Lakers reach top of West
Alone at last.
After playing for most of the month like a confident, resourceful team worthy of the top spot in the hyper-competitive Western Conference, the Los Angeles Lakers moved ahead of the pack Sunday night.
Actually, they didn't have to lift a finger to break a deadlock with the Phoenix Suns, who lost earlier in the day to the Detroit Pistons.
But the Lakers went ahead and hammered the Seattle SuperSonics, 111-91, at KeyArena just to reinforce the notion that they're the best in the West. Their victory extended their winning streak to a season-high eight games. It also gave the Los Angeles Lakers (39-17) a one-game lead over the Suns (38-18).
What's more, the Lakers are a dazzling 11-1 in February, which coincides with their trade for Pau Gasol.
They conclude the month with home games Tuesday against Portland and Thursday against Miami followed by a visit to Portland on Friday.
"The end all and be all for us is to win a title," Kobe Bryant said. "For us to get there, we have to take a lot of small steps. We're making good strides. The key is to keep it going. ... It's just the way we've been playing. It's starting to become one of those things where it's not just a hot streak. This is just the way we play."
Whether the Lakers can maintain their torrid pace remains to be seen. Keep this in mind, though: if they should run the table for the rest of the month, they would match their victory total for all of last season with 23 games still to be played.
The Lakers' free-and-easy style of play since Gasol joined them has overshadowed a gritty determination. Certainly, their stubbornness was on display during their lopsided victory over the SuperSonics (15-40).
For instance, Bryant lost his cool with referee Brian Forte and was ejected with four minutes remaining in the third quarter.
And, get this, the Lakers were leading the SuperSonics by a whopping 88-57 when Forte hit Kobe Bryant with two technical fouls. Bryant was upset about a no-call moments earlier, when an unnamed Sonic grabbed him by the arm.
"First tech, I didn't say anything," Bryant said. "I did not say a word to him. Second tech was a different story. Someone grabbed my arm. We go down the other end of the floor and the next thing I know, I've got a tech."
Bryant scored 21 points on 8-for-13 shooting, and had 10assists and four rebounds in 26 minutes before he was tossed. He also had been making life miserable for Sonics rookie Kevin Durant, who couldn't guard him and couldn't score on him.
Kevin Durant finished with 15points on 4-for-13 shooting.
Mickael Gelabale led Seattle with 21 points.
There were further examples of the Lakers' unwillingness to bend or break without their leading scorer available. Gasol and Lamar Odom picked up the slack for Bryant, scoring 22 and 19 points, respectively. Odom also had 11rebounds for his fifth consecutive double-double.
Gasol and Odom combined to help the Lakers maintain a 20-point lead, but they were by no means the only ones to contribute to the runaway victory.
Seven Lakers scored in double figures, including all five starters. Backup guards Sasha Vujacic and Jordan Farmar added 13 and 12 points, respectively.
"I guess it's never enough," Odom said. "We have to keep pushing and keep pushing and try to play better. We didn't execute toward the end of the game or really play that well. You want to kill and kick people when they're down."
Hours before the Lakers would defeat the Sonics for the third time this season, coach Phil Jackson said Vladimir Radmanovic would not play because of a strained right calf. Radmanovic was injured in the first quarter Saturday against the Clippers.
Jackson would not say whether he expected Radmanovic back for Tuesday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Staples Center.
"Can't tell that," Jackson said. "We're hoping it's day-to-day."
Luke Walton replaced Radmanovic as the Lakers' starting power forward and had 11points and seven rebounds. Walton has been playing with a sprained ankle since training camp, but showed no signs of it Sunday.
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