Kobe, Lakers remain hot, torch Suns
Bryant scores 26 of his 38 points in second half
 Lucy Nicholson / Reuters Kobe Bryant and hte Lakers celebrate after Trevor Ariza (not shown) dunks against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday. |
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LOS ANGELES - Kobe Bryant asked to be traded last spring in part because he wanted to play for a team that could contend for an NBA title.
He just might have gotten his wish by staying put.
Bryant scored 26 of his 38 points in the second half, Andrew Bynum had a career-high 28 points to go with 12 rebounds and a season-high four assists, and the Lakers beat the Phoenix Suns 122-115 on Tuesday for their ninth win in 11 games.
“I’m focused on one thing and one thing only — winning the championship,” Bryant said after the Lakers moved a season-high eight games over .500 at 18-10 and within one game of the Pacific Division-leading Suns.
Bryant, who complained about a lack of talent around him, has gotten plenty of help recently, especially from the 20-year-old Bynum, who shot 11-of-13 in outplaying Phoenix center Amare Stoudemire.
Bynum left to a roar of approval from the Staples Center crowd of 18,997 and a hand-slap from Bryant with 11.5 seconds to play.
“We’re getting better. It’s just about getting better each day,” Bryant said. “It’s good to have games like this. We have a solid foundation, we really do. When you play against Phoenix, you have to be solid.”
Derek Fisher added 19 points, Lamar Odom had 15 points and 14 rebounds, and Trevor Ariza scored 14 points in his first start since being acquired from Orlando last month.
While Odom didn’t mince words, calling Bynum one of the NBA’s best centers, others weren’t so quick to make such a jump.
“At the end of the year, if he is the MVP, then we’ll say what a great year he had,” Lakers coach Phil Jackson said, drawing laughs from reporters.
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After matching his career high by playing 42 minutes, Bynum said he felt great.
“I feel like I could play another game right now,” he said. “I put in all the hard work just for this. It’s paying off. This definitely was one of my better games. Made a pretty big impact, teammates looking for me, wide open a lot of the times and they found me today.
“So far, perfect Christmas.”
Jackson is reticent to draw any conclusions from his team’s solid start this season — understandable considering the Lakers won 26 of their first 39 games last season before losing 27 or their final 43.
“We are playing better as a team,” Jackson said. “We just have to play every game and not think about anything else, just what’s ahead of us.”
Steve Nash led the Suns (19-10) with 24 points and 14 assists. Six of his teammates scored in double figures including Stoudemire, who had 19 points but only six rebounds; Shawn Marion, who had 15 points and 10 rebounds; Raja Bell, who also scored 15; and Grant Hill, who added 14.
“They’ve definitely gotten better,” Bell said of the Lakers. “But any team that stays together like that, as far as core players go, normally gets better — especially when their young fella (Bynum) is getting another year under his belt.
“He looks really good and he did a great job today.”
When asked about the difference between these Lakers and last year’s team, Phoenix coach Mike D’Antoni replied: “Bynum and Derek Fisher. They’ve got two better players than they had last time. So that’s a big difference.”
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The game was the first between the teams since the Lakers stunned the Suns 119-98 in Phoenix on Nov. 2. Jackson angered D’Antoni when he called a timeout right after the Suns called one, with 4:55 to play and the outcome already decided.
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