Andrew Bynum has 30 rebounds as Lakers upset Spurs without Kobe
SAN ANTONIO -- No Kobe Bryant? No big deal.
The Lakers led by 26 in a stunning 98-84 victory Wednesday over the San Antonio Spurs at AT&T Center.
It was their best game of the season, by far, with Andrew Bynum looking as dominant as ever and Metta World Peace scoring an improbable 26 points.
The Lakers were supposed to be short-handed without Bryant and the Spurs were supposed to be rested after sitting Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili in their previous game.
The Lakers blew past them as Bynum had 16 points and 30 rebounds. He became only the fifth player in Lakers history with a 30-rebound game, joining Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, George Mikan and Elgin Baylor.
Bynum out-rebounded the Spurs in the first half, 19-18, as the Lakers took a 48-43 lead.
World Peace made 10 of 15 shots and was almost unstoppable from three-point range, making five of eight from long range.
Bryant missed his third consecuitve game because of a sore left shin but there appeared to be progress. The Lakers told him to stop wearing a walking boot and see how his shin reacted to being unrestrained. He is still considered day-to-day, with the Lakers’ next game Friday at home against Denver.
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Andrew Bynum has 30 rebounds as Lakers upset Spurs without Kobe
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