One game after Lakers coach Mike Brown drew some controversy for resting Kobe Bryant late in the Lakers' loss to Memphis on Sunday night, Brown ran into more for benching All-Star center Andrew Bynum for most of the second half Tuesday night.
The Lakers held on to beat the Golden State Warriors, 104-101, behind Bryant's tying and go-ahead jumpers in the final minute. But Bynum played just 5:17 of the second half because he attempted a three-point shot that missed badly.
"That's something that I felt could've taken us out of rhythm," Brown said. "And that's why I took him out of the game."
Brown did bring Bynum back to start the fourth quarter, but he didn't play well and Brown decided to go without him for the last nine minutes of the game. It nearly cost the Lakers the game, but Bryant shook off a shooting slump just in time.
Bynum didn't give the Lakers much else in the game, which is why Brown praised Pau Gasol and Matt Barnes for combining for 27 rebounds; Bynum had five in his 23 minutes of action.
Bynum has been increasing his scoring dramatically lately. He will get another chance to show his stuff Thursday night, when the Lakers play a big game against Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City.
NOTES, QUOTES
Magic Johnson's group to purchase Dodgers
--Lakers legend Magic Johnson is moving on to another iconic team in Southern California: the Dodgers. The Johnson-led group won the right to buy the Dodgers from Frank McCourt for reportedly more than $2 billion. Johnson sold his minority shares in the Lakers a couple years ago.
--Derek Fisher will be coming back to face the Lakers on Thursday night at Staples Center. Fisher was traded away by the Lakers to Houston, which bought out his contract and freed Fisher up to join Oklahoma City as its backup point guard. Kobe Bryant said he still communicates with Fisher almost every day.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "He's not afraid; you can feel when a guy has some hesitancy in some situations." -- Lakers coach Mike Brown, on Ramon Sessions.
ROSTER REPORT
PLAYER NOTES:
--F Pau Gasol showed he can still be the second option in the Lakers' offense by delivering 19 points and largely dominating the second half for the Lakers on Tuesday night at Golden State. Gasol also had 17 rebounds and three assists and said afterward: "My teammates looked for me."
--G Ramon Sessions showed some frailty after a strong first week with the Lakers when he missed two free throws late in the game Tuesday night at Golden State. Sessions had just seven points and four assists against three turnovers in 30 minutes.
--F Matt Barnes has been hot lately, and he kept it up with 18 points and 10 rebounds in the victory Tuesday night over Golden State. He is benefiting from making sharp cuts that work with new point guard Ramon Sessions' court vision, but Barnes also has been knocking down three-pointers. He made 3-of-5 three-point shots Tuesday night when the rest of the team was 2-for-15.
