The Los Angeles Lakers look to build on their modest two-game winning streak as they host the Memphis Grizzlies tonight at Staples Center. The Lakers saw their 14-point second-half lead evaporate against Philadelphia Friday night, but the Lakers never trailed and beat the 76ers in the final minute, 102-98. Kobe Bryant scored 33 points in the victory, and is moving closer to another NBA scoring milestone.
Bryant, who passed John Havlicek earlier this season for 11th place on the NBA all-time scoring list, is now just 42 points shy of Dominique Wilkins for 10th place on the all-time list:
| NBA All-Time Scoring List | |||
| Rank | Player | Points | Avg |
| 6 | Moses Malone | 27,409 | 20.6 |
| 7 | Elvin Hayes | 27,313 | 21.0 |
| 8 | Hakeem Olajuwon | 26,946 | 21.8 |
| 9 | Oscar Robertson | 26,710 | 25.7 |
| 10 | Dominique Wilkins | 26,668 | 24.8 |
| 11 | Kobe Bryant | 26,626 | 25.3 |
The Lakers have won both games since moving Andrew Bynum into the starting lineup and Lamar Odom to the bench. Bynum has averaged 13 points and 10.5 rebounds in the two games, including a season-high 15 boards against Philadelphia on Friday night. Odom, meanwhile, has thrived off the bench, averaging 21 points in two games, all while making 64.3% of his field goals.
The Grizzlies are in the final game of a three-game road trip that saw them lose the first two games in Sacramento and Utah. The Lakers and Grizzlies have split two meetings this season, each team winning on their home court. The Lakers have beaten Memphis four straight times at Staples Center. Grizzlies' leading scorer Rudy Gay, averaging 20.7 points per game this season, missed last night's game in Utah with a stomach virus, but told the Memphis Commercial Appeal "I’m definitely playing (tonight against the Los Angeles Lakers) no matter what."
For more Lakers news and analysis, be sure to read the SB Nation blog Silver Screen and Roll.