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The Lakers have won seven of the last eight games against the Grizzlies.
The Los Angeles Lakers put their undefeated record on the line tonight against the Memphis Grizzlies, who are 2-1 for the first time since 2005-2006, when they made the playoffs with the help of one Pau Gasol. Tonight, Pau faces his brother Marc, who is day-to-day with a left ankle sprain but is expected to start. Here are the probable starters and injury reports for both teams:
Aside from Gasol, Zach Randolph is listed as a game-time decision with a lower back contusion, but is not expected to play.
Luke Walton might see his first minutes of the season tonight, but he is listed as doubtful with a right hamstring strain. Center Theo Ratliff is probable with a sore left knee.
The Lakers have beaten the Grizzlies in six of their last seven meetings. The Lakers won their first 10 games against the Grizzlies at Staples Center, but are just 5-5 in their last 10 meetings in Los Angeles. Under head coach Phil Jackson, the Lakers hold a 28-10 edge over the Grizzlies.
For more information, be sure to read the SB Nation blog Silver Screen and Roll.
As the two-time defending champions with the top seven players returning, it was expected that the Los Angeles Lakers would be at or near the top of the league this season. They did nothing to disprove that in their first week, winning all three games. As such, the Lakers firmly hold the top spot in the NBA power rankings on SB Nation. Per Christopher Clark:
As SB Nation's resident Lakers blogger, I should have a pretty good handle on Kobe Bryant's band of merry men. And merry is exactly what they are, with the Miami Heat stealing all the headlines and a fair share of the envy/vitriol which would otherwise have been reserved for the two time defending champs. The Lakers quietly but emphatically improved the back end of their roster, and those upgrades have played a starring role in the Lakers' 3-0 start. It's early yet (aren't small sample sizes great), but this year's Lakers squad looks to be miles ahead of last year's version in outside shooting and ball movement, the two key offensive areas in which the champs struggled in early 2010.
I must admit to being pleasantly surprised that the Lakers made it through three games undefeated. An opening night victory against the Houston Rockets which required late game heroics from newcomer Steve Blake, and a road win against the Phoenix Suns, which saw L.A. do just enough to keep the Suns at arms length all night long, show that the Lakers are already in mid-season form. 100-percent effort won't make many appearances at Staples Center during the regular season, and I personally guarantee the Lakers will go through a slide that will lose them control of this prestigious spot in the power rankings at least once this season, but until then, these guys will still beat a majority of the association without red-lining, especially since they've gotten more adept at winning lazy.
This week, the Lakers have three home games, against Memphis, Toronto, and Portland, with a road game mixed in Wednesday night at Sacramento.
For more information, be sure to read the SB Nation blog Silver Screen and Roll.
At some point in the second half of tonight's game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies, Kobe Bryant will likely set another team record. Bryant, who is already the only Laker ever to play in 15 seasons, is 27 minutes shy of becoming the Lakers' all-time leader in minutes played, behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Here are the all-time Laker franchise leaders in minutes played:
| Player | Minutes |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 37,492 |
| Kobe Bryant | 37,465 |
| Jerry West | 36,571 |
| Elgin Baylor | 33,863 |
| Magic Johnson | 33,245 |
| James Worthy | 30,001 |
| Byron Scott | 25,534 |
| Michael Cooper | 23,635 |
| Gail Goodrich | 21,765 |
| A.C. Green | 21,451 |
Bryant is already the franchise leader in points scored, with 25,862. Only four players in NBA history have scored more points with one franchise than Kobe, and he will likely pass two of them this season:
| Player | Team | Points |
| Karl Malone | Utah | 36,374 |
| Michael Jordan | Chicago | 29,277 |
| Hakeem Olajuwon | Houston | 26,511 |
| John Havlicek | Boston | 26,395 |
| Kobe Bryant | Lakers | 25,862 |
Bryant also ranks second on the Lakers all-time list in games, minutes, steals, field goal attempts, free throws made and attempted, and free-throw percentage. He is the franchise all-time leader in three pointers made and attempted.
For more information, be sure to read the SB Nation blog Silver Screen and Roll.
(Sports Network) - Kobe Bryant has been struggling with a balky right knee but that hasn't stopped the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers from opening the season in positive fashion.
In fact the Lakers will aim to remain perfect on the young campaign Tuesday when they welcome the Memphis Grizzlies to Staples Center.
LA improved to 3-0 on Sunday when Pau Gasol scored 26 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, as the Lakers dominated the Golden State Warriors, 107-83.
Bryant added 20 points and seven rebounds for the Lakers, who have won three in a row to begin the season for the first time since winning seven straight to commence the 2008-09 campaign. Lamar Odom chipped in 16 points and 14 rebounds.
"Other than our 20 turnovers, we weren't bad tonight. We got loose balls and some easy baskets," Lakers head coach Phil Jackson said.
Bryant, who underwent surgery on the knee for a third time this offseason, jokingly told the media: "Leave me the (heck) alone about my (expletive) knee."
In response, Jackson told the team's website, "I'm pleased with the progress of Kobe, it looks like his offense is coming along. Defensively he still is working on some things that he has to get done with his strength and base. He's not 100 percent but that's good of him to say it. Offensively he looks fine."
Memphis, which opens a four-game road trip tonight, is coming off a blowout win over Minnesota on Saturday. Mike Conley stuffed the stat sheet with 14 points, 11 assists, seven rebounds and seven of a franchise-record 22 steals, as the Grizzlies rolled to a 109-89 win.
O.J. Mayo had 29 points, while Rudy Gay chipped in 25 for the Grizzlies, who were coming off a one-point win at Dallas Friday. Conley tied his own franchise record for steals in a game and equaled a career-high in assists.
"I think it's effort," coach Lionel Hollins said. "It's getting back to what we do. We had some consistency with our effort."
On the injury front for Memphis, power forward Zach Randolph is questionable for tonight's game with a bruised lower back, while rookie guard Xavier Henry is probable with a strained neck.
The Grizzlies, who will also face Golden State, Phoenix and Sacramento on their trek, will be shooting for their first 3-1 start since the 2005-06 campaign, the last time the franchise made the postseason.
The Lakers have taken six of their past seven meetings with Memphis, which is winless in its last three as the guest in this series.
For more information, be sure to read the SB Nation blog Silver Screen and Roll.
Lakers Dominate Grizzlies, 124-105
Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Kobe Bryant scored all 23 of his points in a dominant first half, leading the Los Angeles Lakers in a 124-105 rout of the Memphis Grizzlies at Staples Center. Former Memphis forward Pau Gasol added 21 points, 13 rebounds and five assists for the Lakers, who improved to 4-0 on the young season. Lamar Odom contributed with 17 points, eight boards and six assists in the resounding win.
"It's always fun to play against my former team and my brother," Gasol said. "I'm glad we got the win. Our intensity is great, and we're making progress."
Rudy Gay had 30 points to lead all scorers for Memphis, which has split its first four games of the season. Mike Conley, fresh off signing a multi-year extension, chipped in with 16 points in defeat. Marc Gasol posted 11 points and eight rebounds for the Grizzlies.
"We didn't compete in the first half," Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins said. "We played better in the third quarter, but it was too little, too late."
Los Angeles never trailed in the game, taking control from the beginning.
The Lakers began the contest on a 13-2 surge, capped by a Bryant 21-foot jumper five minutes into the game. The lead extended to 26-15 after a pair of free throws from Odom, and it was 34-23 after 12 minutes.
The advantage ballooned when Los Angeles scored 19 of the first 24 points in the second quarter, with Odom's triple giving the Lakers a commanding 53-28 advantage. Bryant had 23 points in the first half, helping LA take a 73-46 lead into the locker room.
The Grizzlies trimmed their deficit all the way to 14 at 81-67 after Gay made a pair of free throws with five minutes left in the third, but the Lakers took a comfortable 97-76 cushion into the fourth.
The game's outcome was not in question in the final 12 minutes.
The Lakers have won seven of the last eight meetings with the Grizzlies, including four straight at home...Memphis forward Zach Randolph (back) did not play...LA shot 51.2 percent, including 14-of-23 from three-point range.
For more information, be sure to read the SB Nation blog Silver Screen and Roll.
Nov 02 11:37p by Eric Stephen - 0 comments