a reserve role. Derek Fisher had 14 points and six assists. Pau Gasol had 13 points, Jordan Farmar added 12 and Lamar Odom scored 10 points and tied his career high with 22 rebounds. LaMarcus Aldridge led Portland with 16 points. The Lakers went 3-2 during a hectic seven-day schedule of games that stretched from the East Coast to the West Coast with a stop in the middle of the country. They beat the Celtics in Boston on Sunday, lost to the Grizzlies in Memphis on Monday, beat the Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday at Staples Center, lost to the Denver Nuggets at home Friday and then defeated the Trail Blazers at the Rose Garden tonight.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Center Andrew Bynum suffered a hip contusion in the first half and could not answer the bell for the second. He had three points and one rebound in 9 minutes, 33 seconds in the first half. His status for Monday's game against the San Antonio Spurs at Staples Center was not immediately know. More later.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Ron Artest moved from small forward to shooting guard and Lamar Odom went from sixth man to starting small forward because Kobe Bryant sat out because of a sprained left ankle. Artest scored 11 points in the first half, hitting a pair of 3-pointers in the closing seconds. Odom had six points and eight rebounds. Shannon Brown led the Lakers with 14 points in a reserve role. LaMarcus Aldridge led Portland with 12 points.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Kobe Bryant's streak of 235 consecutive games will end tonight, when he sits out for the first time since March 7, 2007 because of a sprained left ankle. Bryant declined to speak with reporters before tonight's game against the Portland Trail Blazers. He scored 33 points during the Lakers' loss Friday night against the Denver Nuggets at Staples Center. He last missed a game almost three years ago against the Milwaukee Bucks because of a one-game suspension. Bryant's availability for Monday's game against the San Antonio Spurs was not immediately certain.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Lakers got good news tonight when the Portland Trail Blazers announced guard Brand Roy would sit out the next three games plus the All-Star game because of a right hamstring injury. He had missed 11 of Portland's last 12 games going into tonight's contest against the Lakers, who have lost nine in a row at the Rose Garden. "Unfortunately, I'm not where I was hoping I would be physically at this point," Roy said. "It's a setback and I'm obviously disappointed, but my entire focus is getting back on the court, contributing and helping our team down the stretch." Roy scored 32 points in the Blazers' victory over the Lakers here last month. He is averaging 23.1 points in 40 games.

The Denver Nuggets busted the Lakers in the mouth in the third quarter, with Chauncey Billups scoring 21 of his career-best 39 points. He made 12 of 20 shots, including 9 of 13 from beyond the 3-point arc. J.R. Smith added 27 points on 11-for-17 shooting. Nene had 14 points. Kobe Bryant scored 33 points for the Lakers and Pau Gasol had 17 points and 17 rebounds. Denver shot 57.1 percent; the Lakers shot 44.9 percent. The Nuggets' 126 points were the most the Lakers have given up this season. Next: Portland, where the Lakers have lost nine consecutive games at the Rose Garden.

Kobe Bryant scored 23 points on 8-for-12 shooting in the first half tonight. There were concerns earlier in the day whether he would sit out because of a sprained left ankle. Pau Gasol added 10 points and eight rebounds and Andrew Bynum had eight points. Chauncey Billups led Denver with 16 points on 5-for-9 shooting. J.R. Smith added nine points.

Kobe Bryant will play in his 235th consecutive regular-season game when he takes the floor tonight to face the Denver Nuggets. Bryant's sprained left ankle was not so bad that he had to take a night off. He last missed a game March 7, 2007 against the Milwaukee Bucks. When asked if it might be wiser to rest Bryant, Lakers coach Phil Jackson said: "I believe in players playing. You know there is pain that you play through in the NBA and then there is pain that could be detrimental to your well being. ... A player has to know that if they're been around for any length of time, what you can go through, what level you can stand and still perform. And Kobe has managed that maybe better than any athlete."

Kobe Bryant declined an invitation to speak to reporters today. Coach Phil Jackson gave an update on Bryant, who aggravated his injured left ankle during Wednesday's victory over the Charlotte Bobcats. The Lakers are now calling it a sprain, by the way. Here's what Jackson said about Bryant: "He's didn't come out on the court and practice. He's trying a variety of therapies to see what will work out. I'm sure he wants to (play against the Denver Nuggets), but we'll see what that's about tomorrow. It occured to me yesterday during the course of that game (against the Bobcats that Bryant should simply sit out in order to let his ankle heal). I told him he played quite well. Two-for-12 (shooting), but a lot of those balls were just dropped on him as the 24-second clock was running out. Those kids are so used to giving him the ball at the end of the clock and making him develop a shot. He kept us running the offense. His defense was there."

Here's some of what Phil Jackson said tonight after passing Pat Riley and becoming the Lakers all-time leader with 534 coaching victories: "It's been a really good run. Having this opportunity, to coach this team, is always special. So the fact that we've had some great teams, great players, is always a credit to them (the players). My staff, the guys who help me prepare this team for games. All those things are ingredients going into this. It's not really an individual record in my mind. It's a team, a club significant thing."

Phil Jackson earned his franchise-record 534th victory in the Lakers' win over the Charlotte Bobcats tonight at Staples Center, breaking a tie with Pat Riley. Lamar Odom scored 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds on a night when Kobe Bryant scored a season-low five points on 2-for-12 shooting and re-injured his sore left ankle. Andrew Bynum helped the Lakers end a three-game losing streak to Charlotte by scoring 17 points and grabbing 14 rebounds. Pau Gasol and Ron Artest added 14 points each. Stephen Jackson led the Bobcats with 30 points.

UPDATE: Bryant later revealed his ankle had been bothering him to start the game. He originally hurt it Friday against the Philadelphia 76ers. After tonight's game, he said, "It was just hurting today, pretty much. I tried to battle through it tonight. It was just stiff. Stiff and tight. Lamar (Odom) stepped on my foot as I was changing directions at the end of the half, so that didn't help. It just made it worse. It just set it back to square one."

Kobe Bryant injured his left ankle after a collision with Lamar Odom in the closing second of the first half tonight. It was the same ankle he tweaked when he collided with Elton Brand of the Philadelphia 76ers last Friday. Bryant left for the Lakers' locker room. There was no immediate word on the severity of the injury, but he was back on the floor to start the third quarter. Bryant scored three points on 1-for-7 shooting. Andrew Bynum led the Lakers with 12 points and nine rebounds. Stephen Jackson led the Bobcats with 12 points. The Bobcats had won three in a row over the Lakers and six of seven. Overall, Charlotte was 6-4 against the Lakers.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- On the night he became the Lakers' all-time leading scorer, Kobe Bryant passed up what could have been the tying or winning shot and passed the ball to Ron Artest instead. Artest missed a 3-pointer from the right corner as the buzzer sounded and the Lakers' four-game winning streak came to an end. They finished their eight-game trip with a 5-3 record. Bryant passed Jerry West to become their all-time leading scorer. He had 44 points on 16-for-28 shooting. Artest had 18 on 6-for-9 shooting.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Kobe Bryant became the Lakers' all-time leading scorer when he dunked to cap a fastbreak with 4:14 remaining in the third quarter tonight against the Memphis Grizzlies. Ron Artest jumped on a loose ball, passed ahead to Jordan Farmar, who shoveled the ball to Bryant for his 28th and 29th points tonight. They also were the 25,192nd and 25,193rd points of his career, enabling him to pass West.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Kobe Bryant needed to score 29 points to pass Jerry West and become the Lakers' all-time leading scorer. He has 23 points on 7-for-14 shooting in the first half tonight. He would be closer to West, but has hit only 8 of 13 free throws. West scored 25,192 points during his Hall of Fame career with the Lakers. Memphis led the Lakers by as many as 11 points in the second quarter before Bryant rallied the Lakers. Phil Jackson tied Pat Riley as the Lakers' winningest coach when they defeated the Boston Celtics on Sunday. Jackson can stand alone with win No. 534 tonight.