Kobe, Lakers run away from Wizards, 115-103
The Washington Wizards’ six-game January homestand, their longest of the season, was their best chance to put themselves into contention for something, perhaps the playoffs, perhaps just respectability.
But after starting the stretch with two wins, the last four games have been one disaster after another, climaxing against the defending NBA-champion Lakers. Los Angeles shot the lights out to run away from a Wizards team that actually didn’t play badly in a 115-103 defeat.
With much of the sellout crowd at Verizon Center behind him, Kobe Bryant had 11 of his 26 points during the third quarter as the Lakers (34-11) shot 59 percent from the field. Bryant also had eight assists, including a number of feeds inside to Pau Gasol (26 points, 10 rebounds). Lamar Odom added 15 points.
Playing with a sprained foot that had him questionable before the game, Antawn Jamison led the Wizards (14-30) with 27 points and nine rebounds. Caron Butler added 18 points and eight rebounds. Mike Miller had 15 points in his first start since Nov. 21.
Washington committed just one turnover in the first period and led by six, 22-16, on Miller’s drive to the basket, but then relinquished the advantage on a Bryant transition jumper with 0.7 seconds left, which put Los Angeles up, 30-29.
The close game didn’t last, as the Lakers scored on their first four possessions of the second quarter, including the first of three monster slams by reserve guard Shannon Brown, a participant in next month’s slam dunk contest during NBA All-Star Weekend.
Brown went soaring down the lane to push the Lakers lead into double-digits for the first time, 48-37, and had a vicious putback off a free throw miss later in the quarter as Los Angeles opened a 16-point lead by halftime.
