New additions help Lakers take down rival Celtics
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Los Angeles, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - MarShon Brooks and Kent Bazemore provided season-high point totals in their Los Angeles Lakers debuts.
Brooks had 10 of his 14 during a key fourth-quarter run, while Bazemore provided 15 in the Lakers' 101-92 win over the Boston Celtics.
"Coach (Mike) D'Antoni told me to bring my confidence and go play my game," Brooks said.
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Brooks and Bazemore were acquired Thursday from the Golden State Warriors in exchange for point guard Steve Blake.
"Basketball is universal. You might change uniforms, but I just went out there and played," Bazemore said.
LA's bench outscored Boston's 63-21 and scored the final 44 points for its team.
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Pau Gasol added 16 points and seven rebounds for the Lakers, who snapped their eight-game home losing skid.
Jeff Green tallied 21 points and Brandon Bass added 20 points and eight boards for Boston, which has dropped three straight. Jared Sullinger contributed a 12-point, 12-rebound double-double.
Boston took a 74-63 advantage into the fourth, but the Lakers began the frame on an elongated 27-9 run.
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Jordan Farmar's pull-up jumper gave LA an 80-79 lead at the 8:10 mark, its first since it was 10-9 early on. The surge was capped on a Chris Kaman jumper for a 92-83 cushion with 3:28 left.
"Their bench won the first four minutes of the fourth quarter. They got into a rhythm, their new guys Bazemore and Brooks killed us," Celtics head coach Brad Stevens said.
The Lakers led comfortably the rest of the way.
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Earlier, Boston led 28-19 after a quarter of play and 46-44 at the break.
The Celtics were up 60-57 midway through the third before they further extended their margin following a 12-2 run. Bass netted five points during the surge, which he capped with a dunk for a 72-59 cushion.
Game Notes
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Kaman, Pau Gasol and Jodie Meeks all scored 16 points to lead LA ... Los Angeles shot 48.2 percent (40- of-83) from the field ... Boston tallied 21 points off 18 Lakers turnovers ... Boston shot 39.2 percent (38-of-97) from the floor.