No. 2 got some extended rest to keep his legs fresh for the playoffs Wednesday night, and the Lakers ended their nomadic road trip with a win.
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| Two for two (Getty Images). |
Derek played less than 22 minutes for only the fifth time this season, scoring four points as the Lakers passed the Bucks, 104-98, last night in Milwaukee.
The victory sends the Lake Show back home after a seven-city road journey, as noted by Brian Kamenetzky at the Lakers Blog for the LA Times:
“There’s an old saying in the NBA that goes something like this: “At the end of seven game, 12 day road trips, there are no bad wins, even when they come against sub .500 Eastern Conference lottery teams missing their two best players.” It’s not a very good saying, mostly because it’s way too long and specific to be used very much, but nonetheless is extremely appropriate for the Lakers’ 104-98 win over Milwaukee at the Bradley Center Thursday night.”
D-Fish had three thefts, grabbed two boards and added an assist. He made his only jump shot of the game in the early going, knocking down a bucket that gave LA an early 8-5 lead. Derek collected his other two points from the charity stripe at the beginning of the third quarter.
NOT A REST STOP
As the regular season comes to a close, it appears that the rest for starters such as D-Fish, Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol will be decided on a game-by-game basis and players probably won’t be taking full games off.
“We just don’t want to loosen up so much that Boston and Orlando, they also pass us by,” Lakers Coach Phil Jackson told the LA Times.”
NEXT UP
The Lakers begin a two-game homestand on national TV Friday night when they host the playoff bound Houston Rockets. The game will air live on ESPN at 7:30 pm PST.
RELATED STORIES
Lakers at Bucks Box Score (NBA.com, April 1, 2009)
http://www.nba.com/games/20090401/LALMIL/boxscore.html
Lakers end trip in gritty victory (OC Register, April 2, 2009)
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/lakers-bryant-bynum-2352503-gasol-jackson
Lakers 104, Bucks 98: Six points makes a decent trophy (LA Times Lakers Blog, April 2, 2009)
http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/2009/04/lakers-104-bucks-98-six-points-makes-a-decent-trophy.html
Lakers end trip with a victory (LA Times, April 2, 2009)
http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-lakers-bucks2-2009apr02,0,2373176.story?track=rss
To rest or not to rest (LA Times, April 2, 2009)
http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-lakers-fyi2-2009apr02,0,4055352.story?track=rss