Lakers-Bobcats Preview

By TAYLOR BECHTOLD
Posted Feb 08 2013 2:36AM

While a win didn't come easy in the first meeting, a trip to Charlotte could provide the Los Angeles Lakers with an opportunity to get back on track.

The Lakers will try to rebound from their worst loss of the season and win for the seventh time in nine games on Friday night when they continue a seven-game road trip against the league-worst Bobcats.

The Lakers had won six of seven - including three straight without Dwight Howard - to move within three games of Houston for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Los Angeles (23-27), however, had that streak snapped in a 116-95 loss at red-hot Boston on Thursday.

Howard returned to the starting lineup after being sidelined with a sore shoulder, finishing with nine points and nine rebounds in 28 minutes before fouling out in the fourth quarter.

"There were a couple times where I felt (the shoulder pain)," he said, "but I just tried not to think about it."

Depending on how his shoulder responds, Howard could be in line for a big game against Charlotte's suspect frontcourt.

He finished with 16 points and 18 rebounds as the Lakers overcame an 18-point second-half deficit to beat the Bobcats 101-100 on Dec. 18.

Kobe Bryant scored four of his 30 points in the final 1:26 to key that victory, and has averaged 32.5 points in seven career trips to Charlotte.

The 15-time All-Star had a team-high 27 points on 9-of-15 shooting against the Celtics, but finished without an assist after averaging 9.3 over his previous seven games.

Forward Metta World Peace contributed just five points on 2-of-13 shooting against the Celtics after serving a one-game suspension for grabbing Detroit's Brandon Knight and striking him in the jaw on Sunday.

The Lakers shot just 5 for 23 from beyond the arc, and they've hit 29.6 percent from 3-point range in their last five games.

"Disappointing performance, start to finish," guard Steve Nash said.

Los Angeles may be able to bounce back against the Bobcats (11-37), who return home after giving up 108.0 points per game over the final four of their 0-5 road trip.

Charlotte coach Mike Dunlap wasn't pleased with his team's finish to the trip following a 122-95 loss at Cleveland on Wednesday.

"There are three or four of those that happen to you," said Dunlap, whose team has lost 11 of 13. "They're not pretty. Obviously the physical effort is unacceptable. We don't like that."

Guard Kemba Walker, Charlotte's leading scorer (17.5 ppg), will try to shake off one of his worst performances of the season after scoring five points on 2-of-11 shooting.

Walker had 28 in the December loss to the Lakers.

Charlotte, though, has averaged just 89.4 points - off their season mark of 94.5 per game - during its five-game losing streak.

It might help getting Michael Kidd-Gilchrist back after the rookie missed the last two games with a concussion he sustained last Saturday in Houston. Kidd-Gilchrist practiced on Thursday, but is likely a game-time decision.

While the Lakers have won three straight in the series, they've lost the last three in Charlotte by an average of 15.0 points.

They'll be without forward Pau Gasol, who missed his first game on Thursday since being sidelined indefinitely with a torn plantar fascia in his right foot.

Bryant leads Lakers over Bobcats 100-93

By STEVE REED
Posted Feb 09 2013 1:08AM

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) Even though Kobe Bryant and the Lakers were able to escape with a 100-93 win Friday night over the Charlotte Bobcats, the Los Angeles star was left feeling "irritated" after the game.

Irritated at his team's shot selection.

Irritated at his team's selfishness.

And especially irritated that the Lakers needed to overcome a 20-point deficit to beat the NBA's worst team.

"We have to play the right way," Bryant said. "When we have shots available, we take them. If we don't, move the ball on. It can't be about individual touches. It can't be about that."

Still, the Lakers won.

Bryant shrugged off a scoreless first half - he attempted only two shots - to finish with 20 points, eight assists and seven rebounds and the Lakers improved to 4-2 on their road trip heading into Sunday's game in Miami against the Heat.

Bryant didn't come out for warm-ups to start the second half.

But he was there to provide the spark the lackluster Lakers needed in the third quarter. He scored 14 of his points in the final period, including a driving layup with 40 seconds left to push the lead to five and help seal the win.

"In the second half I got in position where I could catch it and turn and shoot it a little bit," Bryant said. "They were reluctant to double team because we started knocking down some shots. I think that makes the game a lot easier."

Steve Nash and Earl Clark each had 17 points and Dwight Howard had 12 points, all in the first half, and 11 rebounds for the Lakers (24-27).

Howard played his second straight game despite nursing an injured right shoulder.

"Continuity," Howard said when asked of the Lakers offensive woes. "We have to do a better job of spreading everything out and moving and getting everybody involved. When we do that, we are pretty good."

Byron Mullens and Gerald Henderson each had 20 points for the Bobcats, who have lost six straight.

Charlotte led 71-51 in the third quarter, but the Lakers stormed back behind a 9-0 run. They cut the lead to one on a driving layup by Bryant with 6:06 left in the game and Antawn Jamison gave the Lakers their first lead with 4:46 remaining on a left-handed finger roll in the lane.

The Lakers took the lead for good at 92-91 when Jodie Meeks made a 3-pointer with 3:02 left in the game.

Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni wasn't pleased with the overall effort, but liked that his team bounced back after a 116-95 loss to the Boston Celtics the night before.

"We just got to be able to put our earplugs in, or mufflers on, or blinders on," D'Antoni said. "It's like the Kentucky Derby with horses, just get those blinders on and just get out there and run.

"We have so much stuff going on out here that every little thing is blown to bits and whether it is right or wrong or blown out of proportion it is. But, it affects us. It is a distraction. It saps energy. We got to be able to just close that out somehow."

The Lakers have been unpredictable this season, particularly on the road where they were 8-17 coming into this game.

Before Friday night's game against Charlotte, D'Antoni was asked if the Bobcats were a dangerous opponent for his team.

"We're playing, aren't we? (Then) there's a danger," D'Antoni said with a laugh. "If they play the national anthem, we're in danger."

He was right.

The Lakers started slow, looking out of sync just as they have for a good portion of the season as pick and rolls turned into turnovers and layups on the other end.

Nash had four early turnovers and Howard threw a pass across court that hit the side of the backboard.

The Lakers turned the ball over five times in the game's first eight minutes and fell behind 20-9.

Bryant missed his only two shots in the first half, his slowest start since March 31, 2012, when he went three quarters without scoring a point before beating the New Orleans Hornets on a game-winning shot.

The game was similar to earlier this season when the Bobcats led by 18 in Los Angeles only to squander the lead.

"We had them down pretty much the whole game," Bobcats guard Kemba Walker said. "You know, they made a really good run. Kobe made a lot of good plays, made the right passes and guys just made shots."

NOTES: Bobcats rookie Michael Kidd-Gilchrist returned to action Friday after missing two games with a concussion. ... At halftime Bryant had five rebounds, two assists and no points. ... The Bobcats had been one of three teams with a .500 or better record all-time against the Lakers, but fell to 8-9 with Friday night's loss.

Notebook: Lakers 100, Bobcats 93

Derek S. Smith, For NBA.com
Posted Fri Feb 08, 2013 10:35 PM - Updated Fri Feb 08, 2013 10:35 PM

THE FACTS: Kobe Bryant scored all of his 20 points in the second half as the Los Angeles Lakers rallied from a 20-point deficit to defeat the Charlotte Bobcats 100-93 Friday night at Time Warner Cable Arena. Byron Mullens and Gerald Henderson scored 20 each, as well, to lead the Bobcats who have lost six in a row.

QUOTABLE: "We started getting into a good rhythm and started to make some shots that we were missing in the first half and, defensively, we became a little more solid. We had to get on track and stop worrying about what we're doing individually. Just focus on what we're doing collectively as a group and just play for that."

-- Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant

THE STAT: Scoreless halves. The Lakers' (24-27) two biggest stars were each held scoreless for one half tonight. Bryant was 0-for-2 in the first half with zero points. It was the first time he was held scoreless in the first half since March 31, 2012. His first field goal was at the 8:47 mark of the third quarter. Los Angeles outscored Charlotte 55-29. Dwight Howard was held to a similar fate in the second half. The Lakers' center had 12 points and eight rebounds at the break and finished the night with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

TURNING POINT: The Lakers used a quick 7-0 spurt late in the fourth quarter to complete the comeback. Jodie Meeks drilled a three pointer to give the Lakers a 92-91 lead with 3:02 to play. Bryant capped the 7-0 run with a pair of free throws with 1:29 to play to take the 96-91 lead. Charlotte (11-38) would get as close as three with a Ramon Session layup. For the final 12 minutes, the Lakers outscored Charlotte 31-15 and held the Bobcats to 7-for-21 shooting (33.3 percent).

QUOTABLE II: "Hopefully, this will be a wake-up call. Again. For the 80th time."

-- Los Angeles Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni

HOT: Bryant was 4-for-7 from the floor in the fourth quarter and almost outscored the Bobcats by himself. The Lakers guard finished with 14 points, just one point less than Charlotte. Bryant was a perfect 6-for-6 from the charity stripe and is 15-for-15 from the free-throw line in the last two fourth quarters.

NOT: The Bobcats folded down the stretch and made just one of their final seven shots while allowing the Lakers to go 3-for-5 down the stretch.

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: Mullens returned to the Bobcats staring lineup with a solid outing. The Bobcats' power forward had been sideline until recently with a sprained ankle and returned to action during the team's five-game roadtrip. Mullens finished the night with 20 points and 12 rebounds while adding an assist, a steal and a blocked shot. Mullens has scored in double figures in each of his three games since returning to the lineup.

ROOKIE WATCH: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist returned to action after sustaining a concussion and scored four points, grabbed 10 rebounds and had two assists. Fellow rookie Jeffery Taylor finished with two points on a monstrous alley-oop. The Lakers lone rookie, Robert Sacre, did not see any action, but was active.

NOTABLE: The Bobcats have now blown two big leads against the Lakers this season. Charlotte led by 20 Friday and also led the Lakers by 18 on December 18 before losing 101-100. ... Session had 12 points and seven assists against his former team. The Bobcats had four players with double figure rebounds for the first time in franchise history (Mullens with 12, Bismack Biyombo, Henderson and Kidd-Gilchrist each with 10). Henderson had his first double-double of the season. ... Kemba Walker scored in double figures for the 19th time in the last 20 games. ... Bryant has scored in double figures in all 51 games this season and has reached 20 or more 42 times. ... Howard registered his 25th double-double this season. ... Charlotte native Antawn Jamison returned home and scored nine points and grabbed five assists. ... Bryant has made just one 3-point basket since January 20. He is one for his last 26 from behind the arc. .. At 23-28, this is only the 3rd time since the ABA-NBA merger that the Lakers are below .500 through 51 games.

UP NEXT: For the Lakers, Sunday @ Miami, Tuesday vs. Phoenix, Thursday vs. Clippers. For the Bobcats, Saturday @ Philadelphia, Monday vs. Boston, Wednesday @ Indiana.

• Lakers: Gasol, Hill
• Bobcats: Diop

• Lakers: --
• Bobcats: --

• Lead Changes: 10
• Times Tied: 5

• Arena: Time Warner Cable Arena, Charlotte, NC
• Officials: #23 Jason Phillips, #30 John Goble, #75 Eric Dalen
• Attendance: 19624
• Duration: 2:09