The Los Angeles Lakers won their sixth straight game Friday night, beating the Charlotte Bobcats 92-84 at Staples Center, but the victory had its low points. Sure, the Lakers got payback against the team that beat them by 20 points last month, a team that had beaten them in eight of their last 10 meetings. But tonight was supposed to be the night that the Lakers were at full strength. However, as they head into their toughest four-game stretch of the season, they are anything but.
Matt Barnes was cleared to play tonight after practice this morning, after missing 24 games after right knee surgery. However, he aggravated his knee during warmups and was a late scratch. Then, late in the third quarter, Derek Fisher left the game with what has been called a sprained left elbow. Fisher will be reevaluated on Saturday to determine his status for Sunday at San Antonio, per Mike Trudell of NBA.com. Fisher has played 476 straight games, the longest active streak in the NBA.
Andrew Bynum scored just nine points in his 29 minutes, but he was dominant in the middle tonight with a season-high 17 boards and a season-high six blocks. Pau Gasol had 20 points and 10 rebounds, and Kobe Bryant led the team with 27 points. Regarding Fisher's absence, Dexter Fishmore of Silver Screen and Roll had the best tweet of the night:
If Fisher can't go on Sunday, I'd love to see Odom start at the point.
Wouldn't that be something?
For more information on tonight's game, be sure to read Silver Screen and Roll.