After blowing out the hot New Orleans hornets on the road in their last game, few were very concerned about tonights contest against the underachieving Bucks. And "few" would be right. While the box score seems to indicate a tight game, the Lakers really controlled this game the whole way.
The Lakers started of somewhat sluggish, and it was reported that Kobe Bryant was suffering the dreaded (and common) "flu-like symptoms". However, Bryant came out of the gate hot, and once he started shooting, the Lakers built a lead they would never quite relinquish. At one point during the late 1st quarter he scored 14 straight Laker points. He even hit his first four three point attempts, before he launched, and missed, a signature Kobe shot (35 footer, tightly covered, heat-check).
While the Lakers led for nearly the entire game, they were unable to get separate from the bucks. They lacked the killer instinct to turn this game into a blowout, something that had been doing with ease during the current 5 game winning streak.
Whether it was the Bucks' resiliance or simply the Lakers poor execution, the Lakers just couldn't pull away. They even cost the Staples Center faithful tacos in the final seconds, to the crowd's audible chagrin.
All in all, a win is win, especially during this part of the season. While teams like San Antonio, Phoenix, and Dallas, are coasting and waiting for May, the Lakers are pilling up wins and looking to move up the standings.
Player of the Game-
Andrew Bynum. While Kobe's 38 points and 7 assists were heroic under the circumstances, it was really Bynum who seized the game. In what is becoming incredibly, and happily, consistent, he notched another double double, this time snagging a career high 17 boards to go with his 25 points. He is really developing into a special player, and I expect him to be calling for Kobe's *** to be shipped out of town sometime in the near future.
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