Bryant scores 31 as Lakers beat Bucks 118-107

[November 17, 2010]  MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Kobe Bryant scored 31 points, Shannon Brown added 16 of his 21 in the fourth quarter, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Milwaukee Bucks 118-107 on Tuesday night to snap a two-game losing streak.

Los Angeles had started 8-0 before the consecutive losses, but Brown and Bryant sparked the Lakers on both ends of the floor against what had been the stingiest defense in the NBA.

Bryant scored 13 points in the third quarter, including seven straight in a crucial stretch. Brown didn't skip a beat in the fourth, hitting four 3-pointers that stifled the Bucks' rally.

Brandon Jennings scored 31 points, Andrew Bogut had 12 points and 18 rebounds, and Drew Gooden added 22 points and 13 boards for Milwaukee (5-6), which had its three-game winning streak end.

Brown's reverse layup gave Los Angeles a 99-88 lead with just over 8 minutes to play. Then the reserve guard added a jumper and a 3-pointer moments later to make it 104-90.

After Milwaukee went on a 7-0 run, Brown hit another 3 that pushed the lead back out to 107-97, and Milwaukee never got within two possessions of tying.

Bryant helped the Lakers pull away late in the third quarter, scoring seven straight to break open a tight game in the first of three-game Midwest swing for Los Angeles that includes stops in Detroit and Minnesota.

After Bryant hit two free throws, he stripped John Salmons on the ensuing possession and got the ball back from Derek Fisher on the fast break. Bryant hit an easy layup as Jennings fouled him and converted the three-point play.

Bryant then drew another foul, this time on Salmons, and hit both of the free throws to make it 82-75.

Los Angeles showed it could play a little defense that was been missing, too, in losses to Phoenix and Denver. Milwaukee committed four turnovers in the stretch because of the Lakers' pressure even as the pace clearly favored Los Angeles.

The Lakers came in as the highest-scoring team in the NBA, averaging 112.5 points, and the Bucks were allowing an NBA-low 89.4. Steve Blake's 3-pointer busted the 90-point mark in the closing seconds of the third quarter and gave the Lakers their biggest lead, 90-81, heading into the fourth.

Milwaukee had held some potent offenses to pitiful performances during its three-game winning streak. But there wouldn't be a repeat performance against the Lakers, who got to the rim and the foul line seemingly as much as they wanted. Pau Gasol had 18 points and 10 rebounds, Lamar Odom added 13 points and Fisher had 10.

NOTES: Bogut went 2 of 10 from the free throw line. ... Lakers C Theo Ratliff had arthroscopic surgery Tuesday to remove torn cartilage in his left knee. Ratliff is expected to miss 4 to 6 weeks. Los Angeles is also without C Andrew Bynum, who hasn't returned from offseason knee surgery. The Lakers hope he'll return to practice next week. Coach Phil Jackson said in pregame that they may need to get another big man to bolster their front court. ... Packers QB Aaron Rodgers sat courtside as did several of his teammates.

[Associated Press; By COLIN FLY]

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