The seven-game road trip is officially over with the Los Angeles Lakers playing their first game back at the Staples Center on Tuesday night against the Phoenix Suns.
Ironically enough, the Lakers began the trip against the Suns and fell to Steve Nash’s former team in Phoenix, but the same couldn’t be said for Tuesday’s matchup with Los Angeles barely getting the best of Lindsey Hunter’s squad, 91-85.
Finishing the longest road trip of the season with four wins and three loses was a promising sign for the Lakers, but the team still needs to make up some ground in order to get back into contention for the eighth seed in the Western Conference with the Portland Trail Blazers and Houston Rockets sitting ahead of the Lakers for the final playoff spot.
Although the Lakers were able to hold off the Suns at home on Tuesday, Kobe Bryant had one of the worst games of his career. Kobe insisted on passing all night long and even though that philosophy has worked for the five-time NBA champion as of late, it backfired against Phoenix.
Kobe committed nine turnovers in the win over the Suns while only scoring four points on 1-8 shooting. Dwight Howard on the other hand had one of his best games playing through the shoulder injury with tying a team-high with 19 points and ripping down a game-high 18 rebounds.
Despite Kobe’s worst performance in recent memory, the team is starting to come together and are within striking distance of the final spot of the playoffs in the West. The true test for the Lakers before heading into the All-Star break will be taking on the Los Angeles Clippers for the third time this season at Staples Center on Thursday.
Lakers Nation News
Lakers News: D’Antoni Said Kobe Bryant Passed Too Much
Should Dwight Howard Sit Out The NBA All-Star Game?
Lakers News: Steve Nash Wants Howard To Run More Pick And Roll
Lakers News: Bryant Content With Performance Despite Shooting Woes
Lakers News: Earl Clark To Receiver MRI On Injured Right Foot
Gary Payton Praises Kobe, Tells Dwight Howard To “Get It Together”
Lakers News: Howard Wants To Play In All-Star Game Despite Injury
Lakers News: Team Has “No Immediate Plans” To Add To The Roster
VIDEO: Kobe Bryant Says Dwight Howard Conflict Is Manufactured
Practice Report: Lakers Admit Ineffectiveness of Pick-And-Roll
Lakers News: Rick Fox Thinks Dwight Howard Has Loser’s Mentality
Lakers News
This Is Not The Steve Nash The Lakers Hoped For [LA Times]
Kobe Bryant Clanks But Lakers Don’t Tank In Win Over Lowly Suns [LA Times]
Lakers’ Dwight Howard Has ‘Got To Get Going,’ Jeff Van Gundy Says [LA Times]
Dwight Howard Still Won’t Promise Tomorrow [LA Times]
Mike D’Antoni Not Pushing For Roster Additions [LA Times]
Mike D’Antoni Backs Dwight Howard’s Decision To Play In All-Star Game [LA Times]
Coach Mike D’Antoni Says Every Laker Knows His Role [LA Times]
Kobe And Shaq: Together Again For A Night [OC Register]
Howard Steps Up His Game In Lakers Victory [OC Register]
Lakers Find Even Winning Can’t Silence Critics [OC Register]
Ding: Nash’s Anger At Howard Very Real [OC Register]
Lakers’ Only Progress Is In The Win Column [Silver Screen & Roll]
Berger: Lakers Have Interest In Louis Amundson [Silver Screen & Roll]
Tweetbag: Shaq And Kobe Happy At Last [Silver Screen & Roll]
Beast Or Burden: Turning The Corner [Silver Screen & Roll]
NBA News
Clippers Face Rockets’ High-Octane Attack [SB Nation]
Ty Lawson’s Delayed Leap [SB Nation]
Are The Celtics Better Without Rondo? [SB Nation]
Hedo Turkoglu Discusses Suspension [SB Nation]
Jennings, Bucks Have “Irreconcilable Differences”? [SB Nation]
Trade Rumors: Even More Talk About Sap And Big Al [SB Nation]
Magic’s Hedo Turkoglu Suspended 20 Games For Positive Steroid Test [Pro Basketball Talk]
Could Nerlens Noel’s Injury Shake Up The NBA Draft? Not Really [Pro Basketball Talk]
What You’ll See In Dunk Contest: James White vs. Gerald Green (VIDEO) [Pro Basketball Talk]
Celtics Get Good News On Rondo’s Knee, Bad On Barbosa [Pro Basketball Talk]
LeBron Tweets He’s Not MJ, But He’s Playing In That Air Now [Pro Basketball Talk]
VIDEO: Toronto Raptor’s Rudy Gay Makes The Game-Winner Again [Sports City]
NBA Rumors: Knicks Express Interest In Trading For Luke Ridnour [Sports City]
Thunder’s Russell Westbrook Frustrated With Reporter’s Question [Sports City]
VIDEO: Rockets’ Lin, Harvard Graduate, Works With ESPN Reporter [Sports City]
