Lakers crush the Kings

Kobe, Lakers thrilled after crushing Kings
Artest can’t slow Bryant, who scores 36 points in 106-85 victory
Mark J. Terrill / AP

LOS ANGELES - For a while there, it was just like old times for the Los Angeles Lakers.

And veterans Kobe Bryant and Devean George were right in the middle of things.

Bryant and George, key members of the Lakers’ three championship teams from 2000-02, scored nine points each during an 18-3 fourth-quarter run that propelled the Lakers to a 106-85 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night.
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With Bryant watching from the bench with four fouls, the Kings scored the last seven points of the third quarter to cut the Lakers’ lead to 77-72. That’s when the game-turning spurt began.

“It felt great tonight,” said Bryant, who led the way with 36 points. “The energy was just tremendous. After we would get a steal, get a stop, we would come down, score, and be hungry for another stop, another steal. It just kept snowballing, and we continued to step up our aggression level.”