Bryant, Gasol lead Lakers over Mavericks

[March 22, 2012]  DALLAS (AP) -- Kobe Bryant scored 30 points, Pau Gasol added 27 points and nine rebounds, and the Los Angeles Lakers stopped the Dallas Mavericks' four-game winning streak with a 109-93 victory on Wednesday night.

Ramon Sessions contributed 17 points and nine assists in his fourth game for the Lakers since he was acquired in a trade with Cleveland on March 15.

Dirk Nowitzki had 26 points and 10 rebounds, and Jason Terry scored 23 points for the defending NBA champion Mavericks, 0-3 against the Lakers this season.

The Lakers ended a two-game skid and have won six of eight overall. They were on the second leg of a back-to-back following Tuesday night's 107-104 loss at Houston.

The Lakers broke open the game with a 24-6 spurt in the second quarter, capped by consecutive 3-pointers from Matt Barnes and Sessions for a 51-38 advantage.

Barnes and Bryant added 3-pointers during the decisive run, with the Lakers building a 57-44 halftime edge.

Los Angeles shot 57 percent (25 for 44) from the floor in the first half, led by Gasol's 6 for 7 and Sessions' 5 for 6. Gasol finished 13 of 16.

Bryant pulled off a spectacular three-point play midway through the third quarter, first spinning in a no-look reverse layup after Gasol's alley-oop pass. He was fouled on the attempt by Jason Kidd, and Bryant added a free throw that put his team in front, 69-55.

Dallas finished the third quarter with a 12-6 run to narrow the deficit to 80-72.

But the Lakers took control by opening the final quarter with a 10-4 spurt, capped by Gasol's 3-pointer with 8:04 left for a 90-76 lead.

Mavericks starters Shawn Marion (sore left knee) and Brendan Haywood (sprained right knee) each missed their third straight game. Dallas is also minus a third starter, Delonte West, who sat out his 18th straight game with a fractured right ring finger.

NOTES: Los Angeles has taken 13 of the last 16 regular-season meetings with Dallas, but the Mavs swept a four-game playoff series from the Lakers last season. ... The Lakers held a 30-15 advantage in the second quarter, hitting 13 of 24 field goal attempts while Dallas was going 5 for 20. Los Angeles owned a 17-6 rebounding edge in the second quarter. ... Mavericks owner Mark Cuban's take on Oklahoma City's signing of ex-Laker G Derek Fisher: "I hope he disrupts their locker room...but I hope there's disruption in every locker room but us." ... Lakers coach Mike Brown wished Fisher well, saying, "That's great. I'm happy for him and his family. He's a winner. He'll be able to help them out."

[Associated Press]

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