• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Kings fend off Lakers

Jan 29, 2011 - 6:58 AM Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - DeMarcus Cousins had 27 points and 10 rebounds to help the Sacramento Kings earn a 100-95 win over the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center.

Omri Casspi had 20 points and eight rebounds and Samuel Dalembert added a season-high 18 points for the Kings, who have won two of three on the heels of a four-game losing streak.

"It feels good and I'm proud of our guys," Sacramento head coach Paul Westphal said after his last-place team defeated the Pacific Division leaders. "We beat a good team on the road primarily because of our defense. The start of the third quarter was the key. We were able to build up the big lead and able to hang on."

Kobe Bryant had 38 points and moved into eighth-place on the NBA's all-time scoring list, passing Hakeem Olajuwon. Bryant now has 26,972 points and needs just 342 to move past Elvin Hayes for seventh place.

Shannon Brown scored 17 points and Andrew Bynum added 12 points for the Lakers, who are just 3-3 in their past six games and had a seven-game home winning streak snapped.

"Their big guys came out and took it to our big guys," said Los Angeles head coach Phil Jackson. "We played good defense in the fourth quarter, but that was the only quarter."

A five-point lead for the Lakers early in the first quarter was the largest advantage for either side in the frame. Bryant closed out the stanza with a pair of baskets to give his squad a 33-30 lead heading to the second.

The game remained tight for much of the second quarter, but a 9-2 run from the Kings in the latter stages helped them to take a 59-55 lead into halftime.

Sacramento took control of the game out of the break, ripping off a 12-2 run to start the half for a 71-57 lead. Cousins' layup capped the spurt just over three minutes in.

Consecutive baskets from Dalembert gave Sacramento a 20-point lead, 81-61, but Los Angeles later used a 10-2 burst to cut its deficit to 85-71 heading to the fourth.

A three from Brown and two free throws by Bryant cut the Lakers' deficit to 85-76 early in the fourth.

Despite a good defensive series from Sacramento, Brown made a basket from long range to make it a seven-point game, 90-83. But Tyreke Evans countered with a three of his own with under seven minutes to play to restore the Kings' 10- point lead.

Los Angeles made another run and got it to within three on a Pau Gasol free throw with 2:43 showing on the clock, but Evans followed with two from the line and a Casspi tip-in off an Evans attempt gave the Kings a seven-point lead with 1:29 showing.

Sacramento held Los Angeles to at least a two-possession deficit for the rest of the game.

Game Notes

Sacramento hosts New Orleans on Saturday...The Lakers host Boston on Sunday...Los Angeles had won eight straight against Sacramento and eight straight at home in the series...The Kings shot 51.2 percent while the Lakers made just 41.3 percent of their shots.