Kobe was vintage Kobe Tuesday, helping the Lakers snap a 10-game losing skid. Bryant went off for 38 points, raining threes all over the Staples Center floor. For one night, at least, he reminded us of why he’s a Hall of Famer. Another performance like that and the Lakers will close the gap on the Pelicans in the Western Conference.
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SCHEDULING
The Lakers begin a four-game road trip ahead of the All-Star break with Thursday’s contest in New Orleans. They’ll enter knowing that they won’t be owners of the longest losing streak in franchise history. It was turn-back-the-clock night Tuesday at Staples Center with Kobe Bryant going for 38 points and the Lakers stopped their slide at 10 games with a 119-115 win over Minnesota. Bryant hit seven three-pointers and scored 14 of the Lakers’ 18 points over the final five minutes. His vintage performance made sure the record stayed tied. And it’s a good thing, because the Lakers are awful away from Staples. Their four road wins are only one better than Philadelphia.
To say the least it was an eventful two-week stretch. The Pelicans wrapped up its longest stay of the season in the Crescent City with a 5-2 SU record, part of an 8-6 January that represented their first winning month this season. As a result, New Orleans remained in the hunt in what’s become a multi-team pursuit of eighth place in the Western Conference. However, the Pelicans didn’t gain much ground because the clubs above them also put together successful stretches. New Orleans returns to the Smoothie King Arena Thursday to face the Lakers after Wednesday’s stopover in San Antonio. The Pels are 3-7 SU and 6-4 ATS in the second game of their back-to-backs this season, but they have won their last three such games with two of those coming on their home floor.
INJURIES
Rookie forward Larry Nance Jr. has been shut down by the Lakers until after the All-Star break to give his sore right knee more time to rest. The Lakers have four more games before their eight-day break.
The Pelicans are not pushing to bring back starting point guard Tyreke Evans until he’s fully healed from a tendinitis problem in his right knee. Evans missed his third consecutive game on Monday and there remains no specific timetable for his return. Norris Cole has taken over at the point with Bryce Dejean-Jones at shooting guard.
KEY MATCHUP
Ryan Anderson, the Pelicans’ best three-point shooter, could be pivotal as New Orleans heads to the All-Star break with a little momentum following its 5-2 homestand. Anderson was terrific from long distance during the home stay, connecting on 21 of 46 attempts. He drilled 19 threes over one four-game stretch, his best such run of the basketball season. Anderson dropped a career-high 36 on Sacramento last week, delivering with Anthony Davis and Evans both on the shelf with injuries. He started that game red-hot, becoming the first player in the NBA this season to score 30 points in the first half. Anderson surpassed his season high of 32 points with just over two minutes remaining in the third quarter with a three-point bucket. He scored off drives, three-pointers, and pull-up and step-back jumpers. The Kings appeared to be lost in finding a way to slow him down. Even when the Kings contested, Anderson still made a high percentage of his shots. He takes on less of a role with Davis back, but Anderson can go off at any time.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
Though the Pelicans continue to languish near the bottom of the Western Conference standings, they have been a decent club at home. Despite a 15-point loss to the Grizzlies on Monday, New Orleans completed a recent seven-game home stay going 5-2 SU and 4-3 ATS in what coach Alvin Gentry said was “a good homestand.” New Orleans dropped a 95-91 decision to the Lakers in LA on Jan. 12, but played that game without Davis, who was out with a sore back. That was the last Lakers’ win until Tuesday. They had dropped 10 straight tying a franchise mark for futility in between. New Orleans has the difficult task of playing in San Antonio Wednesday before battling the Lakers in its 11th back-to-back this season. But with a lineup that has Davis back and Anderson playing phenomenal basketball, it’s hard to envision LA doing enough for another win.
New Orleans 114, Los Angeles 107
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