Lakers Crush Hornets
Kobe Bryant scored 19 points, Andrew Bynum added 17 and the Los Angeles Lakers won their fourth straight game, 109-80 over the New Orleans Hornets on Wednesday night.
With balanced scoring and stifling defense, the Lakers turned what was supposed to be a marquee matchup between two of the NBA's hottest teams into a lopsided affair that left the home crowd groaning.
The Lakers made 54.9 percent of their shots, hitting nine 3-pointers and while outscoring New Orleans 52-36 inside.
Having won in Memphis a night earlier and facing a Hornets squad that was well-rested after winning three straight on the road last week, Los Angeles scored on its first eight possessions and led by double digits for most of the game.
The disparity in scoring among both teams' reserves was a telling sign of how well the Lakers have played in winning 10 of their last 12 games.
Los Angeles' reserves outscored the Hornets' bench 42-9. The Lakers also outrebounded New Orleans 45-40.
Chris Paul scored 32 points and David West added 19 points for New Orleans, which shot 36.9 percent.
Luke Walton scored 14 for the Lakers, while Lamar Odom added 11 and Trevor Ariza 10.
The Hornets had chiseled a 19-point deficit to seven early in the second half when Bryant helped Los Angeles take the game over for good. His 3-pointer from the left wing started a 10-2 run that quickly extended the Lakers' lead to 64-49.
Bryant later hit a driving layup and another 3-pointer with Morris Peterson in his face, then Odom added a pair of baskets underneath during another 10-0 run that put Los Angeles ahead 80-60 with under 4 minutes to go in the third quarter.
New Orleans was unable to get closer than 14 points thereafter.
Bryant and Bynum each scored eight points in the first quarter to help the Lakers open an early double-digit lead, and it only got worse when Lakers coach Phil Jackson put his reserves in to open the second quarter.
Ariza, Ronny Turiaf, Kwame Brown and Javaris Crittenton all scored during a 13-2 run that gave Los Angeles a 49-30 lead.
West, who scored 17 points in the first half, hit a pair of free throws and had a one-handed dunk on a putback to help spark the Hornets' 9-2 run to end the half. Tyson Chandler finished it off with an alley-oop dunk from Paul, pulling New Orleans to 54-43 at halftime.
Notes:@ Paul and Derek Fisher each were assessed technical fouls in the third quarter after exchanging words under the Hornets' basket. ... Attendance was announced at 15,605. Earlier Wednesday, the Hornets announced a two-year lease extension until 2014, but the new agreement also allows the team to opt out if average attendance is lower than 14,735 in games between last Dec. 1 and the end of next season. ... The Lakers (23-11) have won seven of last their nine road games. ... The Hornets (23-12) are 9-7 at home this season.
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