MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Kobe Bryant scored 19 points and Lamar Odom had 15 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 93-84 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night.
Memphis got within two points in the fourth quarter, but Los Angeles took advantage of five Grizzlies turnovers to go on an 11-0 run and take an 89-76 lead.
The Lakers, who tied the season series 2-all, have won three of four overall. The Grizzlies have lost two straight but still have won five of their last seven.
Pau Gasol scored 17 points for the Lakers.
Sam Young led the Grizzlies with 22 points, matching his career high.
Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay was hounded by Ron Artest's tough defense, yet still managed 18 points on 7-of-15 shooting. But Zach Randolph, the Western Conference's player of the month for January, scored only eight points on 2-of-14 shooting.
The Grizzlies trailed by five entering the fourth quarter, but sliced the Lakers' lead to 78-76 on Tony Allen's dunk with 7 minutes left.
But 3-pointers by Odom and Artest put the Lakers ahead 84-76 with 5:44 remaining.
The game featured a sibling rivalry — Lakers forward Pau Gasol versus his younger brother Marc, the Grizzlies' starting center. Marc Gasol scored 10 points and grabbed 12 rebounds.
The defending NBA champion Lakers had a strong contingent of fans at the sold-out FedExForum, including rapper Snoop Dogg, who was in town for a concert and sat in the front row wearing a Lakers jacket and oversized sunglasses.
Los Angeles began the second half with a 10-2 spurt, including 3-pointers by Derek Fisher and Artest, who scored 13 points. Allen's layup capped a 7-0 run and cut the Lakers' lead to 64-58 with 5:10 to play in the third quarter.
Memphis moved within two points on Darrell Arthur's layup. But the Lakers outscored the Grizzlies 7-4 to end the third quarter with a 73-68 advantage.
The quarter was marked by physical play from both teams. Arthur and Artest were both forced to the bench in the quarter with bloody noses.
Luke Walton's free throw gave the Lakers their first lead of the game, 34-33, at the 6:32 mark of the second quarter. Bryant made two free throws to give Los Angeles a 50-45 lead at halftime.
Bryant and Pau Gasol led the Lakers with 10 points apiece at halftime. Young had 14 points for the Grizzlies, who made just five of their 21 shots in the second quarter.
Mike Conley scored seven points to stake Memphis to a 13-10 lead with 5:18 remaining in the first quarter. Pau Gasol was fouled by his brother while shooting a 3-pointer with 1.9 seconds left, but he made just one of three foul shots and the Lakers ended the quarter trailing 29-26.
Point guard Jason Williams, a free agent since being released by Orlando on Jan. 26, signed a contract with the Grizzlies on Monday. A known favorite of Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley, Williams is the club's career assists leader.
Notes: Grizzlies guard O.J. Mayo missed the sixth game of a 10-game suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy. ... Memphis entered 8-1 in its last nine home games. ... Pau Gasol, traded to Los Angeles in February 2008 after six seasons in Memphis, remains the Grizzlies' active leader in points, rebounds and blocked shots. ... Fisher played in his 465th consecutive game, the longest active streak in the NBA. The run dates back to April 15, 2005.
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