FINAL
Lakers 115, Kings 107
LOS ANGELES - There was too much Kobe Bryant for the Kings tonight as they lost their second consecutive game to an L.A. team.
A night after Chris Paul helped the Clippers pull out a win in Sacramento, it was Bryant who scored 38 points (most by a Kings opponent this season) including five late that put the game away.
Kings coach Keith Smart played backups for all but 28 seconds of the fourth quarter. After the Kings fell behind 94-74, the reserves rallied the Kings with a 21-6 run to make the score 100-95 with 5:00 to play.
But the backups couldn't complete the comeback.
Francisco Garcia led the Kings (12-24) with 18 points off the bench.
The Kings had season highs in field goals made (45) and attempted (103). But the Lakers (22-14) shot 53.7 percent, making one less field goal on 82 attempts.
The Kings had only five turnovers. The last time the Kings had five turnovers or less in a game was Dec. 1, 2007 against Houston.
*For those monitoring the Andrew Bynum-DeMarcus Cousins matchup here are the results:
Bynum: 19 points (8-of-13), 15 rebounds, two assists, three blocked shots.
Cousins: 10 pints (5-of-16), 13 rebounds, one assist, two steals one blocked shot.
Cousins didn't play the entire fourth quarter. If he had he probably matches/exceeds Bynum in rebounds.
THIRD QUARTER
Lakers 92, Kings 74
LOS ANGELES - The Kings shooting continues to tail off and the Lakers are taking advantage of that.
The Kings are shooting 38.8 percent, not nearly good enough on anight the Lakers are shooting 55.6 percent and Kobe Bryant is hot (31 points, seven rebounds, three assists).
The Kings were down 65-62 early in the third before the Lakers took control of the game with a 10-3 run.
Marcus Thornton has 15 points for the Kings. DeMarcus Cousins has 10 points and 13 rebounds but is shooting just 5-of-16.
The Kings shot 6-of-29 in the third quarter.
HALFTIME
Lakers 65, Kings 58
LOS ANGELES - The Kings are shooting 49 percent - exceptional for them - but the Lakers are shooting 58.5 percent to keep the Kings behind in the game.
The Kings received a boost from the bench in the second quarter from Francisco Garcia, who has 11 points. Marcus Thornton leads the Kings with 12 points. DeMarcus Cousins has 10 points and five rebounds.
Kobe Bryant has 20 points for the Lakers. Andrew Bynum has 11 points and six rebounds. Pau Gasol added 10 points, four rebounds and three assists.
Rookie Andrew Goudelock had nine points off the bench for the Lakers.
FIRST QUARTER
Lakers 31, Kings 26
LOS ANGELES - As expected, the Lakers are being led by Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. The Kings' version of the "Big 3" just hasn't been able to keep up.
Marcus Thornton has 10 points for the Kings and DeMarcus Cousins has eight points and three rebounds. Tyreke Evans has four points, five rebounds and two assists.
But the Kings are shooting just 42.9 percent while the Lakers are shooting 56.5 percent.
Bryant has a game-high 13 points. Gasol has eight points and three assists. Bynum has six points and three rebounds.
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