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Los Angeles, CA – The Los Angeles Lakers haven’t lost three straight games this season. Facing a lowly Memphis team should get them back on track.
While Los Angeles goes for its fifth straight win at Staples Center on Tuesday night, the Grizzlies are looking for just their fourth road win of the season.
Oddsmakers from online sports book Sportsbook.com have made the Lakers -16 point spread favorites for Tuesday’s game against the Grizzlies. Current NBA Public Betting Information shows that 52% of more than 205 bets for this game have been placed on the Lakers -16.
The Lakers (48-12) dropped their second consecutive game Sunday, 118-111 at Phoenix, despite Kobe Bryant’s 49-point effort. The reigning MVP hit 18-of-38 from the field and recorded his 96th career 40-plus point game as Los Angeles lost two in a row for the third time in 2008-09.
The Lakers’ last three-game losing streak was Jan. 23-27, 2008.
"We’re going through a period right now where everybody’s just kind of tired a little bit," said Bryant, who had 29 points in a 90-79 loss at Denver on Friday. "It happens. … Everybody kind of goes through it a little bit. And this two games, we’ve been playing lethargic."
In two games versus Memphis this season, though, Bryant has averaged 30.5 points as Los Angeles won both contests. In the Grizzlies’ last game visiting the Lakers, Bryant scored 53 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a 114-111 loss on March 28, 2008.
Pau Gasol missed that game with a sprained left ankle. He had 30 points Sunday and is looking for another solid outing Tuesday against his former team. Gasol, who spent his first six-plus seasons with Memphis before last February’s trade to Los Angeles, averaged 19.5 points and 7.5 boards in two victories against the Grizzlies this season.
Lamar Odom looks to bounce back from one of his worst games of the season. He had four points and six rebounds against the Suns before fouling out in 23 minutes.
"Lamar just really had an awful day," Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson said. "I mean, there were a couple of really bad calls against Lamar that limited his time."
Odom has averaged only 12.5 points and 6.0 boards in the two games against Memphis this season.
The Grizzlies (15-43) arrive in Los Angeles for back-to-back games versus the Lakers and Clippers after losing their seventh straight, 99-92 to Oklahoma City on Saturday. Rudy Gay scored 20 points and O.J. Mayo added 18.
Memphis trailed 29-17 after 12 minutes – the 21st time in 2008-09 that it hasn’t reached 20 points in the first quarter.
"That has been a struggle, trying to get the start of the game with higher energy, higher effort," said Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins, whose team is 1-20 when it fails to reach 20 points in the opening 12 minutes.
Memphis, 3-23 on the road this season, needs to get off to a quick start and to avoid turnovers against a Los Angeles team leading the league in scoring at 108.8 points per game. The Thunder scored 25 points Saturday off the Grizzlies’ 17 turnovers.
"We gave them too many easy layups," said Mike Conley, averaging 13.1 points and 5.8 assists since being inserted into the starting lineup Jan. 19. "There was too much penetration by their guards. They were shooting 90 percent at one point just because of their layups. They were making a lot of easy plays."
Gay sprained his ankle Saturday, but likely be available Tuesday. Gay had 28 points, seven boards and four assists in Memphis’ last game visiting the Lakers.
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Posted: 3/3/09 2:30AM ET