SO WHERE ARE WE NOW?

Two losses and our minds are sort
of wandering around in question.
The loss to Houston hurts but not
nearly so for some reason as the
one following it. Andrew Bynum did
not suit up for Houston game as he
had been ejected from play. Without
this center, it made for a most nerve-
jangling fourth quarter in front of
a sellout crowd of 18,997 spectators.
This loss was the Lakers' first in
five games but their second in a row
to the shorthanded Rockets and the
second straight time Bynum had not
been with them. Drawing too many
technical fouls the way he did was
crucial making the Lakers work so.
Bynum finished with 19 points and
7 rebounds in 31 minutes after
scoring 36 points against the
Clippers even with a sprained ankle.
This game he took exception to a
foul by Samuel Dalembert with but
1:18 left in the third quarter and
had to be restrained by teammates.
He got a technical foul and then
with 11:17 left in the game after
hitting a hook shot off to the
Houston bench on his way downcourt.
We lost that game needless to say.
Score was: 112-107.
Then came the game with Phoenix.
During this game, Kobe Bryant
sat out fully clothed and watching
his buddies closely. He has been
a rock leading his team down all
several kinds of bumpy roads. He was
sidelined for the first time in
139 regular-season games for a
left shin injury. He had been
wearing a sort of boot and limped
without it on. In fact, it is even
a bit uncertain whether or not he
will be able to play in tonight's
game in New Orleans.
Kobe averages a league-leading 28.1
points per game and is a leader
the other players really seem
to need to spur them on to win.
Devin Ebanks was on the roster though,
and played this game against Phoenix.
He was averaging only 2.3 points
before, but then surpassed his
career high of 9 points by scoring
10 on 5-for-8 shooting in almost
19 minutes in the first half against
the Suns. He finished with 12 points
on 6-for-11 shooting in 33 minutes.
Pau Gasol scored a season-high 30
points. The Lakers end their 3-game
trip away from home Wednesday at
San Antonio. The Suns lost to
the Nuggets in Denver but shredded
our Lakers after the first quarter
on Saturday.Phoenix scored easily
on pick and roll plays set up by
point guard Steve Nash and his
backup, Sebastian Telfair and we
lost the game with score:125-105.
Wondering how Kobe is doing when
he does not have his boot on to
ease his shin pain. We shall have
to wait it out to see just how
this Monday game fares tonight.
Babs Wells