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LOS ANGELES: Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant each scored 23
points to lead
the Los Angeles Lakers to their fifth straight victory a 122-93 win
against the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday.
Lamar Odom chipped in 17 points
and 15 rebounds for the Lakers, who have won eight of their last 10
National Basketball Association games.
It had been 20 days and nine
contests between home games for Los Angeles, which obtained Gasol
from the Memphis Grizzlies during the trip on February 5.
The trade has already paid
dividends with the Lakers improving to 6-1 overall since acquiring
their new center.
Making his debut in Los Angeles,
Gasol poured in 17 points in what proved to be the deciding opening
half.
Los Angeles went up by double
digits in the first quarter and then opened up a 41-point lead after
forcing the Hawks into 19 turnovers, which led to 27 points, in the
first 24 minutes alone.
Point guard Mike Bibby made his
debut for Atlanta after being acquired from the Sacramento Kings on
Saturday. He had five points and three assists but the Hawks’
offense sputtered en route to their season-high fifth straight loss.
Meanwhile, Phoenix’s giant
center Shaquille O’Neal is expected to play his first game with
the Suns against his former Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday.
The Suns host the Lakers at US
Airways Center arena against Los Angeles—a team O’Neal led to
three straight National Basketball Association championships.
“I just want to go out, have
fun, get used to the guys and just win, “ said the 14-time
all-star after Tuesday’s practice. “I’m not looking to put up
historic numbers. Whatever these guys ask of me, that’s what I’m
going to do.”
Coming off a hip injury that’s
sidelined him since January 21, O’Neal is expected to play limited
minutes in his debut.
Head Coach Mike D’Antoni says
his newest player will have an impact.
“There will be bumps in the
road,” D’Antoni said. “Steve Nash will have to learn to play
with him and vice-versa.
“We have 29 games to get it
straight. It’s not the Shaq show. This is still the Phoenix Suns,
and finding that balance is the key.” 
-AFP
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