Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant have been scoring machines to start the season, each among the league leaders in scoring. They both will try to accomplish something tonight that hasn't been done in the NBA in 31 seasons, as the Los Angeles Lakers host the Portland Trail Blazers tonight at Staples Center.
Both Bryant and Gasol have scored 20 points in each of the Lakers' first six games of the season:
| Kobe/Pau 2010-2011 Points Scored |
||
| Opp | Bryant | Gasol |
| Hou | 27 | 29 |
| at Pho | 25 | 21 |
| GS | 20 | 26 |
| Mem | 23 | 21 |
| at Sac | 30 | 22 |
| Tor | 23 | 30 |
| Source: Basketball-Reference.com | ||
The last pair of Lakers to start a season with 20 points in the first six games were Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain, who did so to begin the 1970-1971 season. The last pair of teammates in the NBA to start a season with seven straight games of 20 points or more were Larry Kenon and George Gervin, who did so for the Spurs at the start of the 1979-1980 season. The last Laker teammates to begin a season with seven games of 20 points or more were West and Elgin Baylor in 1961-1962.
Gasol and Bryant both rank in the top seven in the NBA in scoring:
| NBA Scoring Leaders |
||
| Player | Team | Pts/Gm |
| Monta Ellis | GSW | 28.6 |
| Rudy Gay | Mem | 27.1 |
| Kevin Durant | OkC | 26.4 |
| Dirk Nowitzki | Dal | 25.8 |
| Derrick Rose | Chi | 25.0 |
| Pau Gasol | LAL | 24.8 |
| Kobe Bryant | LAL | 24.7 |
|
Carmelo Anthony |
Den | 24.7 |
Bryant has scored 20 or more points in his last 20 games against Portland, dating back to 2004, and 33 of his last 34 games as well. Gasol has played 10 games against Portland as a Laker, and has averaged 16.1 points against the Blazers, scoring 20 points just twice.
For more Lakers news, analysis, and information, be sure to read the SB Nation blog Silver Screen and Roll.