December 2010 Archives

NEW ORLEANS -- The Lakers ended their three-game losing streak with a strong performance while whipping the New Orleans Hornets in every facet of the game. Andrew Bynum scored a season-best 18 points on 8-for-12 shooting with six rebounds and one blocked shot in 30 minutes, 9 seconds in his first start since returning to the active roster after having offseason knee surgery. Lamar Odom shifted to the bench after starting the season's first 31 games and scored 24 points on 10-for-15 shooting. Kobe Bryant had 20 points and Pau Gasol added 11 points and 12 rebounds. Chris Paul had 20 points for New Orleans.

NEW ORLEANS -- Andrew Bynum got his first start tonight, one day after Lakers coach Phil Jackson said, "Absolutely not," when asked if the 7-foot center was ready to join the starting lineup. Bynum sat out the season's first 24 games after undergoing right knee surgery July 28. He made an immediate impact against the New Orleans Hornets, scoring eight points on 4-for-6 shooting and taking three rebounds in 14 minutes, 17 seconds in the first half. Lamar Odom moved to a backup role and scored 11 points on 4-for-5 shooting. Kobe Bryant also scored 11 points as the Lakers led by as many as 20 points.

SAN ANTONIO -- Sure, the Lakers' loss to the San Antonio Spurs extended their losing streak to three games, but there was something to cheer them at game's end. Andrew Bynum scored 10 points on 4-for-4 shooting, grabbed seven rebounds and added one assist and one blocked shot in a season-high 21 minutes, 52 seconds. He also missed six of eight free throws, which prompted to say he would shoot up to 200 before the Lakers' game Wednesday against the New Orleans Hornets.

Here's more from him:

"I've been working a lot with (assistant coach) Chuck (Person) and my touch is coming back around the rim. I'm doing the best I can with the ball when I'm in the game. I've just got to be a little more assertive, and really, really get that trust from my teammates again. I think that's something I need to do, just be a little more demonstrative and ask for the ball and be a little bit more annoying. Obviously, if I knock my free throws down I stay in the game and get more touches."

Bynum sat out the first 24 games of the season after having knee surgery July 28. He played in his seventh game.

SAN ANTONIO -- The Lakers stuck around for a while, then couldn't keep up with the San Antonio Spurs tonight for their third consecutive loss. Lots and lots of their shortcomings were exposed in their first game this season with the league-leading Spurs (27-4). The Lakers (21-10) struggled to contain their emotions. Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher got technical fouls. Bryant scored 21 points on 8-for-27 shooting. Pau Gasol scored nine points in the first half, but went scoreless in the second. Andrew Bynum had 10 points and seven rebounds, but missed six of eight free throws. Tony Parker had 23 for the Spurs.

SAN ANTONIO -- The Lakers were halfway to their best victory of the season, with a solid first half tonight against the San Antonio Spurs. Kobe Bryant was clearly playing frustrated, but he was playing with emotion. He scored eight points on 4-for-14 shooting in the first half. He made four of his first five shots, then clanked nine in a row. Pau Gasol was superb in the opening half, with nine points, six rebounds and four assists. Tony Parker scored 14 points on 6-for-12 shooting for the Spurs. Tim Duncan was scoreless.

SAN ANTONIO -- Here's what Kobe Bryant told reporters at the shootaround this morning when asked about the Lakers' lackluster play going into tonight's game against the San Antonio Spurs: "We haven't really been pointing at anything, that's been one of the problems. We don't really get too excited about anything anymore. I'm excited about this game. I'm excited about the challenge of it and hopefully the rest of the guys are too." Bryant has been rather talkative when he hasn't been avoiding reporters. He didn't talk after Monday's practice, but did after the Christmas debacle after avoiding the media for three days after he was ejected from the Lakers' loss to the Bucks on Dec. 21.

The Lakers assigned Devin Ebanks to the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA Development League in an attempt to get him some more minutes than he was getting with the big club. Ebanks, a rookie forward from West Virginia, averaged 2.9 points and 1.5 rebounds in 6.4 minutes with the Lakers.

The Lakers didn't practice today, but they are scheduled to return to the court Monday before hitting the road to face the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday and the New Orleans Hornets on Wednesday. Kobe Bryant vowed to kick some rear ends in practice in an attempt to get everyone out of their recent funk. He railed profanely about their lack of mental and physical preparedness during Saturday's loss to the Miami Heat.

This could be the best quote from his postgame rant:

"These games mean more to our opponents than they do to us. We need to get that straight. We need to play with a little more focus and put more importance on these games. I don't like it. We know what we're capable of doing. OK, well do it. We need to get going here."

But this one was pretty good too:

"The game has to be the most important thing. You have to focus on it. You have to play every game like it's your last. You have to be attentive to what's going on. This is serious stuff. You don't just have two rings and say, 'OK, we're satisfied with what we've got.' I'm not rolling with that. I'm not going to let that slide. We need to get it in gear. It's your job. Show up and work. You've got to show up and get to work."

The Lakers tuned up for what looms as a serious beatdown Tuesday against the Western Conference-leading San Antonio Spurs with a Christmas Clunker today. They were no match today for the Miami Heat, who actually played as if something was on the line at Staples Center. LeBron James had a triple-double for Miami with 27 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. Kobe Bryant scored 17 points on 6-for-16 shooting and Pau Gasol had 17 points on 8-for-17 shooting. It was a pretty meager showing for the two-time defending champion Lakers, who looked as if they wanted to be elsewhere.

Think the Western Conference-leading San Antonio Spurs are sitting at home trembling in fear after watching the first half of this mess? The Spurs play host to the Lakers on Tuesday. The Heat won the 3-on-3 game handily, with Chris Bosh scoring 18 points, LeBron James scoring 11 and Dwyane Wade getting 10. The Lakers' big three are stinking up the joint so far. Kobe Bryant had eight points on 3-for-10 shooting, plus a technical foul. Lamar Odom had eight points. Pau Gasol had 11 on 3-for-11 shooting. Let's see if Bryant's block of Wade's last-second try does anything to get the Lakers going in the second half. They started fine, then settled into an ineffective funk that produced their first-half deficit.

It's almost game-time, which means the hype is nearing an end. Oh, and the winner of Ron Artest's raffle for his championship ring has been selected. The name will be announced after the game, at around 5:30 this evening. Or whenever Artest gets to the Conga Room.

Kobe Bryant declined to speak today. Again. That's three days without a word from him. I don't know whether to be upset that I haven't heard his pearls of wisdom or pleased by his unwillingness to submit to the circus that has gathered at the Lakers' practice facility the last few days. Anyway, one of my colleagues was in the midst of a windy question to Lakers coach Phil Jackson about Miami coach Erik Whatshisface when Jackson said, "Oh, I think he's going to be the Coach of the Year." Everyone laughed except the reporter who asked the question, which made me laugh even harder. Merry Christmas everyone!

The mass of reporters gathered at the Lakers' practice facility seemed to run out of steam early today while looking for angles on the team's possible NBA Finals preview with the Miami Heat on Christmas Day. Somebody asked Lakers coach Phil Jackson what it might have been like had Derek Fisher actually signed a contract with the Heat during the offseason. Jackson said he didn't know how to answer since he never believed Fisher would really sign elsewhere. Somebody else asked Lamar Odom if being married changed his preparations for a Christmas Day game. Odom didn't know how to answer, gazing at a couple of unmarried fellows in the crowd, who then said, "Don't look at us for help."

The buzzer was still ringing Tuesday night (or so it seemed, anyway) and the questions started flying about the Lakers' matchup Saturday with the Miami Heat. This is bound to be the most-hyped regular-season game in the NBA since, well, ever. Leave it to Ron Artest to plea for a little reality check after the Lakers' loss Tuesday to the Milwaukee Bucks.

"The fans, they dictate," Artest explained. "The fans set the trends. The street sets the trends. The street dictates. This is what they've dictated (that the Lakers-Heat matchup has some extra sizzle). The media senses something. The media will follow what the fans are saying. It's something the media and the fans think is important and it's exciting. The fans think it deserves a lot of hype. But as players, you've got to play the game."

Yes, that really was the final score of tonight's game between the Lakers and the Milwaukee Bucks at Staples Center. Kobe Bryant scored 21 points and then got ejected for beefing about an offensive foul with the game all but over. His day didn't start out too hot either. According to Lakers coach Phil Jackson, Bryant was involved in a car crash on the way to the morning shootaround and arrived about 30 minutes late. All in all, it wasn't much of a tuneup for the Lakers' Christmas Day showdown against the Miami Heat.

Back at home after going 5-1 on their trip, the Lakers looked as sluggish as the traffic on the Harbor Freeway heading home on a rainy afternoon. Their motors were running, but they weren't making much progress. Lamar Odom and Kobe Bryant scored 10 points apiece in the first half for the Lakers. Ersan Ilyasova scored 13 for Milwaukee, and Andrew Bogut scored 11. Milwaukee outrebounded the Lakers, 22-16.

Here's a pretty on-the-mark assessment of the Lakers after their 5-1 trip to Chicago, New Jersey, Washington, Indiana, Philadelphia and Toronto: "It was a good trip. I mean, we didn't play great basketball, but we won games. Ultimately, we want to get better and that's what we work on going towards the playoffs. While we're getting better, it's nice to win games, because we want that home-court advantage once we get to the playoffs. So, winning five out of six is nice, but we need to be playing at a higher level than we're playing at right now."

TORONTO -- The Lakers finished their six-game trip by winning the final five, including today's easy-breezy victory over the Toronto Raptors. Kobe Bryant scored 20 points to lead six Lakers in double figures. Pau Gasol added 19 points, eight rebounds and four assists and Andrew Bynum scored 16 points and seven rebounds in 19 minutes. The Lakers return home to face the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday before their Christmas showdown with the Miami Heat at Staples.

TORONTO -- Andrew Bynum looked a little more effective than in previous games, scoring eight points in the first half today against the undersized Toronto Raptors. Andrea Bargnani couldn't play for Toronto because of a sore right ankle, so the Raptors were missing a 7-footer. This is Bynum's fourth game since returning from offseason right knee surgery. He doesn't have a lot of quickness around the basket and he's not able to get off the floor fast enough to dunk over defenders. Toronto's DeMar DeRozan smacked him hard as he tried a second-quarter slam. Pau Gasol led the Lakers with 10 points in the first half. Amir Johnson, a former standout at Westchester High, had 12 on 6-for-9 shooting for Toronto.

TORONTO -- Kobe Bryant had one of those electronic stimulation devices on his sprained right pinky when a group of beat reporters approached him after today's practice. They jokingly asked if it was actually a lie-detector. Then they asked if Bryant, who was injured in the first quarter of the Lakers' victory Friday at Philadelphia, would play Sunday against the Raptors. "You guys walked all the way over here to ask me that?" he asked, smiling to indicate he was having some fun with them. Bryant said he would indeed play. Sunday's game in the finale of the Lakers' six-game trip. They are 4-1 so far.

PHILADELPHIA -- Kobe Bryant suffered a sprained right pinky and scored only nine points on 3-for-11 shooting in the Lakers' victory tonight over the Philadelphia 76ers. X-rays taken after the Lakers' fourth consecutive victory were negative. He said he was hurt when "Pau (Gasol) threw a bad pass." His status for Sunday's game in Toronto is uncertain, although probably will play. He damaged ligaments in his pinky in February 2008, but continued to play. His latest injury is not in the joint, however. Lamar Odom led the Lakers with a season-best 28 points on 11-for-18 shooting. Gasol added 19 points and 13 rebounds and Matt Barnes had 15 points and 10 rebounds in a reserve role.

PHILADELPHIA -- Joe Smith was on the active roster for tonight's game against the Philadelphia 76ers, his first since the Lakers acquired him from the New Jersey. Coach Phil Jackson said he would only play Smith in case of emergency, however. Smith went through the team's morning shootaround, but has only a rudimentary grasp of the triangle offense.

INDIANAPOLIS -- No breakdowns, no letdowns. The Lakers played their best game from start to finish so far on their trip. They built a double-digit lead in the opening minutes and held it the rest of the way. Their biggest lead was by 26 points in the second half. They never trailed. Kobe Bryant scored 31 points on 11-for-18 shooting, and Pau Gasol added 28 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Lamar Odom had 13 points and 17 rebounds, tying his season high. Ron Artest scored 13 points, his second straight with 10 or more. Darren Collison, a former UCLA standout, had 17 for Indiana. Next: at Philly on Friday.

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Lakers seemed bent on delivering a serious payback to the Indiana Pacers in the first half of tonight's game. They led by as many as 24 points and shot 61 percent in the first half. Pau Gasol scored 21 points on 9-for-11 shooting and grabbed six rebounds. Lamar Odom added 12 points on 5-for-7 shooting plus seven rebounds. The Pacers defeated the Lakers last month at Staples Center.

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Lakers-New Jersey Nets-Houston Rockets trade became official today. The Lakers sent guard Sasha Vujacic and a protected first-round draft pick in 2011 to the Nets for forward Joe Smith, a second-round pick in '11 and a second-round pick in '12. The Lakers also received the draft rights to Sergei Lishouk from the Rockets. The picks originally belonged to Golden State (2011) and Chicago (2012). The Nets also received a protected 2012 pick from the Rockets. Houston got guard Terrence Williams from New Jersey. The teams agreed in principle Tuesday, but couldn't formally announce it until today, the first day last summer's free-agent signees, including Smith, could be dealt. Smith is scheduled to undergo a physical Wednesday and join the team for its practice later in the day in Philadelphia. If all goes well, he could be activated for Friday's game against the 76ers.

WASHINGTON -- Andrew Bynum's final line wasn't spectacular, but he didn't needed to be during the Lakers' ho-hum victory over the Washington Wizards tonight. He scored seven points, grabbed four rebounds and blocked two shots in 17 minutes, 29 seconds in a reserve role. He played for the first time since undergoing right knee surgery July 28. Kobe Bryant scored 24 points, Lamar Odom added 18 points and 10 rebounds and Pau Gasol and Shannon Brown scored 16 points. Gasol also had nine rebounds.

WASHINGTON -- The Lakers have agreed to trade backup guard Sasha Vujacic and a first-round draft pick in 2011 to the New Jersey Nets for forward Joe Smith as part of a three-team deal. Terrence Williams will go from the Nets to the Houston Rockets. The trade cannot be formally announced until Wednesday, the first day players who signed free-agent contracts last summer can be traded.

Smith, 35, has played only five games this season for the struggling Nets. Vujacic, 26, was averaging 1.8 points in 11 games going into tonight's contest against the Washington Wizards. His role has been reduced this season, his last in a three-season, $15-million contract. By trading him, the Lakers will save some luxury tax money. Smith is making "only" $1.35 million this season. The Lakers' payroll is $95.7 million, highest in the NBA.

The news took Vujacic by surprise. He didn't learn to it until told by a team official after the Lakers' victory over the Washington Wizards tonight. Here's some of what he had to say after the game: "I don't know what to say at the moment. Right now, it's just a rumor. ... They (the Nets) are a young team, they're rebuilding their franchise and it sounds interesting."

WASHINGTON -- Andrew Bynum is on the Lakers' active roster for tonight's game against the Washington Wizards, but he's not in the starting lineup. The Lakers' starting five is the same as it's been while Bynum was sidelined for 24 games after he had offseason right knee surgery. Derek Fisher and Kobe Bryant will start at the guard spots, Pau Gasol is the center, and Ron Artest and Lamar Odom are the forwards. Devin Ebanks and Theo Ratliff are inactive.

WASHINGTON -- Andrew Bynum got through today's practice without suffering any setbacks in his surgically-repaired right knee and will make his season debut Tuesday against the Washington Wizards. He sat out for the 24th time in 2010-11 on Sunday, when the Lakers defeated the New Jersey Nets. He said today he was determined not to play until he was as close to 100 percent as possible. He also admitted he hurt himself further by playing in the playoffs with torn cartilage last spring. Here's more:

"I know my team needs me, but I need to be healthy for the majority of my career. I played last year. I took a risk last year coming back and playing throughout the playoffs. My injury made it worse and stuff like that. I think this time it should be a little bit more about me and coming back fully healthy so that way I can help us for a longer time.

"I really took my time. I haven't had any pain or swelling. I still can't do any quick spins. I might feel a little bit of something, but it's nothing that's going to create swelling or hold me back. I have no idea what the plan is (Tuesday). I just want to get out there. I just know it's going to be in quick bursts, five minutes here, five minutes there."

NEWARK, N.J. -- The Lakers outscored the New Jersey Nets, 12-5, in the closing minutes and took a tougher-than-expected victory in the second game of their six-game trip. Kobe Bryant scored 32 points for he Lakers, setting up Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom for late baskets. Bryant also had four rebounds and a team-leading six assists. Odom added 22 points, Gasol scored 15 and Derek Fisher had 10. Brook Lopez had 25 for the Nets. Jordan Farmar, an ex-Lakers guard, scored eight points in a reserve role for New Jersey.

"Guys weren't standing around and watching," Bryant said of the Lakers' late-game flurry. "They were cutting without the basketball. We did a much better job of that. ... That's something we've talked about in practice. You can't stand and watch."

NEWARK, N.J. -- Jordan Farmar smiled broadly when a group of Lakers beat writers entered the New Jersey Nets' locker room looking for an update this morning on his new life and career. Farmar left the Lakers last summer to sign a three-season, $12-million contract with the Nets in the hope of landing a greater role. Farmar said it's all working out just fine. He misses his old teammates and he can't wait to get his hands on his second championship ring, which will happen when the Nets visit Staples Center next month. Here's more from the former UCLA and Taft of Woodland Hills standout:

"Life is good. I have a new baby girl (Phoenix). She's amazing. She keeps me rolling every day. I'm just working, coming in here every day trying to get better and help this organization grow. For me personally, I've been able to play basketball in a little different light and do some more things on the floor, have the basketball in my hands and run the team. It's been a growing experience for me, a learning experience. That was definitely the plan. Those guys are family in there. We've been through wars together. I wish them nothing but the best except when we're going head up against each other."

NEW YORK -- Ron Artest admitted to ESPN.com that he doesn't get the Lakers' triangle offense, which shouldn't come as much of a surprise to anyone who has watched the burly small forward attempt to fake his way through the many options of the offense. Here's what he said about trying to grasp the triangle: "See, I can't really understand the triangle, There's 1,000 plays in the triangle. It's such a challenge. I get so frustrated about it. ... So I just stay in my one spot in the corner. If I leave my spot, I get yelled at. (Lakers coach) Phil (Jackson's) gonna say, 'What are you doing over there!' So I just don't move." Artest had two points on 1-for-6 shooting in Friday's loss to the Chicago Bulls. He is averaging only 7.8 points this season. His career average is 15.5.

CHICAGO -- The Lakers started their six-game trip with a whimper not a bang tonight, failing in too many facets of the game to list here. They didn't shoot well, didn't defend adequately and ended up watching the Chicago Bulls walk off with a victory. Derrick Rose scored 29 points, grabbed five rebounds and added nine assists for Chicago. The Lakers were doomed by their woeful 10-point second quarter. Kobe Bryant scored 23 points and moved into 11th place on the NBA's all-time scoring list. Pau Gasol scored 10 of his 21 points in the first quarter on 5-for-7 shooting. He was 4 of 8 the rest of the way.

CHICAGO -- No, really, that's the halftime score. The Lakers dropped a cool 10 points on the Chicago Bulls in the second quarter of tonight's game.

CHICAGO -- The Lakers' start their first extended trip of the season tonight against the Chicago Bulls. (Wednesday's victory over the Clippers doesn't count as part of the trip since it sounded like there were more Lakers fans than Clippers fans even though the Clippers were designated the home team). There are several questions facing the Lakers. Among them:

Will they take these six games seriously? As of today, only the Bulls have a winning record. The rest (New Jersey, Washington, Indiana, Philadelphia and Toronto) are at .500 or below. The Lakers don't often get excited to play poor teams, and they're facing some seriously weak ones on this trip, especially after tonight's game against the Bulls.

Will 7-foot center Andrew Bynum make an impact when he makes his debut Tuesday against Washington. The Lakers went 16-6 through their first 22 games while Bynum rehabbed from offseason right knee surgery. They've got two more games to play before he makes his return to the active roster. Can he help them right away?

Will they get a spark from their visit Monday with President Obama at the Boys and Girls Club in Washington? Last season, the Lakers won nine of their next 11 games after visiting Obama at the White House. This time, the visit isn't as formal.

Will they find more consistency on the road than they've displayed so far? In some cities a 16-6 start to the season would be grounds for a celebration. Not so with the Lakers, who are trying for their second three-peat in the 2000s. Expectations are high, but so far it doesn't appear if the Lakers have come close to meeting them.

Andrew Bynum told our friends at the Los Angeles Times that he plans to play Tuesday against the Washington Wizards, the third game on the Lakers' six-game trip. Bynum missed his 22nd game when the Lakers defeated the Clippers on Wednesday. The Lakers could use Bynum, who underwent surgery on his right knee July 28. Theo Ratliff is out after knee surgery last month and Derrick Caracter sprained his left ankle Wednesday.

Andrew Bynum practiced with his teammates today, the first time he's gone through a full workout. He reported no pain or swelling his in his surgically-repaired right knee. The question is: When will he make his 2010-11 debut? He said he needs a few more practices before he's ready to play. Today was the last time the Lakers will practice until Saturday in New York. They'll go again Monday in Washington and maybe then he'll be ready to play. It's all guesswork at this point, as it has been since he had surgery July 28.

It remains to be seen if the Lakers are out of their post-Thanksgiving funk. They thumped the Sacramento Kings by 33 points on Friday to end their four-game losing streak, but they have some work to do before putting their slump in their rear view mirror.

Here's what Lakers coach Phil Jackson said the other day: "It's very important we play good games Tuesday and Wednesday. Whether we win or not, it's important we play well. We have a six-game road trip (coming up) that's really important for us. These are important times for us. Things are starting to matter."

The Lakers (14-6) face the Washington Wizards on Tuesday, the Clippers on Wednesday and then hit the road for their first extended trip starting Friday at Chicago. They also play New Jersey, Washington, Indiana, Philadelphia and Toronto. Of their next eight opponents only Chicago had a winning record as of Sunday morning.

Andrew Bynum played in a 5-on-5 game during the Lakers' short practice today, the first time he's participated in a regular full-contact scrimmage with his teammates since undergoing offseason right knee surgery July 28. The true measure of how Bynum fared won't be known until Sunday, when he and the Lakers will learn if he has any lingering soreness or swelling. The Lakers don't have a practice scheduled for Sunday, but will return to the court for a workout Monday in advance of Tuesday's game against Washington. The Lakers have no firm timetable for Bynum's season debut.

"We're just watching him, analyzing him in how it goes from day to day," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "We really won't know that until tomorrow (Sunday) and he comes back and says he had a little puffiness on the knee. Or whatever. Or he doesn't and he's fine and raring to go. Then you know he can absorb more training as we go along. And his conditioning is the issue right now and his timing more than anything else."

As it turned out, the Sacramento Kings were just what the Lakers needed to end their four-game losing streak tonight. The Lakers led by as many as 35 points late in the game. They outscored the Kings, 68-30, in the paint. They held Sacramento to 31-for-77 shooting (40.3 percent). Kobe Bryant scored 22 points, and Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom each added 16 points. Bryant and Gasol left the game for good with 2:55 remaining ... in the third quarter. Shannon Brown led the second unit with 14 points, and Steve Blake scored 11 and Derrick Caracter had a career-high 10.

Said Gasol of playing with a sore left hamstring: "It was a little sore, a little tight, but I managed it well during the game. I didn't really push it too hard during the game. I was able to play through it."

The Lakers were halfway to breaking their four-game losing streak, leading comfortably over the lackluster Sacramento Kings tonight at Staples Center. Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 16 points on 7-for-15 shooting in the first half. Lamar Odom added nine points and six rebounds. Pau Gasol had eight points, three rebounds and three assists in 18 minutes, playing with a strained left hamstring. The Lakers held the Kings to 33.3 shooting. The Lakers also outscored Sacramento by 34-4 in the paint, a remarkable statistic.

Despite suffering from a strained left hamstring and despite arriving 35 minutes late for tonight's game against the Sacramento Kings, Pau Gasol started as usual. He hit his first shot and showed no signs of the injury that kept him out of Thursday's practice.

Gasol took a rest and rookie Derrick Caracter replaced him with 3:14 left in the first quarter. The line so far: two points on 1-for-3 shooting and one assist. He returned to the floor to start the second quarter, with the Lakers leading the Kings, 21-16.

Are you ready for rookie Derrick Caracter to make his first start in the NBA when the Lakers host the Sacramento Kings on Friday night? It could happen if Pau Gasol's strained left hamstring isn't sufficiently improved. Gasol had tightness in his hamstrings Tuesday against Memphis and Wednesday against Houston. He did not practice today. Stay tuned.

HOUSTON -- The Lakers lost their fourth consecutive game, collapsing in a heap down the stretch en route to a loss to the injury-riddled Houston Rockets tonight. The Lakers were outscored 15-2 in the final 3-plus minutes. They went scoreless for the final 2:15. Shane Battier hit two big 3-pointers and also made three key free throws in the closing minutes.

Pau Gasol had to seek treatment for sore hamstrings in the second half. He returned to the court in the fourth quarter, but was ineffective. Ron Artest didn't get off the bench in the fourth and played only six minutes in the second half. He limped from the arena after the game, but declined to say what was wrong. He said it was just his swagger.

Meanwhile, Lakers coach Phil Jackson revealed Andrew Bynum would practice with his teammates Thursday in El Segundo. How many Lakers would actually be available to practice because of injuries and the need for rest wasn't immediately clear. it would most likely be a 4-on-4 game, rather than a 5-on-5 scrimmage, Jackson said.

HOUSTON -- The Lakers built a 12-point lead and seemed to have some momentum late in the first half tonight against the Houston Rockets. Then they watched the Rockets go on an 11-0 run to make it close again. Kobe Bryant's jumper at the buzzer made it a three-point game. Bryant and Lamar Odom each had 15 points by halftime. The Lakers shot 55.8 percent, but the Rockets shot 53.5 percent. Luis Scola, Chuck Hayes, Chase Budinger and Jordan Hill scored eight apiece for Houston. The Rockets' Yao Ming and Aaron Brooks were sidelined by ankle injuries.

HOUSTON -- Phil Jackson offered his congratulations to former Houston Rockets and (briefly) Lakers coach Rudy Tomjanovich, who was nominated for enshrinement into the Hall of Fame. "Wonderful," Jackson said, smiling wryly to indicate he wasn't entirely enthusiastic in his support. Jackson went on to agree with a local reporter that the Rockets' championships in 1994 and '95 should come with an footnote since Michael Jordan was on hiatus with the Jackson-coached Bulls at the time. Jackson said had Jordan been playing basketball instead of toiling in the minor leagues with the Chicago White Sox, the Bulls rather than the Rockets would have been champions. The Bulls won three in a row with Jordan, the Rockets won the next two, and then the Bulls won three more.