Lin scores 29 as Lakers overtake 76ers

[March 23, 2015]  LOS ANGELES -- In a game that fans of both teams probably hoped their club would lose, the Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers competed hard Sunday night.

The Lakers pulled away in the fourth quarter of the tight, gritty contest and beat the Sixers 101-87 at Staples Center.

"That's how it should be played, both teams obviously wanted to win," Lakers coach Bryon Scott said. "They played a lot better and a lot harder than we did in the first half, and in the second half, we matched their intensity. That was the key."

The Lakers (18-50) moved past the 76ers (17-53) in the wins column. Only the New York Knicks (14-56) and Minnesota Timberwolves (15-54) would have more pingpong balls in the draft lottery had the season ended Sunday.

Point guard Jeremy Lin led all scorers with 29 points, his highest total as a Laker, on 10-of-16 shooting. Los Angeles forward Ed Davis grabbed 11 rebounds to go along with eight points and four second-half blocks.

"(Lin) definitely had it going: scoring, running the offense, defense," Davis said. "He had a good game, and he's the reason we won."

That respect was mutual.

"Ed, I thought did an unbelievable job of protecting the rim," Lin said. "In a lot of ways, he was our most valuable player."

Forward Thomas Robinson was Philadelphia's top performer, netting 14 points, going 7-for-8 from the field and grabbing eight boards in just over 16 minutes of playing time. Point guard Ish Smith had a game-high nine assists but shot an acrid 3-for-14 from the floor.

The 76ers turned the ball over 10 times, well below their league-worst 18 per-game average, but their poor shooting and defense from the point guard position were points of criticism from coach Brett Brown.

"We searched to find ways to defend Lin, and we struggled all night," Brown said, adding that the 4-of-26 shooting from point guards Smith and Isaiah Canaan and the team's selfish second-half play also led to the 76ers' undoing.

Late in the first quarter, the Sixers kicked off a swift 12-0 run that put them up 28-18 just 1:42 into the second period. The run included two quick 3-pointers in succession from reserve forwards Robert Covington and Jerami Grant.

The Lakers countered with an 8-2 run as Lin stroked a pair of 3-pointers.

Philadelphia led 47-41 at the half, the difference being its 10-1 edge in free throws attempted. Neither team shot the ball especially well, nothing new for the Lakers and 76ers, who rank 25th and 30th, respectively, in field-goal percentage this season.

The Lakers stormed out of the gate after halftime, reeling off a 10-1 surge in the first 2:53 of the third quarter. Forward Wesley Johnson and guard Jordan Clarkson each accounted for four points during the run.

With 5:25 remaining in the third quarter, Philadelphia center Nerlens Noel contested a shot from center Tarik Black. Noel absorbed a slap to the face and landed awkwardly, and he remained on the floor for a couple minutes with an apparent facial injury. Noel returned and finish the game with nine points, seven rebounds and two blocks.

There was a momentary flashback to the glory days of the rivalry with Magic and Doctor J when Lin led the break and hit Wesley Johnson with a no-look pass for a dunk that put the Lakers up 62-61 with about 16 minutes left to play.

A late-period flurry saw the two teams combine for 15 points in the final 1:55 of the third, leaving Philly with a 75-74 lead.

A runner from Davis put the Lakers on top 11 seconds into the fourth quarter, and the home team held the lead until the final buzzer.

An 8-2 Los Angeles streak to start the fourth forced the Sixers to call timeout. Brown's words of wisdom had little impact, as the Lakers scored another six straight and never looked back.

Philadelphia scored just 12 points in the fourth quarter. At one point they went more than seven minutes without a field goal, and they hit just two free throws during that span.

"The defensive side of it, to give up 60 points in the second half, bothers me the most," Brown said.

NOTES: The Lakers were without SG Nick Young (knee) and PG Ronnie Price (elbow). ... Lakers coach Byron Scott's 72-year-old mother Dorothy died Sunday. Scott will miss the Lakers' two upcoming road games to attend her funeral. ... Los Angeles PG Steve Nash officially announced his retirement Saturday after 18 seasons in Phoenix, Dallas and Los Angeles. He won two MVP awards with the Suns.

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