Boy, that road trip sure got less fun in a hurry, didn't it? One day after scoring their fewest points of the season in a loss in Orlando, the Los Angeles Lakers suffered their worst loss of the season, falling 109-89 to their nemesis, the Charlotte Bobcats, at Time Warner Cable Arena. The Lakers have lost to the Bobcats in eight of their last 10 meetings, and have lost five of their last six games in Charlotte.
The Lakers were down 49-43 at halftime, but got blitzed in the third quarter. Charlotte outscored the Lakers 29-17, including a buzzer-beating three-pointer by Gerald Wallace to end the quarter. Wallace led Charlotte with 20 points. Kobe Bryant missed shootaround this morning with aches and chills, but still started tonight's game, as expected. Kobe led the Lakers in scoring with 20 points, but made just eight of 20 field goals. The Lakers made just three of 18 from three-point range.
Pau Gasol had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers, who fell to 19-10 on the road this season. Andrew Bynum was a non-factor, with nine points and six rebounds in 23 minutes. The Lakers' previous worst losses of the season were a pair of 19-point defeats at home, on December 21 against Milwaukee and on January 2 against Memphis. The Lakers have one more game before the All-Star break, on Wednesday night in Cleveland against the Cavaliers.
For more information on tonight's game, be sure to read Silver Screen and Roll.