Lakers 106, Bobcats 73
Kobe Bryant scored 24 points, all in the first half, and Andrew Bynum had a double-double as the Los Angeles Lakers squashed the visiting Charlotte Bobcats, 106-73, on Tuesday night.
The Lakers (13-9) started quickly before cruising through the second half to dominate the league-worst Bobcats (3-19), who have lost nine in a row and dropped to 1-11 on the road.
Bryant, who had played 42 minutes in each of his last two games, scored 18 points in the first quarter on 7-of-12 shooting as the Lakers took a 30-18 lead. Bryant added six points in the second quarter but missed all five attempts in the third.
Bynum had 14 of his 20 points and eight of his 11 rebounds in the first half. The Lakers shot 58.5 percent to the Bobcats' 31.3 percent in the first half and led 60-36.
Pau Gasol had 10 points and nine rebounds. Troy Murphy and Andrew Goudelock scored 12 apiece and Matt Barnes added 10.
Gerald Henderson scored 14 points for Charlotte. Kemba Walker and Derrick Brown had 12 each and Boris Diaw chipped in with 11.