(SportsNetwork.com) – The Los Angeles Lakers will try again for their second
win of the season Wednesday against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie Kin
Center.
After claiming victory versus Charlotte on Sunday, the Lakers dropped a
107-102 decision in Memphis Tuesday night. NBA leading scorer Kobe Bryant
(26.7 ppg) had 28 points and Carlos Boozer scored a season-high 20 points with
eight rebounds.
Wesley Johnson (15), Jordan Hill (13) and Jeremy Lin (12) all scored in double
digits for the Lakers, who fell to 1-6 on the season and shot 47.1 percent.
The Lakers only made 7-of-22 3-pointers and Bryant hit on just three of his 10
attempts from beyond the arc. Hill had 14 boards in defeat.
“We just had to keep fighting,” said Lakers big man Ed Davis. “We were in the
game at halftime. We came out, they had a good start. We made a comeback and
gave ourselves a chance to win, we just couldn’t finish it out.”
The Lakers are playing five of seven games on the road and didn’t have guard
Wayne Ellington against the Grizzlies after his father was shot and killed on
Sunday in Philadelphia.
Forward Ryan Kelly (hamstring) did not play Tuesday and is questionable. He
has appeared in just one game this season.
Los Angeles will return home for two tough games versus San Antonio and Golden
State before hitting the road for three more games. LA is 0-3 as the visitor
this season.
The Pelicans are home for two games versus Los Angeles and Minnesota, and had
a two-game winning streak stopped with Monday’s 118-111 road loss to LeBron
James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
James and Kyrie Irving had 32 points apiece, while the Pelicans were led by
Ryan Anderson’s 32 points off the bench. Anderson made 8-of-12 3-pointers and
Anthony Davis contributed 27 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks for New
Orleans, which has lost three of five games and gave up 67 points in the
second half.
“Our defense got us tonight. We didn’t play much,” said Pelicans coach Monty
Williams. “And our shot selection was poor.”
Tyreke Evans had 10 assists, but shot just 2-of-14 from the field for six
points before fouling out late. Jrue Holiday scored 16 points in the loss.
The Pelicans went 2-1 against the Lakers last season, but Los Angeles has won
12 of the previous 14 matchups between the teams. The Lakers have won eight of
their past 10 trips to the Big Easy.
