The Los Angeles Lakers (40-23) managed to shake off a 21-point drubbing by the San Antonio Spurs the previous night and bounce back for a 99-87 victory over the Golden State Warriors (22-39) last night. Don’t let the final score fool you, the Lakers absolutely dominated.
Andrew Bynum barely misssed, Pau Gasol messed around and got a triple-double, and Metta World Peace wreaked havoc on the Warriors.
The Lakers jumped out to a 32-26 lead after the first quarter behind 17 big points by Andrew Bynum. Metta World Peace added seven points in the quarter, and Pau Gasol added six points along with four assists and three rebounds.
The Lakers again outscored the Warriors in the second quarter, extending their lead to 8, 56-48, after the first 24 minutes of play. Gasol was well on his way to a triple-double at the time with 12 points, six rebounds, and five assistrs while Andrew Bynum already had 23 points.
The third quarter was huge for the Lakers, as they outscored Golden State 28-19 for an 84-67 advantage after 36 minutes of play. Gasol (four assists, three rebounds) and Bynum had eight points apiece while Metta World Peace dished out four assists in the period.
At one point in the fourth quarter, the Lakers held a 97-74 advantage before both teams put in their respective reserve players. Game. Lakers, 99-87.
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The Numbers
Andrew Bynum led the Lakers in scoring with 31 points (on 12-14 shooting) and nine rebounds. Pau Gasol played exceptionally well, notching a triple-double with 22 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists, and three blocked shots. Metta World Peace added 18 points (2-4 from three), nine assists, and two rebounds. Ramon Sessions tallied nine points, seven rebounds, and five assists while Matt Barnes also filled up the stat sheet with nine rebounds (three offensive), six points, four assists, and three steals. Devin Ebanks (four rebounds) and Steve Blake scored five points apiece while Josh McRoberts finished with five rebounds, three points, and two assists.
For the Warriors, rookie Klay Thompson led the way with 17 points, five assists, and four rebounds. Jeremy Tyler added 15 points and six rebounds while Dorell Wright put up 12 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Mickell Gladness (5 rebounds) and Dominic McGuire (four rebounds) finished with eight points apiece as Richard Jefferson added seven points. Charles Jenkins dished out 11 assists and scored six points while forward Mikki Moore notched four points and three rebounds.
Now, let’s break down the victory.
Next Page: The Breakdown