During Saturday’s game, the injured Kobe Bryant was replaced by Lamar Odom to aid in the Lakers breaking their nine-game losing streak at the Rose Garden with a 99-82 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Bryant has played in 235 straight games and sat out with a sore left ankle.
Bryant originally sprained his ankle in Philadelphia last week. During Wednesday night’s victory over Charlotte, he aggravated it when Odom stepped on his foot.
Ron Artest had 21 points and the Lakers pulled away in the fourth quarter, leading by as many as 19 points.
Derek Fisher made a fast-break layup which pulled Los Angeles to within 41-39 before Gasol’s bank shot tied it.
Artest hit a 30-foot 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Lakers a 54-48 lead going into the break.
“They left me wide open, and I’ve been shooting pretty well from 3 this year,” he said.
