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Kobe, Lakers go for sixth straight win

Jan 13, 2008 - 2:18 PM Memphis (10-26) at LA Lakers (24-11) 9:30 pm EST

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Kobe Bryant began the season complaining about his supporting cast. Thirty-five games into the season, Bryant has no reason to complain.

The Los Angeles Lakers will be looking to secure their sixth straight win and 16th in the last 19 games when they host the lowly Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday.

Bryant is averaging 26.7 points this season - his lowest mark in four years - but the Lakers are averaging 107.6 points per game as a team - their highest mark in years. Bryant has learned to trust young teammates such as Andrew Bynum and Jordan Farmar, and has benefited from the return of veteran point guard Derek Fisher.

Bynum has emerged as one of the best young centers in the game, averaging 13.2 points and 10.2 rebounds while playing a career-high 29 minutes per game. He went off for 25 and 17 in Friday's 110-105 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Los Angeles has scored over 100 points in its last seven wins, going over 110 points in six of those contests.

With the way they have been playing defense lately, the high-scoring Lakers are one of the last teams the Grizzlies want to see. Memphis ranks as the second-worst team in the league, allowing 105.0 points per game. The Grizzlies have yielded at least 116 in losing their last three games.

Los Angeles took down Memphis on Tuesday, coasting to a 117-101 win. Fisher led the Lakers with 26 points on 10-of-11 shooting, while Lamar Odom pulled down 15 rebounds.