OKLAHOMA CITY — To Kobe Bryant, a little bit of rest is way overrated. Getting ready for the playoffs is what the last stretch of the season is all about.
Bryant scored 19 points before taking the fourth quarter off, and the Los Angeles Lakers cruised to a 107-89 win against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night.
The Lakers led from start to finish for the ninth time this season and closed within a game of idle Cleveland for the best record in the NBA, and they did it without any of their starters stepping on the floor in the last 8 minutes.
That rest could prove helpful as the Lakers continue a seven-game road trip, having won the first two games.
“I don’t really care about that too much,” Bryant said. “It’s all about how well we’re playing, if our bench comes in and holds our leads.”
Lamar Odom scored 18 points before fouling out and Pau Gasol had 14 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists for Los Angeles.
BULLS 99, PISTONS 91
CHICAGO — Kirk Hinrich scored 24 points filling in for the injured Derrick Rose, and the Bulls pulled within a game of the seventh-place Pistons in the Eastern Conference.
SPURS 107, WARRIORS 106
SAN ANTONIO — Tony Parker scored 30 points and the Spurs finally won a close finish in San Antonio. Roger Mason scored 24 and sank the go-ahead jumper with 23.8 seconds to play. Monta Ellis had two chances to win it for Golden State. He missed a jumper with 5.9 seconds to go and clanked a 3-point try off the front of the rim as time expired.
JAZZ 99, ROCKETS 86
SALT LAKE CITY — Ronnie Brewer scored 12 of his 17 points in the second half as Utah ended Houston’s four-game winning streak. The Jazz pulled within one-half game of Denver for the Northwest Division lead and knocked the Rockets back to second in the Southwest.
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