{"id":321707,"date":"2011-03-19T06:18:46","date_gmt":"2011-03-19T06:18:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/03\/19\/lakers-win-15th-straight-over-wolves-ap\/"},"modified":"2011-03-19T06:18:46","modified_gmt":"2011-03-19T06:18:46","slug":"lakers-win-15th-straight-over-wolves-ap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/03\/19\/lakers-win-15th-straight-over-wolves-ap\/","title":{"rendered":"Lakers win 15th straight over Wolves (AP)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

LOS ANGELES (AP)\u2014When Andrew Bynum<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> turned his shoulder and put Minnesota\u2019s
\nMichael Beasley<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> flat on the floor with a flagrant foul, it was the ugliest
\nmoment in an altogether unsightly night for the Los Angeles Lakers<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The two-time defending champions aren\u2019t looking for style points as they
\ngather themselves for another playoff run.<\/p>\n

Pau Gasol<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> scored 25 points, Kobe Bryant<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> added 18 with a sprained left ankle
\nand an aching neck, and the Lakers overcame Bynum\u2019s fourth-quarter ejection to
\nbeat the Timberwolves for the 15th straight time, 106-98 on Friday night.<\/p>\n

Bynum had 10 points and 14 rebounds before getting tossed with 6:16 to play
\nfor a flagrant-2 against Beasley, who left the game for X-rays on what turned
\nout to be a bruised left hip. Lakers coach Phil Jackson and Timberwolves coach
\nKurt Rambis both said the foul wasn\u2019t malicious, but rather the product of a
\nphysical game.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe just stopped penetration, but Andrew looks bad, and (Beasley) fell
\nhard,\u201d Jackson said. \u201cHe was going to go block the shot, but he was too late,
\nso he just bumped him, just gave up on the ball.\u201d<\/p>\n

After Beasley hobbled off the floor, Martell Webster\u2019s<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> skull collided with
\nBryant\u2019s jaw while Webster drew a foul and made a jumper, sending Bryant
\nfacedown to the floor in agony. Bryant, who returned late from the locker room
\nat halftime while stretching out his sprained ankle, still was in a foul mood
\nmore than an hour after the game.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can take a hit,\u201d Bryant said. \u201cIt was just that my neck snapped back.
\nMy neck is pretty stiff right now. \u2026 I\u2019m trying to work through it, that\u2019s
\nall. I\u2019ll be ready (for Sunday\u2019s game against Portland) for sure, I promise you
\nthat. I\u2019ll be more than ready.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite a rusty return from a three-day break, Los Angeles has won 11 of 12
\nsince All-Star weekend. The Lakers (49-20), who have lost only to Miami since
\nthe All-Star break, also opened a one-game lead over Dallas (48-21) for second
\nplace in the Western Conference standings.<\/p>\n

Yet the Lakers barely held off the lowly Timberwolves, who led for most of
\nthe first three quarters and went in front again in the final 4 minutes.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s playoff basketball,\u201d said Rambis, the longtime Lakers player and
\ncoach. \u201cThey\u2019re gearing up for it, you know? I thought it was good for our guys
\nto see how rough and physical a game can be, and that\u2019s a good thing for our
\nlearning experience. I thought our guys did a really good job in the ballgame.
\nOffensively and defensively, we played a very mindful game for the most part and
\ngave ourselves a chance to win.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wes Johnson<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> scored a career-high 29 points for the Timberwolves, who have
\nlost 14 of 18 despite a gritty effort against the champs. Beasley scored 18
\npoints before leaving, and Kevin Love<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> had 15 points and 13 rebounds.<\/p>\n

Beasley and Matt Barnes<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> argued vehemently after Bynum\u2019s flagrant foul, with
\nteammates and officials separating them. Beasley got a technical foul for the
\nexchange.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine. I\u2019m cool. I\u2019m straight,\u201d said Beasley, who believes he\u2019ll play
\nSunday against Sacramento. \u201cIt was just a hard foul, a playoff foul. They\u2019re
\ngetting ready for the playoffs, man. It\u2019s the kind of foul and the kind of
\nbasketball they\u2019ve got to play, and you\u2019ve got to get used to playing against
\nthat.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sight of Bryant facedown on the court got the attention of the Lakers,
\nwho already have lost this season to Sacramento and Cleveland\u2014two of the three
\nNBA teams with poorer records than the Timberwolves.<\/p>\n

Bryant immediately hit an 18-foot jumper, and Los Angeles made a 13-3 run
\nhighlighted by a 3-pointer with 2:33 to play by Lamar Odom<\/a>(notes)<\/a>,<\/span> who scored eight
\npoints. Jackson said Bryant also was raked across the arm in the final minute of
\nthe victory.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe weren\u2019t disciplined out there for the most part, just too loose,\u201d said
\nGasol, who went 12 for 17. \u201cThey played their game and played it well, but we
\njust weren\u2019t focused enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bryant sprained his left ankle during last week\u2019s win at Dallas, but played
\nthrough it in Monday\u2019s victory over Orlando before resting the past three days.
\nThe rest didn\u2019t appear to help as Bryant missed his first six shots.<\/p>\n

Bryant still hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the final minute of the first
\nhalf, trimming Los Angeles\u2019 halftime deficit to 51-49. Shannon Brown<\/a>(notes)<\/a>,<\/span> who scored
\n14 points, filled in with the starters in the third quarter before Bryant
\nre-entered the game.<\/p>\n

\u201cI haven\u2019t practiced for the last three days, so I kind of had Bambi legs
\nout there a little bit,\u201d Bryant said. \u201cI just had to get my rhythm down, but
\nI\u2019m OK.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ron Artest<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> also missed his first six shots, but engaged in an entertaining
\nduel with Beasley in both defense and trash-talking, getting a technical foul
\nfor his trouble.<\/p>\n

NOTES: Los Angeles was unable to wrap up the formality of its fourth
\nstraight Pacific Division title because second-place Phoenix beat Golden State.
\n\u2026 Minnesota hasn\u2019t beaten the Lakers since March 6, 2007. \u2026 The Lakers also
\nhave won 10 straight home games against the Timberwolves. \u2026 Fans near
\ncourtside included the Beach Boys\u2019 Brian Wilson and Mike Love, Stacy Keibler and
\nwill.i.am.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Read more here:
\nLakers win 15th straight over Wolves (AP)<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

LOS ANGELES (AP)\u2014When Andrew Bynum (notes) turned his shoulder and put Minnesota\u2019s Michael Beasley (notes) flat on the floor with a flagrant foul, it was the ugliest moment in an altogether unsightly night for the Los Angeles Lakers . The two-time defending champions aren\u2019t looking for style points as they gather themselves for another playoff run. Pau Gasol (notes) scored 25 points, Kobe Bryant (notes) added 18 with a sprained left ankle and an aching neck, and the Lakers overcame Bynum\u2019s fourth-quarter ejection to beat the Timberwolves for the 15th straight time, 106-98 on Friday night. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-321707","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\nLakers win 15th straight over Wolves (AP) - Ghanamma.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/03\/19\/lakers-win-15th-straight-over-wolves-ap\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Lakers win 15th straight over Wolves (AP) - Ghanamma.com\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"LOS ANGELES (AP)\u2014When Andrew Bynum (notes) turned his shoulder and put Minnesota\u2019s Michael Beasley (notes) flat on the floor with a flagrant foul, it was the ugliest moment in an altogether unsightly night for the Los Angeles Lakers . The two-time defending champions aren\u2019t looking for style points as they gather themselves for another playoff run. Pau Gasol (notes) scored 25 points, Kobe Bryant (notes) added 18 with a sprained left ankle and an aching neck, and the Lakers overcame Bynum\u2019s fourth-quarter ejection to beat the Timberwolves for the 15th straight time, 106-98 on Friday night.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/d049751a2f0d05310cd.jpg-150x150.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@ghanamma\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@ghanamma\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/03\/19\/lakers-win-15th-straight-over-wolves-ap\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/03\/19\/lakers-win-15th-straight-over-wolves-ap\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"\",\"@id\":\"\"},\"headline\":\"Lakers win 15th straight over Wolves (AP)\",\"datePublished\":\"2011-03-19T06:18:46+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/03\/19\/lakers-win-15th-straight-over-wolves-ap\/\"},\"wordCount\":918,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/03\/19\/lakers-win-15th-straight-over-wolves-ap\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/d049751a2f0d05310cd.jpg-150x150.jpg\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/03\/19\/lakers-win-15th-straight-over-wolves-ap\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/03\/19\/lakers-win-15th-straight-over-wolves-ap\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/03\/19\/lakers-win-15th-straight-over-wolves-ap\/\",\"name\":\"Lakers win 15th straight over Wolves (AP) - Ghanamma.com\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/03\/19\/lakers-win-15th-straight-over-wolves-ap\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/03\/19\/lakers-win-15th-straight-over-wolves-ap\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/d049751a2f0d05310cd.jpg-150x150.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2011-03-19T06:18:46+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/03\/19\/lakers-win-15th-straight-over-wolves-ap\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/03\/19\/lakers-win-15th-straight-over-wolves-ap\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/d049751a2f0d05310cd.jpg-150x150.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/d049751a2f0d05310cd.jpg-150x150.jpg\"},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/\",\"name\":\"Ghanamma.com\",\"description\":\"News In Ghana - Latest Ghana News Headlines\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Lakers win 15th straight over Wolves (AP) - Ghanamma.com","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/03\/19\/lakers-win-15th-straight-over-wolves-ap\/","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_title":"Lakers win 15th straight over Wolves (AP) - Ghanamma.com","twitter_description":"LOS ANGELES (AP)\u2014When Andrew Bynum (notes) turned his shoulder and put Minnesota\u2019s Michael Beasley (notes) flat on the floor with a flagrant foul, it was the ugliest moment in an altogether unsightly night for the Los Angeles Lakers . The two-time defending champions aren\u2019t looking for style points as they gather themselves for another playoff run. Pau Gasol (notes) scored 25 points, Kobe Bryant (notes) added 18 with a sprained left ankle and an aching neck, and the Lakers overcame Bynum\u2019s fourth-quarter ejection to beat the Timberwolves for the 15th straight time, 106-98 on Friday night.","twitter_image":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/d049751a2f0d05310cd.jpg-150x150.jpg","twitter_creator":"@ghanamma","twitter_site":"@ghanamma","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/03\/19\/lakers-win-15th-straight-over-wolves-ap\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/03\/19\/lakers-win-15th-straight-over-wolves-ap\/"},"author":{"name":"","@id":""},"headline":"Lakers win 15th straight over Wolves (AP)","datePublished":"2011-03-19T06:18:46+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/03\/19\/lakers-win-15th-straight-over-wolves-ap\/"},"wordCount":918,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/03\/19\/lakers-win-15th-straight-over-wolves-ap\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/d049751a2f0d05310cd.jpg-150x150.jpg","inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/03\/19\/lakers-win-15th-straight-over-wolves-ap\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/03\/19\/lakers-win-15th-straight-over-wolves-ap\/","url":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/03\/19\/lakers-win-15th-straight-over-wolves-ap\/","name":"Lakers win 15th straight over Wolves (AP) - Ghanamma.com","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/03\/19\/lakers-win-15th-straight-over-wolves-ap\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/03\/19\/lakers-win-15th-straight-over-wolves-ap\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/d049751a2f0d05310cd.jpg-150x150.jpg","datePublished":"2011-03-19T06:18:46+00:00","author":{"@id":""},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/03\/19\/lakers-win-15th-straight-over-wolves-ap\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/03\/19\/lakers-win-15th-straight-over-wolves-ap\/#primaryimage","url":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/d049751a2f0d05310cd.jpg-150x150.jpg","contentUrl":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/d049751a2f0d05310cd.jpg-150x150.jpg"},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/","name":"Ghanamma.com","description":"News In Ghana - Latest Ghana News Headlines","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/321707","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=321707"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/321707\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=321707"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=321707"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=321707"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}