LOS ANGELES (AP) It was Gasol's first home game with Los Angeles, Bryant's first since deciding to forego surgery on his injured shooting hand, and Mike Bibby's debut with Atlanta following Saturday's trade from Sacramento.
Bryant, who dislocated his right pinkie during the Lakers' 7-2 trip, was 8-for-16 from the field with five steals, five rebounds and three assists. He played free and easy and didn't seem at all inhibited by the ailing finger, making a pair of dunks and going 1-for-4 from 3-point range.
The 10-time All-Star and two-time defending NBA scoring champ has averaged 30.4 points over his last five games after scoring 11 on 4-for-16 shooting in a 98-95 loss in Atlanta on February 6th. Bryant risked having to sit out this one had he not played in an All-Star game, so he suited up in New Orleans on Sunday and spent only 2 minutes, 52 seconds on the court to rest his sore finger.
Lamar Odom, coming off his 12th career triple-double, also sat out the final quarter after getting 17 points and 15 rebounds. The Lakers finished 51 percent from the field, improving to 18-1 when shooting at least 50 percent.
Joe Johnson had 18 points for the Hawks, who lost their season-worst fifth straight and sixth in a row on the road. Bibby had just five points and three assists in 16-plus minutes, picking up his fourth foul with 9:33 left in the third quarter and going to the bench for good with Atlanta down by 35.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Tuesday
April 15th, 2025
1:32PM
