Most Valuable Player candidate Kobe Bryant had 20 points, five rebounds and five assists before sitting out the fourth quarter, and the Lakers routed the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs 106-85 for their seventh win in eight games. The Lakers (56-25), who clinched the Pacific Division championship Friday, assured themselves of at least a second-place finish in the Western Conference.
Lamar Odom, the only Los Angeles starter to play in the final period, added 17 points and 14 rebounds before coming out for good with 4:26 remaining. Pau Gasol had 14 points and 11 rebounds, Derek Fisher also scored 14, Jordan Farmar added 11 and Ronny Turiaf scored 10 for the Lakers, who outscored the Spurs 53-32 in the second half. (More NBA stories.)