GAME: L.A. Lakers Lakers (15-10) at Philadelphia 76ers (10-15)
DATE/TIME: Friday, December 21 - 7:00 PM EST
SPREAD: Philadelphia 2.5 TOTAL: 198.5
Source: Covers.com
Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers have had little success playing in the star's hometown this decade.
Bryant will try to help the Lakers snap a seven-game road losing streak to the Philadelphia 76ers as the teams meet for the first time this season Friday night.
The game will mark the 11th time Bryant will play in the city he was born. Bryant, who played high school ball some eight miles outside the city in Lower Merion, Pa. , is averaging 22.1 points on the road against the 76ers, but is 2-8 against them.
Los Angeles (15-10) won 87-84 on Feb. 20, 2000, for its most recent victory at Philadelphia , but has won two of the last three meetings between the clubs overall.
Bryant averaged 32.5 points in two games last season against Philadelphia and had 30 in a 108-92 road loss to the 76ers on March 9.Bryant scored 21 points, while Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum each posted double-doubles Thursday, but Los Angeles couldn't hold a five-point, fourth-quarter lead and fell 94-90 at Cleveland for its first loss in three games.
It marked the first time in eight games the Lakers failed to score 100 points.Odom had 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Bynum added 17 and 11. It was the second straight double-double for each player.
"Balance, that's been the case the whole season,' said Odom, who averages 13.9 points and 8.7 rebounds.
The Lakers balanced offense has helped take some pressure off Bryant, who was held below his 26.6 average for the third time in four games.
With LeBron James guarding him, Bryant was held scoreless the final 2:23. He couldn't connect on a 3-pointer with 5 seconds left as the Lakers went 0-for-8 from the floor in the final 4 minutes and lost for just the second time in their last eight contests.
"It felt good," Bryant said of the final 3. "As soon as it left my hands, I thought it was going down. I was mad it didn't go in.'
The Lakers look to bounce back as they play the third of a four-game road trip that started with a 103-91 win at Chicago on Tuesday and concludes at New York on Sunday.
Philadelphia (10-15) returns home after splitting a pair of road games. The Sixers were unable to build off a 92-86 win at Cleveland on Saturday in a 102-85 defeat at Indiana on Wednesday.
Andre Iguodala and Andre Miller each scored 16 points, and center Samuel Dalembert had 15 and 14 rebounds for the 76ers, who shot a season-low 34.6 percent and were outscored 52-38 in the second half.
"It was just a case of our offense going flat,' Philadelphia coach Maurice Cheeks said. "Our offense didn't score the ball.'
Iguodala, who averages a team-leading 18.0 points, averaged 25.0 last season versus the Lakers. He had 31 points in the March meeting.
While the 76ers hope for a better offensive effort Friday, they'll also be forced to play better defense against the Lakers, who average 106.3 points per contest.
Philadelphia , which allows 94.2 points, gave up more than 100 points for the second time in three games against the Pacers. The 76ers lost 109-99 to Sacramento last Friday."(Thursday) wasn't our best defensive performance," Philadelphia 's Kyle Korver said. "We need to watch the tape of this game, and go back to doing what we did before.'
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