Mamba goes off, Lakers hammer Jazz

The Lakers dropped a tough game in Utah last week. On Thursday, Kobe Bryant wasn’t going to let the Jazz get a repeat.

Bryant went off for a season-high 52 points to lead the Lakers to a 132-102 win over Utah at the Staples Center. Bryant scored 30 points in the third quarter alone. The performance was so impressive that Lakers coach Phil Jackson actually came off the bench and hugged Kobe when Bryant left the game in the fourth quarter.

The game seemed to announce that Bryant is fully healed following off-season knee surgery. It also seemed to be a statement to the Jazz, who came into the game with the league’s best record at 13-3. The Lakers, now 10-5 and in first place in the Pacific Division, expect to contend for the NBA championship again.

Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant

Bryant made 11 shots in a row from the floor, a stretch that bridged the second and third quarters and was 19 of 26 on the night (two of three from 3-point range). He also made 12 of his 15 free throws - Utah tried a version of hack-a-Shaq to try to slow him down.

Next up for the Lakers is a Saturday game against the Los Angeles Clippers. The Lakers have now won six of nine games in a stretch of 14 games where they leave the Staples Center just once (the game at Utah).

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