Memphis, TN (Sports Network) - Kobe Bryant led a balanced attack with 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists, as the Lakers topped the Grizzlies, 93-84, at FedEx Forum. Pau Gasol added 17 points and nine boards while Lamar Odom contributed 15 points and 11 rebounds in a reserve role for Los Angeles, which has won three of four. Ron Artest supplied 13 points on 3-of-6 from beyond the arc and Andrew Bynum added 11 points in the win.
Sam Young matched a career-high with 22 points and Rudy Gay contributed 18 points and eight boards for Memphis, which has dropped two straight on the heels of a five-game winning streak. Marc Gasol added 10 points and 12 boards in defeat.
Trailing by five, 73-68, entering the fourth quarter, the Grizzles trimmed their deficit down to as low as 78-76 with a Tony Allen dunk at the seven minute mark. However, an Odom three-pointer at 6:18 started a 11-0 Lakers run to put the game away. Odom scored six in the run, and after Pau Gasol capped the spurt with a pair from the line with 3:03 remaining, the Lakers' lead was 89-76. Los Angeles's lead remained around 10 until Young's three-pointer with 23.9 seconds remaining accounted for the final margin.
Despite trailing by eight, 27-19, with 1 1/2 remaining in the first, the Lakers ended the quarter on the 7-2 run, cutting their deficit to 29-26 after the opening 12 minutes. Young led Memphis with 10 points in the second, however, the Grizzlies shot a subpar 5-of-21 from the field, and the Lakers took a 50-45 lead at the break.
The Lakers widened their lead to 13, 64-51, with a pair of Bryant jumpers inside the nine minute mark of the third. However, Memphis responded with a 13-2 run. Darrell Arthur's putback layup off a Zach Randolph miss at 2:55 ended the spurt, putting the game at 66-64. The team's traded baskets down the stretch, and Los Angeles took a 73-68 lead into the final stanza.
The Lakers are now 17-8 on the road this season...LA is 2-0 on a seven game road trip, which will include visits to Boston, New York, Orlando, Charlotte, and Cleveland...Derek Fisher added 10 points to round out the Lakers starters...The Grizzlies are now 16-8 at home and 7-5 against the Pacific division...Mike Conley scored 13 while Randolph added eight points and 12 boards in the loss...The teams split the season series 2-2.
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