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NBA -- Howard flexes muscles, Lakers KO Kings
By Joan Secuya-Medida
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 13 Nov 2012
SAN FRANCISCO -- If the Los Angeles Lakers were distracted by their team's recent head coaching upheaval, they didn't show it Sunday night and easily beat the visiting Sacramento Kings, 103-90, at the Staples Center.
Scoring two upsets over L.A. during the preseason, the young and talented Kings have been a thorn on the Lakers side lately. This time, though, the Lakers bullied their way to victory and led by as many as 23 points. Newly-acquired center Dwight Howard dropped 23 points and pulled down an impressive 18 rebounds while Pau Gasol was a touugh cover with 18 points, five rebounds and four assists.
The Kings played without 6-foot-11 slotman DeMarcus Cousins, who was serving a two-game suspension followng an altercation with San Antonio Spurs broadcaster Sean Elliott last Friday niight in Sacramento. Without the 271-pound center, the Lakers' bigs had a field day and the Kings were badly outrebounded 50-39, Obviously, the Kings also missed Cousins' 17.3 points per game average.
As the Lakers breezed and improved their mark to 3-4, Kobe Bryant played only for 33 minutes and still managed with 20 points, six rebounds and six assists. Metta World Peace, who has been plagued with erratic shooting of late, finished with 18 markers.
Sacramento hung around for a while and kept to within 57-48 at the haltime break, but the bottom fell in the fourth quarter, where the Lakers pounded the shaded lane early and often. The Kings didn't have an answer, "I think our guys played out of position a lot against some very talented big guys," Sacramento head coach Keith Smart told NBA.com after the game while referring to the havoc that Howard and Gasol wrought.
Jimmer Fredette led Sacramento's gallant stand with 18 points off the bench, nailing 7 of 9 shots along the way. Jason Thompson pumped 15 points while Isaiah Thomas added 13 for the Kings, who dropped to 2-5. The Kings try to pick up the pieces Tuesday night when they return home and host the Portland TrailBlazers at the Sleep Train Arena. (Joan Secuya-Medida)
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Joan Secuya-Medida.
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