The Los Angeles Lakers are 0-2 on their four-game road trip, but they're not worried heading into Monday's contest against the slumping Memphis Grizzlies.
Los Angeles (21-5) has lost consecutive games for the first time this season, falling to Miami and Orlando to open the trip. Kobe Bryant scored a season-high 41 points Saturday, but missed a potential tying 3-pointer in the closing seconds as the Lakers came up short in a 106-103 defeat to the Magic."They had three guys over at me every time (in the second half)," said Bryant, who had 25 before halftime. "When I get going, they send everybody."
Bryant also missed a possible tying 3 in the final seconds against the Heat on Friday.
"Those things are going to happen when you're on the road," coach Phil Jackson said. "Those shots are more friendly at home perhaps. They'll go in. But we had our shots, we took them and they just didn't go in."
Jackson may be taking comfort in knowing Bryant has played well versus the Grizzlies of late, averaging 35.0 points in his last nine games against them. He scored 53 in a 114-111 loss March 28 in the teams' most recent meeting, and also had one of his four career 60-point games at Memphis, finishing with 60 in a 121-119 victory March 22, 2007.
Los Angeles wraps up its road swing Tuesday at New Orleans, its fourth game in a five-day span.
While the Lakers believe they can bounce back from consecutive losses, the Grizzlies (9-17) probably aren't as confident in their ability to avoid a third consecutive defeat. Memphis is coming off a 112-83 home loss to Charlotte on Friday in which O.J. Mayo - leading all rookies and his team at 20.3 points per game - was held under double digits for the first time in his career, finishing with seven points on 2-of-10 shooting.
Mayo's rough game was a secondary concern to Grizzlies coach Marc Iavaroni, whose club allowed the Bobcats to shoot 65.8 percent - worst in team history.
"We showed our immaturity," Iavaroni said. "We showed that we were satisfied with a pretty good effort against the Hornets where we broke our four-game winning streak. They took the initiative early in this game, and they just amped it up and amped it up.
"We found ourselves surprisingly surprised."
During the four-game win streak that preceded the back-to-back losses, Memphis limited opponents to 44.7 percent shooting and 95.3 points. Teams are averaging 47.0 percent from the field and 99.2 points versus the Grizzlies this season.
The Lakers have averaged 112.5 points in winning three of their last four at Memphis.
