Lakers 108, Clippers 95
Kobe Bryant scored 18 of his team-high 24 points in a dominant third quarter that propelled the L.A. Lakers to a 108-95 win over the rival Clippers on Friday night.
Pau Gasol added 22 points and Andrew Bynum contributed 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers (41-19), who shot 50 percent from the floor while turning the ball over just six times.
Randy Foye had 24 points and Blake Griffin added 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Clippers (21-38), who fell to 5-24 on the road despite playing in their own building Friday.
Bryant had six points in the opening six minutes of the game but didn't hit the scoresheet again until 3 1/2 minutes into the second half. From there he caught fire, outscoring the Clippers 18-17 in the quarter to turn a two-point halftime lead into an 85-67 edge through three quarters.
The All-Star Game MVP sat out the entire fourth quarter as the Lakers cruised to their third straight win, handing the Clippers their third loss in a row.