ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) – Kobe Bryant scored 27 points and Smush Parker added a season-high 20, sending the Los Angeles Lakers to a 106-93 win over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night.
It was the third loss in a row for the struggling Magic, and the Lakers’ third win on a tough six-game road trip.
Grant Hill had 20 points for Orlando, while Jameer Nelson added 15 points and seven assists. Dwight Howard had 12 points and eight rebounds.
After scoring 15 points in the first half, Bryant virtually disappeared in the third quarter. He hit three free throws but missed three field-goal attempts and didn’t make a second-half shot from the field until a 3-pointer 1:17 into the fourth quarter.
The Lakers didn’t need him. Parker scored nine points during a 14-3 run in the third quarter, and Brian Cook nailed a 3-pointer just before the period ended to give Los Angeles a 79-73 lead.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.