GETTING INSIDE



The Lakers on Tuesday get reacquainted with the Memphis Grizzlies for the first time since Los Angeles Lakers icon Jerry West left the Grizzlies at the end of June. West helped the Grizzlies become a playoff team, but they have fallen on hard times again in recent seasons.

Although Memphis split the four-game season series with the Lakers last season, it let Kobe Bryant score 60 points at FedEx Forum in the Los Angeles Lakers' last visit to Memphis on March 22. The Lakers won that game 121-119. The Grizzlies will be hard-pressed again to stay with Bryant; Mike Miller and Rudy Gay are likely to be the defenders against him.

Before the 2004-05 season, the Los Angeles Lakers had never lost a season series to the Grizzlies. The Lakers lead the all-time series, 34-12. This season, the Lakers have 11 more victories than Memphis.

LAKERS 112, PACERS 96: The Lakers won for the sixth time in seven games Sunday night, encountering little trouble with Indiana at Staples Center. Kobe Bryant had a bad first half, but he bounced back in the second half to finish with 26 points — a game high.

Andrew Bynum got the better of one of his preps-to-pros forerunners, Jermaine O'Neal, for the second time this season. Bynum had 23 points to O'Neal's 13 and 13 rebounds to O'Neal's four.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson credited Andrew Bynum's solid first-half offense with stabilizing the Lakers until everything fell into place. The Lakers' superior assertiveness overall was reflected in their 30 free throw points to Indiana's 11.

NOTES, QUOTES

—With their victory over Indiana on Sunday night, the Lakers improved to 7-0 this season when all five starters score in double figures.

—Lakers coach Phil Jackson praised Kobe Bryant for being "very controlled" this season in arguing less with referees.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "Memphis has good food? I don't know about those spots." — Lakers center Andrew Bynum in advance of the team's trip to Memphis.

ROSTER REPORT

ROTATION: Starters — Point guard Derek Fisher, Shooting guard Kobe Bryant, Small forward Luke Walton, Power forward Lamar Odom, Center Andrew Bynum. Bench — Guard Jordan Farmar, Forward Trevor Ariza, Forward Ronny Turiaf, Forward Vladimir Radmanovic, Center Kwame Brown, Guard Sasha Vujacic, Center Chris Mihm, Guard Javaris Crittenton, Guard Coby Karl.

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