Kobe, Lakers Edge Grizzlies 100-99

[January 14, 2008]  LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Kobe Bryant scored 37 points, Kwame Brown made a foul shot with 9.2 seconds remaining, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Memphis Grizzlies 100-99 Sunday night, but they might have lost outstanding young center Andrew Bynum in the process.

The Lakers extended their winning streak to six, their longest since they won 11 straight late in the 2003-04 season before going on to reach the NBA finals. They haven't won a playoff series since that time.

Brown, a 38-percent foul shooter, connected on his first attempt to give the Lakers a 100-99 lead before missing the second. The Grizzlies had two shots at winning the game, but Kyle Lowry missed a runner in the lane and Hakim Warrick was way off the mark on a 3-pointer as time expired.

Bynum was helped off the court with a sprained left knee early in the third quarter after coming down on teammate Lamar Odom's left foot while going for a rebound under the Memphis basket.

The 20-year-old Bynum, a key factor in the Lakers' excellent start this season, dropped to the floor in obvious pain, clutching his knee.

Team spokesman John Black said X-rays were negative, but an MRI would be taken Monday and Bynum wouldn't travel to Seattle for that night's game against the SuperSonics.

Bynum had 10 points, nine rebounds and three assists and the Lakers led 66-55 when he was injured. Teammates Brown and Ronny Turiaf carried him to the locker room, and the 7-footer wasn't putting any weight on his left leg as he left the court.

Odom and Jordan Farmar scored 10 points each for the Lakers, who have won 16 of their last 19 to move within a half-game of Phoenix and Dallas, the Western Conference co-leaders. At 25-11, the Lakers are 14 games over .500 for the first time since they were 56-26 at the completion of the 2003-04 season.

The win was the 944th of Lakers coach Phil Jackson's career, tying him with Bill Fitch, his coach at the University of North Dakota, for sixth place on the NBA's list.

Mike Miller scored 27 points and Pau Gasol had 21 points and a season-high 18 rebounds and eight assists for the Grizzlies (10-27), who lost their fourth straight game.

Warrick made two free throws with 1:53 remaining to give Memphis a 96-95 lead. Bryant made a pair with 1:02 left to put the Lakers back in front, and added a layup with 42 seconds to go.

Rudy Gay's 3-pointer with 32 seconds remaining tied it at 99, setting the stage for Brown.

The Lakers led by as many as 14 points in the fourth quarter before the Grizzlies rallied, and a layup by Lowry with 4:59 to play gave them their first lead since early in the second quarter. Neither team led by more than three points after that.

The Lakers led 80-70 entering the final period.

Neither team led by more than five until the Lakers outscored Memphis 16-0 for a 49-37 lead with 5 minutes left in the second quarter. The Grizzlies went scoreless for nearly 5 1/2 minutes before Mike Conley's 3-pointer ended the drought.

The Lakers led 61-51 at halftime thanks mainly to a 56.8 percent shooting performance. They were whistled for only four fouls in the half to eight for the Grizzlies.

Notes: Bryant became the 44th player with 1,000 career 3-pointers with his first one in this game, with 2:10 left in the second quarter. The 3-pointer was introduced in the NBA before the 1979-80 season. ... This is the first time the Lakers have started a calendar year with six wins since accomplishing the feat in 2002. The franchise record for most consecutive wins to start a new year is nine, set in 1963. ... The Grizzlies are winless in six games against Pacific Division teams this season. ... The Lakers also beat the Grizzlies 117-101 in Memphis last Tuesday night. The Grizzlies had won eight of the previous 11 games between the teams. ... Turiaf celebrated his 25th birthday Sunday. ... Lakers F Vladimir Radmanovic missed his sixth game because of a sprained right ankle.

[Associated Press; ; By JOHN NADEL]

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