Lakers suffer 3rd straight loss
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Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) is fouled by Memphis Grizzlies guard Tony Allen (9) in the first half of their NBA game on Tuesday in Memphis, Tenn. Memphis beat the Lakers 98-96. Jim Weber / Associated Press |
The Lakers had "Get back on track" written on the board in their dressingroom. Mike Conley and the Memphis Grizzlies wouldn't let that happen against them.
Conley scored 10 of his season-high 28 points in the fourth quarter, and the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Los Angeles Lakers 98-96 on Tuesday night, sending the defending champ to its third straight loss.
It's just the second three-game skid for the Lakers since they traded with Memphis for Pau Gasol in February 2008 to team him up with Kobe Bryant and first since March.
The Grizzlies now have won four straight at home and four of five overall.
"Our team came out and competed against one of the best teams in the NBA, and they competed well enough to get a win," Memphis coach Lionel Hollins said.
The Lakers had a chance to at least tie the game or win at the end. Conley lost the ball when he drove the lane and crashed into Pau Gasol. Kobe Bryant passed to Ron Artest for a 3-pointer for the win, but Rudy Gay blocked the shot as the Grizzlies held on for their second win in four games against the defending champion. Artest credited Gay with great defense.
"It was well-executed. I learned something from that today ... ," Artest said of Gay's block. "That was great execution. His close out was perfect ... He closed out, chopped his feet a little bit. Stayed low, didn't go totally for the head fake and recovered."
Gay, who finished with 14 points, credited his teammates with helping O.J. Mayo defend Bryant who wanted an open look at the end. Gay realizes he's known as a scorer, but wants to play better defense.
"The type of defensive-minded team we are here in Memphis, the sky is the limit. We all have aspirations of the playoffs. You have to play defensively every night," Gay said.
Zach Randolph had 13 points and eight rebounds for Memphis. Xavier Henry had 12, Marc Gasol had 10 and nine rebounds. Mayo had 11 points off the bench.
Lakers coach Phil Jackson didn't call a timeout, preferring to let Bryant run down and take an open shot.
"I went middle and I had the shot that I wanted, but I lost the handle on the ball while I was going up, so I kicked it to Ron," Bryant said. "Ron took a dribble and shot."
Bryant finished with a game-high 29 points but was 9-of-25 from the floor, including 1-of-6 outside the arc. Pau Gasol had 15 points and 14 rebounds playing mostly against his little brother.
"I think he felt like he had to carry a little bit of the load," Jackson said of Bryant's recent shooting woes. "Kobe's going to come out there and attack if no one else is aggressive enough. He's going to test the defense, and the other guys are going to have to step in."
It looked like it would be a tight game early as the teams swapped the lead 17 times with 13 ties until Marc Gasol's three-point play put Memphis ahead to stay with 3:18 left in the first half. The Grizzlies led 51-49 at halftime and opened the third quarter with a 13-4 run started by consecutive buckets by Conley.
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