The Los Angeles Lakers headed into their matchup last night against the Toronto Raptors with a three-game losing streak.  It looked like the Lakers might be on their way to their fourth straight loss, as they were down 58-50 at halftime and they headed into the 4th quarter down 84-81.  The Lakers fought back in the fourth quarter though and they had a 107-104 lead late in the game.  Lamar Odom had the opportunity to seal the win, but he missed a key free throw with 19.6 seconds left.  Odom really needs to come through in moments like that, because free throws down the stretch are so important.  After Odom’s miss, Raptors star Chris Bosh then came down and hit a three to tie the game at 107-107 with just 9.5 seconds left.  That was plenty of time for the Lakers to get the ball to their star and let him do what he does best, finish games.  Kobe Bryant got the ball on the right wing, saw the double team coming and swept baseline, took two dribbles and rose up to hit a fadeaway corner jumper with 1.9 seconds left.  The shot won the game for the Lakers, making it the seventh time Kobe has hit a game-winner this season.  That is pretty amazing!  Kobe may not be the favorite for the MVP right now, but he is still right there in the mix.  With all of these great game-winners this season, if he has a late season surge of great play and keeps his Lakers atop the Western Conference, then he will likely get his second MVP Award.

When Kobe Bryant went down to injury Shannon Brown started in his place and stepped up. Brown played in 11 games in February for the Lakers and he averaged 27.0 minutes, 10.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. He has now played in 59 games (4 starts) for the Lakers this season and he is averaging 8.1 minutes, 2.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. Brown is only 24 years old so he will likely be with the Lakers for a while and he does appear to have a nice upside.

Kobe Bryant has missed the past five games for the Los Angeles Lakers with an ankle injury, but he was back in true form for the Lakers in his first game back last night.  With 4.3 seconds left and the Lakers down 98-96 to the Memphis Grizzlies, Kobe nailed a three from the right wing to put the Lakers up for good.  It was Kobe’s fifth game-winning shot this season.  Kobe went 13-19 from the field and finished with 32 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks.  He also put the Lakers on his back in the final 2 1/2 minutes, scoring the team’s final 9 points and also outscoring the Grizzlies 9-3 by himself in those final minutes.  Although the Lakers played well without Kobe (4-1 in his absence), they don’t have a closer who can make big shots down the stretch consistently throughout the season.  Kobe is the best closer since Michael Jordan, so the Lakers are ecstatic to have him back.  Kobe’s play last night is a great sign for the Lakers, as his ankle handled 40 minutes last night and he looks healthy again.

Kobe Bryant has now missed three straight games for the Los Angeles Lakers, but they are 3-0 without him.  The main reason why is Pau Gasol who has really stepped it up in Kobe’s absence, especially in the last 2 games.  In Kobe’s first game out of action against the Trail Blazers, the Lakers got an easy 99-82 win and Gasol had 13 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block.  That is a bad game compared to Gasol’s last two.  In a 101-89 win over the Spurs, Gasol had 21 points, 19 rebounds, 8 assists, 5 blocks, and 1 steal.  He followed that up with nearly an identical stat line of 22 points, 19 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 blocks, and 1 steal in a 96-81 win over the Jazz.  The Lakers were also without one of their other top players, Andrew Bynum, so Gasol’s phenomenal play is coming at a great time for the Lakers.  Gasol has been a great sidekick to Kobe Bryant, but he has proven he can hold down the fort while Kobe is out healing up.  If the Lakers can get healthy for the playoffs, I see no reason why they won’t repeat as NBA Champions.

Ron Artest has fit in really well for the Lakers this season as their starting small forward. He has played in 47 games (all starts) for the Lakers this season and he is averaging 33.1 minutes, 11.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Artest isn’t causing any problems out in L.A. as head coach Phil Jackson is used to dealing with players like him. Artest has not only been playing well on defense as usual but he is shooting 40.1% from the three point line. Artest was a smart addition for the Lakers.