<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">MEMPHIS, Tenn., Dec. 14 (Ticker) -- Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers are silencing their critics. Bryant scored 13 of his 27 points in a dominant third quarter by the Lakers en route to an impressive 94-79 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. NBA TV highlights from Lakers-Grizzlies: Play Lamar Odom added 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists for the Lakers, who finished their road trip with a stellar 5-1 mark and improved to 8-5 away from home. Last season, Los Angeles did not win its eighth road game until February 9. Just two weeks ago, the Lakers were struggling to establish an identity and looking to find their rhythm in coach Phil Jackson's triangle offense. "It's execution and having confidence in what we're running," Odom said. "The triangle, we're starting to learn it and know where we're getting our shots from. We're also playing good team defense. But we put ourselves in a hole early in the year, losing games we thought we should've won at home. So really, as a team, I told all my family and my friends we wanted to win out on this road trip." While Bryant continued to put up impressive numbers during the Lakers' tough stretch, he still was scrutinized for shot selection and selfish play at times. "We listen to people say how basically we're not going to be any good, (that) we're going to be cellar-dwellers," Bryant said. "We try to focus on what we have to do as a team every day to try and silence them eventually. "Not to get too far ahead of ourselves, but we're sticking to that daily process, and that's why we've been able to band together on this road trip." On Wednesday, Bryant made just 1-of-6 shots in the first quarter but 9-of-11 thereafter. The seven-time All-Star connected on 5-of-6 in the third quarter to help the Lakers turn it into a blowout. "It gives us confidence," said Bryant, who also grabbed eight rebounds. "It shows that our play is not a fluke." Former Laker Eddie Jones drilled a 3-pointer with 9:17 remaining in the third period to slice the deficit to 47-42, but Bryant simply took over from there. The league's second-leading scorer at 31.4 points per game, Bryant ran off nine straight points for Los Angeles to ignite a game-changing 26-8 run. The lead grew to 73-50 on a layup by Chris Mihm with 34 seconds to go in the period. "Tonight, I just kind of played back and when they needed me to make a burst at the end of the first half, I did it," Bryant said. "In the third quarter, I did it. That's the type of leadership I provide. I just turned it up. I can score whenever I need to, but it makes it a lot easier when everybody else is a threat." Bryant scored 13 points in the decisive burst, while Smush Parker added six and Odom five for the Lakers, who shot 48 percent (26-of-75) overall and held a 48-38 rebounding advantage. "There's a territory we have yet to cover that we know we have to and that's playing on our home floor and playing with teams having the expectation that we're again a good basketball club," Jackson said. Jackson, who owns nine championship rings as a coach, believes that the Lakers have taken the critical leap from a mediocre team to a contender. "Right now, I think people look beyond us and say, 'They're OK. They're going to have Kobe scoring a lot of points and so forth.' Now I think people are going to have to understand that we're back in this run. We're going to be a team to be accounted for." Parker finished with 13 points and Kwame Brown added nine and six rebounds off the bench for Los Angeles, which held a 48-32 scoring advantage in the paint. </div> Full recap Box score I don't believe it... The Lakers rock!
Yah that was a great game... It was good to see everyone clicking as a team... And Kobe??? Geeze!!!!! this dude is fo-reeeeaal!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's time for the critics and Kobe haters to shut their mouths....Phil has got this team going, but Kobe has led this team superbly....invoking confidence within his teammates, setting himself as an example, and playing excellent....those haters who said that Kobe is the ruin of this team....well look at us now....Lakers are improving and they still got room to improve....things are looking great....I want to see Kwame make more of the moves that he made against Dallas again...they were nice moves that he can use every game he plays....totally take advantage of his defenders who underestimate his abilities....we are looking great....and we can do better
