Now that was a statement win. The Lakers had been playing well since the All-Star break, winning all six games heading into Sunday's showdown in San Antonio with the Spurs on ABC. The Lakers provided a nice exclamation point to their stellar week with a blowout win over the NBA's top team. The Lakers went 3-0 last week, and are 7-0 since the All-Star break. Here is a look at how they did it last week:
Tuesday - Lakers 90, Minnesota 79: The Lakers trailed at halftime, just as they had the game before against Oklahoma City, but again turned on the defensive clamps in the second half. The Lakers allowed a paltry 34 points in the second half to secure the win.
Friday - Lakers 92, Bobcats 84: It is to the point that any win over the Bobcats is a great win, just because Charlotte has had the Lakers' number in recent years, winning eight of 10 meetings before this contest. Andrew Bynum scored nine points, but controlled the middle with season highs in rebounds (17) and blocks (six) to secure the win. Derek Fisher injured his left elbow in the win, but he was healthy enough to play on Sunday, extending his streak to 477 consecutive games played.
Sunday - Lakers 99, Spurs 83: The Lakers jumped on top early and never looked back in this one, the rare 16-point victory that wasn't nearly as close as the score indicated. The Lakers were up 34-13 after one quarter, and led by as many as 32 points in this blowout. The Lakers aren't going to catch the 51-12 Spurs, but picking up a much-needed win on their floor could help the Lakers should they meet the Spurs in the Western Conference Finals.
Weekly Notables
- Andrew Bynum: 9.0 points, 13.7 rebounds (including a pair of 17-rebound games), 3.7 blocks
- Pau Gasol: 17.7 points, 11.0 rebounds
- Kobe Bryant: 25.7 points per game
I thought it was nice that Bynum only took two shots in Sunday's win in San Antonio; he opened each half with a slam dunk. It doesn't get any easier for the Lakers, who are on the road this week, with stops in Atlanta, Miami, and Dallas, all playoff teams.
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