76ers 103, Lakers 99
LOS ANGELES -- Jrue Holiday stunned his hometown crowd with 26 points and 10 assists, leading the visiting Philadelphia 76ers to a 103-99 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night at Staples Center.
Philadelphia claimed an 11-point lead over the lackadaisical Lakers less than six minutes into the game, then turned it on late as Los Angeles faded.
Holiday, a UCLA product and Los Angeles native, hit 10 of 19 shots. He had nine points in the pivotal third quarter in which the 76ers outscored Los Angeles 27-23. Holiday sealed the game with a beautiful dribble drive and slam dunk with 22 seconds left to put the 76ers up 103-97 after the Lakers squandered several scoring opportunities.
Evan Turner added 22 points, 13 rebounds and five assists for the 76ers, who had six players score in double figures and all five starters finish with at least nine points. Spencer Hawes had 13 points, five rebounds and six assists off the bench, and Dorell Wright added 10 points and seven rebounds.
Philadelphia's ball movement ultimately doomed the Lakers, who fell to 7-10 at home. The 76ers totaled 27 assists to Los Angeles' 17, and Holiday had just one turnover to go along with his 10 assists.
Los Angeles' Kobe Bryant had a game-high 36 points and added six rebounds, but he hit just one of six 3-point attempts and played particularly poorly down the stretch. He had little help in the post. Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol combined for just three field goals and 18 points against a Philadelphia squad that had lost eight of 10 coming in.
Gasol had 11 points on 2-of-12 shooting. He added nine rebounds. Howard shot 1-for-7 and scored seven points, but he added 14 rebounds and five blocked shots.
Los Angeles, which had won six of seven to turn around a season that was quickly unraveling, made just three of 22 3-point tries and 22 of 33 free throws.
NOTES: Former Lakers center Andrew Bynum, who was traded to Philadelphia in the offseason deal that brought Howard to Los Angeles, remains out with bone bruises on both knees. He did not make the trip with the 76ers. ... Lakers guard Steve Blake (abdominal surgery) missed the game. ... Despite the recent hot streak, Los Angeles entered the game at 10th in the Western Conference standings. ... The Lakers tied a team record with 10 first-half 3-pointers against the 76ers in their first matchup on Dec. 14 in Philadelphia, which Los Angeles won, 111-98. ... Sixers forward Thaddeus Young (12 points) scored in double figures for the 23rd consecutive game, Philadelphia's longest such streak since Andre Igoudala had a 24-game run in late 2009. ... The 76ers entered the night second in the NBA in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.74-to-1) after leading the league in 2012 (1.97-to-1).
