Kobe Bryant scored 27 points and Pau Gasol had 17 and 17 rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers ended a five-game losing streak with a 102-93 victory over the visiting San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night.
Lakers center Andrew Bynum suffered a hyperextended right knee early in the second quarter and did not return. The Lakers (56-25) said Bynum will have an MRI on Wednesday and miss the regular-season finale at Sacramento, where Los Angeles can clinch the second seed in the Western Conference with a victory.
San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich rested stars Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili and forward Antonio McDyess. Lakers reserves Matt Barnes (sore right knee) and Steve Blake (chicken pox) also sat out.
The Spurs (61-20) already own the top seed in the West but fell into a tie with Chicago for the NBA's best record and homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs. The tiebreakers are all even, so a random drawing would be conducted if the teams finish with the same records.
Lamar Odom, who figures to start for Bynum on Wednesday, had 23 points and seven rebounds.
San Antonio had very balanced scoring with six players in double figures led by Gary Neal's 16 points. Matt Bonner scored 13 points and DeJuan Blair had 12 and 11 rebounds.
San Antonio | L.A. Lakers | |
Gary Neal 16 | Scoring | Kobe Bryant 27 |
Chris Quinn 9 | Assists | Pau Gasol 5 |
DeJuan Blair 11 | Rebounds | Pau Gasol 17 |
George Hill 7 | Free Throws Made | Kobe Bryant 9 |
DeJuan Blair 2 | Steals | Shannon Brown 1 |
James Anderson 1 | Blocks | Andrew Bynum 2 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
San Antonio | 93 | 35.2 | 9-25 | 22-24 | 18 | 42 | 2 | 5 | 9 |
L.A. Lakers | 102 | 45.6 | 5-19 | 25-28 | 24 | 45 | 3 | 1 | 12 |