Bryant, Gasol Combine for 57 Points as Lakers Defeat Bobcats on Feb. 11, 2008
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — On Feb. 11, 2008, the Los Angeles Lakers leaned on newly acquired forward Pau Gasol and franchise star Kobe Bryant to secure a 106–97 win over the Charlotte Bobcats, pushing the club to 6-2 on an extended eight-game road swing.
Gasol, appearing in just his fifth contest since arriving in a deadline trade, scored 26 points on 9-for-11 shooting despite battling a cold. The 7-footer also recorded six assists, six rebounds and two blocks while fitting seamlessly into coach Phil Jackson’s triangle offense.
Bryant supplied 31 points, four assists, four steals and two blocks, and the duo opened the night by sinking their first 11 shots. Their combined 57 points offset 10 first-half turnovers that allowed Charlotte to stay within striking distance.
Los Angeles carried a 55-44 advantage into halftime, but the Bobcats—mired in a six-game skid and missing injured forward Gerald Wallace—trimmed the margin to three in the fourth quarter. Bryant responded with back-to-back jumpers and a no-look pass that set up a Lamar Odom dunk, restoring an 11-point cushion with one minute left.
Charlotte guard Raymond Felton led his team with 29 points, and center Nazr Mohammed added 22. Jason Richardson, pressed into a larger scoring role, shot 4-for-14 from the field.
The victory reinforced rising expectations for a Lakers roster that had entered the campaign searching for another playmaker to complement Bryant in his prime. Although Los Angeles would fall in the NBA Finals later that season, Bryant and Gasol went on to capture championships in 2009 and 2010.
Source: Lakers Nation
