Kobe, Lakers Beat Kings 114-92

[April 07, 2008]  SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- Kobe Bryant scored 29 points, Vladimir Radmanovic matched his season high with 21 and the Los Angeles Lakers stayed on track for the Pacific Division title with a 114-92 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday night.

Radmanovic hit five 3-pointers and tied his career high with 14 rebounds, while Pau Gasol added 20 points and nine rebounds for the Lakers, who won their fourth straight. They snapped their longtime rivals' four-game winning streak with an outstanding second half, including a 23-9 run in the third quarter led by three of Bryant's four 3-pointers.

Although the Lakers still trail New Orleans by 1 1/2 games for the Western Conference lead, the win pushed Los Angeles (53-24) -- which has the same record as San Antonio -- two games ahead of Phoenix (51-26) in the Pacific standings with five games to play. The Lakers have 18 division titles, but none since 2004, Shaquille O'Neal's last season with the club.

Kevin Martin scored 22 points for the Kings, who simply seemed exhausted after winning at Denver one night earlier. Bryant led Los Angeles to a big lead in the third quarter, and Lamar Odom had 16 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in the Lakers' fourth consecutive win in Sacramento.

Bryant, who scored 17 points in the fourth quarter of the Lakers' win in Sacramento last month, didn't even wait that long in the rematch. He got rolling with 14 points in the first 6:02 after halftime, hitting a series of long shots that drew cheers from the thousands of Lakers fans who infiltrated Arco Arena to start "MVP!" chants.

Radmanovic added eight points in the third, including two 3-pointers. Bryant hit one last 3-pointer with 2:45 to play, putting the Lakers up 110-88 -- and Kobe then waved goodbye to the Sacramento crowd as he ran back downcourt.

The Kings were brought down off their high from upsetting the Nuggets on Saturday night despite playing without injured starters Ron Artest, Brad Miller and Beno Udrih. Artest returned but struggled to 19 points on 7-of-20 shooting against the Lakers, while Miller missed his second straight game with a lower leg strain.

Los Angeles played without forward Luke Walton, who couldn't play after straining his right hamstring in Wednesday's win over Portland. Gasol and Derek Fisher both started for Los Angeles despite injuries.

Sacramento must win its final five games to finish at .500, but the Kings already have improved on last season's win total in coach Reggie Theus' debut year. Before the game, Lakers coach Phil Jackson said Sacramento is much better than it was earlier in the season, citing Martin's development into the NBA's sixth-leading scorer as the biggest reason.

Notes: Barry Bonds sat courtside with Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof, waving his black baseball cap to the crowd during the first timeout, and he waved again to another ovation as he left early in the fourth quarter. The San Francisco Giants open their home schedule Monday without Bonds, who lives in Beverly Hills. ... The rivals finish the regular season against each other at Staples Center on April 15. ... Sacramento's Francisco Garcia sprained his right ankle in the third quarter and didn't return to the game. ... C Andrew Bynum is taking Los Angeles' two-game road trip to Sacramento and Portland, but he won't play until the postseason. A left knee injury has kept him out since Jan. 13.

[Associated Press; By GREG BEACHAM]

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