Kobe Bryant and the reeling Los Angeles Lakers desperately needed some kind of break to help them out of a miserable stretch of performances on the road. They got a dandy just before tipoff on Friday night when Timberwolves All-Star Kevin Love was scratched because of back spasms. Bryant scored 34 points and Andrew Bynum added 26 points and 10 rebounds and the Lakers outlasted upstart Minnesota in a 105-102 victory.
