Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol added to their season opening scoring streak tonight in their game against the Toronto Raptors at Staples Center. Both Bryant and Gasol have been the top two scorers in each of the first five games, and tonight is no different. Kobe's seven-foot jumper with 5:18 remianing in the fourth quarter gave him 20 points on the night, meaning both Bryant and Gasol have scored at least 20 points in all six games this season.
Bryant and Gasol came into tonight as the first pair of NBA teammates to each score 20 points in their team's first five games since Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley turned the trick for the 2002-2003 Houston Rockets. They are the first pair of Lakers teammates to score 20 or more points in the team's first six games since Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West did so in the 1970-1971 season:
Kobe/Pau 2010-2011 | ||
Opp | Bryant | Gasol |
Hou | 27 | 29 |
at Pho | 25 | 21 |
GS | 20 | 26 |
Mem | 23 | 21 |
at Sac | 30 | 22 |
Tor | 20 | 24 |
Source: Basketball-Reference.com |
Gasol entered tonight's game averaging 23.8 points per game, while Kobe was averaging 25.0 points per contest. Bryant has scored 20 or more points in his last 11 regular season games, and Gasol has scored 20 or more points in 11 of his last 12 regular season games.
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