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Lakers bop Bobcats as Kobe rests

Oct 24, 2008 - 5:01 AM By Eugene W. Fields PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The Lakers didn't have Kobe Bryant, but the Charlotte Bobcats couldn't tell the difference.

Bryant sat out the Lakers' 88-77 victory over the Bobcats at the Honda Center Thursday with a hyper-extended left knee, an injury he suffered in the second quarter of the first game between the teams Tuesday in San Diego.

For the second time in two days against the Bobcats, the Lakers made due.

Pau Gasol scored 13 points in 19 minutes and Andrew Bynum added six with 10 rebounds and three blocks. Jordan Farmer added 12 points and Luke Walton scored 10 off the bench.

Trevor Ariza had a tough time filling in for Bryant. Ariza turned the ball over on the Lakers' first possession when he stepped out of bounds. He missed his first four shots before sinking an eight-footer with 4:37 left in the first half. Ariza finished with six points and four rebounds.

Charlotte, looking for its first victory in the preseason, had a tougher time. The Bobcats missed their first eight shots before Raymond Felton made a layup with 8:00 left in the quarter.

The Bobcats, however, erased a six-point deficit coming out of halftime and took a 43-42 lead with 6:15 left in the third quarter on Emeka Okafor's dunk.

The Lakers went on a 23-13 run to end the quarter, keyed by a pair of 3-pointers by Lamar Odom and a 27-footer by Farmar to beat the buzzer.

Pony-tailed Adam Morrison scored 13 points off the bench to lead Charlotte. Jason Richardson added 12 points.

Bryant drew a large ovation when he came out of the locker room with 6:38 left in first quarter.

Denver Nuggets coach George Karl was in attendance to see his son, Coby, a reserve guard trying to make the Lakers' roster. The younger Karl scored eight points in 17 minutes.