Bynum scores 42 as Lakers beat Clippers 108-97

[January 22, 2009]  LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Andrew Bynum scored a career-high 42 points, Kobe Bryant had his second triple-double in three games and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Clippers 108-97 Wednesday night.

Bynum became the first Lakers player to reach 40 points other than Bryant since Shaquille O'Neal scored 48 against Boston on March 21, 2003.

The 21-year-old center shot 17-of-24 from the floor and 8-of-11 from the foul line, and pulled down 15 rebounds.

The Lakers raised their record to a Western Conference-best 33-8 record at the halfway point of the season and earned Phil Jackson an All-Star coaching spot.

He'll lead the West All-Stars on Feb. 15 in Phoenix. It's the fourth time Jackson has been an All-Star coach and first since 2000.

Bryant, playing in pain two days after dislocating his right ring finger, added 18 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists for his 16th career triple-double. He hadn't had a triple-double since April 1, 2005, before accomplishing the feat last Friday night in a 109-103 loss to Orlando.

Lamar Odom had 19 points and nine rebounds for the Lakers, who have won their last seven games against the Clippers by an average of 24.4 points.

Rookie DeAndre Jordan, making his second career start, had career-high totals of 23 points and 12 rebounds for the injury-ravaged Clippers (9-32), who have lost 14 of 15.

Al Thornton added 20 points and rookie Eric Gordon had 16 points and six assists.

The Clippers played without their four best players -- guard Baron Davis (bruised tailbone) and big men Chris Kaman (strained left arch), Zach Randolph (sore left knee) and Marcus Camby (sprained left ankle).

That left the seldom-used Jordan, journeyman Brian Skinner and second-year player Thornton as the starters up front, and they were no match for the Lakers' big men -- especially Bynum.

Bynum passed his previous career high of 28 points with a dunk 2 1/2 minutes into the third quarter, giving the Lakers a 65-56 lead, and added seven points during a 21-11 run to finish the third quarter, putting the Lakers on top 88-73.

Odom outscored the Clippers by himself, 10-7, to start the final period, making it 98-80, but the Clippers moved within 12 points on two free throws by Gordon and a pair of dunks by Jordan.

The Lakers extended their lead to 16 before the Clippers scored nine straight to make it 102-95 with 2:37 left. But that's as close as they would get.

Bynum shot 11-of-14 for 25 points and also had 10 rebounds in the first half, which ended with the Lakers on top by just three points despite shooting 50 percent and committing only five turnovers. Jordan already had a career-high 12 points at that stage for the Clippers, who shot 56.1 percent in the opening 24 minutes.

Notes: The Lakers have an 89-25 record against the Clippers since they moved from San Diego to Los Angeles in 1984. ... The Lakers entered with an NBA-leading 107.6-point scoring average, while the Clippers were averaging 93.0 points to rank next-to-last, ahead of only Charlotte (91.2). ... Starting Lakers F Luke Walton returned to action after missing nine games because of an injured right foot and scored 11 points. ... Lakers coach Phil Jackson said he hopes G Jordan Farmar, who missed his 16th game because of an injured left knee, would be able to practice later this week and return to action next Tuesday night against Charlotte or early in a six-game road trip that begins three days later at Minnesota.

[Associated Press; By JOHN NADEL]

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