Lakers have star power
Lakers have star power
LOS ANGELES - The new lights were installed at Staples Center to make Kobe Bryant's game shine brighter, not to leave him sitting in the shadows behind the Lakers' bench, dressed in a gray suit and pink shirt and tie.
There was no Kobe Bryant as the Lakers opened their season Tuesday night against the Phoenix Suns, with his right knee still not 100 percent.
There also was no shortage of electricity in the building as the Lakers took an uplifting 114-106 victory.
The Lakers reversed course after spotting the Suns a 41-point first quarter - bringing back all the bad memories from Game 7 of last season's playoffs - and drilled Phoenix 88-65 the rest of the way.
There was more than enough star power as well, with the crowd chanting Lamar Odom's name throughout the fourth quarter. Odom matched his career-high with 34 points and 13 rebounds, taking over as a scorer as Bryant stood and cheered for him.
"He just wanted me to go get it," Larmar Odom said of Bryant.
Andrew Bynum started at center four days after his 19th birthday and totaled 18 points, nine rebounds and five assists. On the other side of the country, Shaquille O'Neal had seven points but did take possession of his fourth championship ring.
Maurice Evans added 17 points in 30 minutes off the bench as the Lakers subtracted Bryant's 35.4 points from last season and still scored 114 points against the defending Pacific Division champions.
"We had been talking about it during the off-season and then in training camp about the confidence of Lamar Odom (7) of the Los Angeles Lakers goes to the hoop against Kurt Thomas (40) and Raja Bell (19) of the Phoenix Suns on October 31, 2006 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. (Andrew D. Bernstein / Getty Images) this team," Bryant said.
"Tonight we played with that same kind of confidence."
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