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Hornets-Lakers Preview

Nov 8, 2009 - 1:35 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

New Orleans (2-4) at Los Angeles (5-1), 9:30 p.m. EDT

The defending champion Los Angeles Lakers have gone through the first week and a half of the season at less than full strength, relying on Kobe Bryant to carry the team.

The 11-time All-Star may be close to getting some help.

Seeking their fifth straight victory, the Lakers could have Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum back from injuries Sunday night against the sluggish New Orleans Hornets.

Gasol was instrumental to Los Angeles' championship run in 2008-09, averaging 18.9 points and 9.6 rebounds in 81 games, but has missed the team's first six contests this season because of a strained right hamstring. He has returned to practice and warmed up before Friday's 114-98 victory over Memphis but was inactive.

"I'm already frustrated," Gasol said. "This recovery has been slow for my taste. So right now I'm thinking about one day at a time and not getting ahead of myself."

Bynum also sat out Friday with a strained right elbow after averaging 20.0 points and 10.6 rebounds in five games. The injury is not considered serious, and he's expected to face New Orleans.

Last season, the 7-foot Spaniard teamed with the 7-foot Bynum to control the paint and open up the floor for Bryant.

So far this season, Bryant has been doing just fine.

He scored 41 points for the third time in four games Friday leading the Lakers (5-1) to a fourth straight victory. Bryant also became the youngest player to reach 24,000 points, reaching the milestone 38 days before Wilt Chamberlain, and overtook Grizzlies guard Allen Iverson for 16th place on the NBA's career scoring list.

Most of Bryant's baskets came on turnaround jumpers and inside moves against the undersized Memphis defenders in the low post, skills he learned from Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon over the summer.

"What can I say? This is a guy who sees a weakness in a team and exploits it," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said of Bryant.

Los Angeles took three of four from the Hornets last season. The teams split two games at Staples Center despite Bryant scoring 39 in each.

New Orleans (2-4) could have trouble slowing down Bryant again. Coming off back-to-back playoff appearances, the Hornets are off their worst start since 2005-06.

Most of New Orleans' struggles have stemmed from a defense struggling to slow down its opponents.

The Hornets, fifth in the NBA in scoring defense in 2008-09 at 94.3 points, are yielding an average of 105.5 this season. It likely won't be easy for them to come up with key stops against a Lakers team averaging 109.0 points during their winning streak.

With the defense having trouble, Chris Paul has been doing his best to carry the team, but he struggled at times in Friday's 107-90 loss to Toronto.

New Orleans led by two at halftime, but was outscored 34-14 in the third quarter. Paul had a team-high 21 points - 7.5 below his season average - and season-high 18 assists, but did not score in the third, when the Raptors hit more 3-pointers (8) than the Hornets had field goals (6).

"I saw a lack of energy," New Orleans coach Byron Scott said. "For the life of me, I can't understand why we came out without any energy."

The Hornets, winless in three games away from New Orleans, will have to quickly harness some energy with their next three games coming on the road.