The Los Angeles Lakers look to continue their excellent road trip as they travel to Amway Center to face the Orlando Magic in a nationally televised game on ABC. Kobe Bryant and the Lakers are 4-0 to start their seven-game Grammy road trip, and are facing Dwight Howard and the Magic, who have been a rather ordinary 9-9 in their last 18 games. The Lakers and Magic split two meetings last season after the Lakers defeated them in five games to win the 2009 NBA Finals. This is their first meeting this season.
Bryant led the Lakers with 33 points Friday night at Madison Square Garden in the Lakers' 113-96 win over the Knicks. Kobe is averaging 26.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game on the four-game trip, while shooting 50.7% from the field. In addition, Bryant has made eight of 14 three-pointers in the four games.
Pau Gasol added 20 points and six rebounds in New York, and is averaging 22.8 points and 8.8 rebounds on the road trip. Andrew Bynum during the trip is averaging 12.8 points and 8.0 rebounds per contest, and the Lakers will need both Bynum and Gasol to battle Howard in the middle.
Howard is the starting center for the Eastern Conference in the All-Star Game this year, and is having a fine season. He is averaging 22.5 points, 13.9 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game. He has amassed 43 double-doubles this season, and has led Orlando in rebounds in 49 of 55 games this season. The Magic are 19-8 at home this season, which is the same record the Lakers have on the road.
For more information on today's game, be sure to read Silver Screen and Roll.