• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Lakers host Bobcats at Staples Center

Jan 31, 2012 - 3:44 PM (Sports Network) - The Los Angeles Lakers own just three wins in their last eight games and look to pick up the tempo tonight versus the lowly Charlotte Bobcats at Staples Center.

The Lakers split a brief two-game road trip in Milwaukee and Minnesota, and are coming off Sunday's 106-101 win over the Timberwolves. Kobe Bryant poured in 35 points on 14-of-29 shooting and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead the way, while Pau Gasol scored 28 points and Andrew Bynum added 21 for a Lakers team that owns just a 2-7 record away from home.

Los Angeles was able to rebound from a loss to the Bucks and shot 50.6 percent from the field. It was still outrebounded by a 52-41 margin and the Wolves had fewer turnovers, more second chance points and more fast break points. In the end Minnesota made only 38.5 percent of its shots.

"They kicked our behinds on the glass," Lakers head coach Mike Brown said. "They had 24 offensive rebounds for the 32 second chance points. It would be interesting to go back and watch the tape to see how they kept beating us to the ball. Maybe we were tired, maybe we didn't box out. I don't know."

Los Angeles extended its winning streak against Minnesota to 16 games and the last time the Wolves beat the Lakers was March 6, 2007. Bryant surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most field goals made in franchise history for the Lakers, who will start a six-game road trip Friday against the Nuggets, Jazz, Sixers, Celtics, Knicks and Raptors.

The Lakers are a dominant 10-2 as the host this season and ended a string of 13 games without scoring 100 points. It was the longest mark since the introduction of the shot clock prior to the 1954-55 season. The Lakers scored fewer than 100 points in 12 consecutive games during the 2003-04 season.

Charlotte will kick off a grueling four-game road trip Tuesday against the Lakers, Blazers, Suns and Celtics, and is just 1-10 as the guest. It has dropped eight in a row on the road and hasn't tasted victory on foreign hardwood since Jan. 4 at New York.

Last in the Southeast Division, the Bobcats have dropped eight straight and 14 of their last 15 games, including Saturday's 102-99 loss versus Washington in a battle of Eastern Conference also-rans. Rookie Kemba Walker notched his first career triple-double with 20 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds. Byron Mullens had a career-high 23 points and Boris Diaw added 21 and 10 assists.

"I was just more patient tonight," Walker told the team's site. "I've been watching a lot of film with the coaches and they've been showing me certain opportunities that I have on the court that I haven't been taking. Tonight, I just took those opportunities and that just made things a lot easier."

Charlotte has failed to score more than 100 points in each of its last eight games and played without Gerald Henderson and D.J. Augustin due to injury. Henderson is bothered by a strained lower back and is questionable, while Augustin is expected to miss 1-2 weeks because of a small fracture in his right big toe.

Boris Diaw had 21 points and both Tyrus Thomas and Matt Carroll finished with 13 apiece for the Bobcats, who shot .470 from the field (39-83), .364 from beyond the three-point line (4-11) and .586 from the free-throw line (17-29). Walker has scored in double figures in seven of his last 10 games, averaging 14.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.8 steals in that stretch. His triple-double was the first in the NBA by a rookie this season and third in franchise history (Stephen Jackson, Diaw).

Over his last three games, Thomas is averaging 11.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.7 blocks and 1.7 steals. He also grabbed a season-high 10 rebounds against Washington for his first double-double of the season.

Charlotte and Los Angeles split a pair of meetings last season, with each team prevailing as the host. Surprisingly, the Bobcats have won eight of the past 11 meetings with the Lakers.