The Los Angeles Lakers beat great rivals Boston Celtic 113-99 on Wednesday night at the Staples Centre in the franchise’s first game since the passing of owner, Dr. Jerry Buss.
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Kobe Bryant led a heart-warming pre-game tribute to Laker’s owner Jerry Buss on Wednesday on an emotional night at the Staples Centre. However, perhaps the greatest tribute on the night was the performance of the Lakers, as they convincingly beat Boston by fourteen points. Buss passed away on Monday, following a long battle with cancer.
It was an excellent team effort from LA, with Dwight Howard , 24 points and 12 rebound, displaying the form that was commonplace during his time with the Orlando Magic. Shooting guard Kobe Bryant finished with 16 points, Steve Nash had 14, while Metta World Peace scored twelve. Earl Clark continued his excellent form, chalking up 14 points and a career-high 16 rebounds. It was an excellent team effort from LA, with seven players scoring in double figures.
The defeat means that the Boston Celtics have now lost three straight games on the road, despite Paul Pierce scoring 26 points. Courtney Lee had 20 points, but Kevin Garnett was off-target scoring just 12 points on 6-of-14 shooting.
Boston now fall to 28-26 overall, as Rajon Rondo’s season-ending injury finally looks like it may begin to affect their performances. The Lakers improve to 26-29 with their seventh win in ten games, and keep their eyes firmly placed on the elusive no.8 play-off spot in the Western Conference.
Overall, it was a good Lakers performance and a fitting tribute to the legacy of Dr. Jerry Buss.
