Lakers vs. Mavericks: In-game report

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Lakers 131, Mavericks 96 (final)

It has been a long time since the Lakers’ starters sat on the bench the entire fourth quarter.

But it happened Sunday night because the starters took care of business and the reserves didn’t let up.

The Lakers scored a season high in points and won by their largest margin of the season.

The Lakers led by as many as 43 points, which meant that Kobe Bryant didn’t have to play heavy minutes or make a last-second shot.

Bryant had 15 points, all in the first half, and he played only 32 minutes. He also had eight assists.

Andrew Bynum had a big game, scoring 19 points by making all eight of his field goals. He also had four assists.

Lamar Odom had a double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds, which tied his season high. He also had six assists.

Every Laker that was available played and every one of them scored. Reserve point guard Jordan Farmar tied a career high with 24 points.

Lakers 103, Mavericks 63 (third quarter) The news from the Lakers was that forward Pau Gasol will get an ultrasound examination on his strained left hamstring on Monday.

Gasol was injured in the first quarter of Sunday night’s game against the Mavericks at Staples Center.

Gasol missed nine games to start the season with a strained right hamstring.

Even without Gasol, the Lakers still went to work on the Mavericks in the third quarter.

The Lakers went up by as much as 40 points in the third.

Lakers 64, Mavericks 39 (halftime)

This time, the Lakers didn’t let up after building a 17-point lead in the first quarter.

This time, the Lakers’ reserves didn’t give up a big lead. No, the Lakers went up by as much as 28 points in the second quarter.

Reserves like Jordan Farmar (12 points), Shannon Brown (nine points) and DJ Mbenga (two blocked shots) made sure the Lakers kept the pressure on the Mavericks.

Kobe Bryant leads the Lakers with 15 points and five assists in the first half. Lamar Odom has eight rebounds and four points.

Dirk Nowitzki has 13 points and four rebounds to lead the Mavericks in both categories.

Dallas is shooting only 27.9% (12 of 40) from the field, while the Lakers have made 26 of 43 shots (60.5%), including six of 13 from three-point range.

Lakers 30, Mavericks 13 (first quarter) Pau Gasol strained his left hamstring in first quarter and was taken to the locker room for treatment.

It wasn’t the same hamstring that kept Gasol out earlier this season. That was his right hamstring.

The Lakers were ready for the zone defense that the Mavericks employed in the first quarter. They moved the basketball and looked for the open man.

More importantly, the Lakers played better defense. The Mavericks shot just 16% (four of 25) from the field in the first. The Lakers made 54.5% of their shots.

Pregame

When the Lakers last played the Dallas Mavericks at Staples Center, they got beat by 14 points.

The Lakers had a difficult time handling Dallas’ zone defense.

Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said before Sunday night’s game against the Mavericks that he hoped his team handled the zone better if Dallas plays one.

‘One of the things that we were leery about was their zone in the fourth quarter,’ Jackson said about the Oct. 30 game against Dallas. ‘We had a hard time coming up with good shots and we really didn’t figure that out.’

Jackson said the Mavericks play a matchup zone and that for the Lakers to be successful in the rematch, they must work behind the zone and out of sight of the defenders.

Jackson also said the Mavericks have a very good offensive attack.

Dallas has five players who average in double figures, led by Dirk Nowitzki’s 25 points a game.

Jackson said that Pau Gasol has had some success defending Nowitzki.

Jackson also mentioned that Ron Artest, who has been out since Christmas because of a concussion and lacerations to his head and left elbow, will probably practice Monday with the hopes of playing Tuesday night against the Houston Rockets at Staples Center.

Artest, however, said he didn’t think it would be realistic for him to play Tuesday night.

-- Broderick Turner

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