Lakers Are One Of The Elite
The Los Angeles Lakers (49-22) are tied with the New Orleans Hornets at the top of the Western Conference standings. LA is 1 1/2 games ahead of the second place Phoenix Suns in the Pacific Division.
The Lakers have been playing without forward Pau Gasol, who is sidelined with a sprained left ankle. Gasol, who was acquired from Memphis in a trade, is averaging 18.8 points and 7.9 rebounds in 19 games with the Lakers this season. The seven-foot Gasol has missed six straight games, but is close to returning to the court.
Superstar Kobe Bryant is one of the favorites to take home MVP hardware this season. The 29-year-old Bryant leads the team in scoring (28.3 ppg) and assists (5.4 apg). He has also grabbed 6.2 rebounds per game, and is shooting 46.1 percent from the field, including 34.4 percent from beyond the arc.
Center Andrew Bynum is still sidelined with a partially dislocated left kneecap. He last played on January 13th and could be back before the playoffs. The 20-year-old Bynum has averaged 13.1 points and 10.2 rebounds in 35 games this season.
When the young center returns, the Lakers will have a potent frontcourt of Andrew Bynum, Gasol and Lamar Odom. Add the backcourt of Bryant and Fisher to the mix and LA has to be one of the favorites to win the Western Conference.
The Lakers open a five-game homestand when they welcome the Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday to the Staples Center. It is the second and final meeting of the campaign between the squads. On February 11, Bryant scored 31 points and Pau Gasol netted 26 as the Lakers rolled to a 106-97 victory over the Bobcats in Charlotte.
The Lakers are 4-3 all-time against the Bobcats and are 2-1 as the host in the series.
Los Angeles is fresh off of a big victory. On Monday, Kobe Bryant nearly had a triple-double and the Lakers got the benefit from a questionable foul call in the waning seconds of overtime to beat the Golden State Warriors, 123-119, at ORACLE Arena to complete a home-and-home series.
Bryant totaled 30 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists for the Lakers. Lamar Odom registered 23 points, 21 rebounds and a season-high five blocks, while Sasha Vujacic scored 19 points and Fisher netted 18 for LA, which finished the game on a 10-2 run.
The Lakers are 24-9 as the host this season. They will also host Memphis, Washington, Portland and Dallas on the current homestand.
LA has scored over 100 points in five straight games. The Lakers are 4-1 during that stretch.
After their current homestand, the Lakers will split their final six games between the Staples Center and the road. They will visit Sacramento, Portland and the Clippers.
The Lakers will finish their regular season with home games against New Orleans, San Antonio and Sacramento.
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