New Orleans, LA (Sports Network) - Kobe Bryant filled the stat sheet with 26 points, six rebounds and four assists, as the Los Angeles Lakers prepped for their Christmas Day showdown versus Boston with a 100-87 victory over New Orleans.
Pau Gasol contributed 20 points and seven rebounds and Andruw Bynum donated 13 points and seven rebounds for the Lakers, who also received 11 points from Derek Fisher and 10 off the bench from Trevor Ariza.
The Lakers have won two straight, a far cry from the 19 consecutive victories rattled off on the opposite coast by Boston, which is off to a sizzling 27-2 mark in front of the contest against the Lakers.
Chris Paul netted 17 points, dished out 10 assists and grabbed five rebounds, while Rasual Butler also scored 17 points. Morris Peterson donated 16 points off the bench and David West added 13 points, six rebounds and five assists.
The Hornets saw their two-game winning streak come to an end.
Taking a 24-20 edge into the second period, the Lakers created plenty of breathing room. The Lakers turned a 27-27 tied into a 38-28 lead with Ariza scoring the final four points. Los Angeles led 56-37 at the half.
New Orleans cut the deficit by three points in the third quarter and worked back within 95-85 on Paul's trey with just over two minutes to play. However, the Hornets came up empty on two chances to trim the deficit to single digits and the Lakers made 5-of-6 from the free throw line down the stretch to salt away the win.
