The Los Angeles Lakers found a win on the road Friday night in their game against the Brooklyn Nets 104-98. Brooklyn was the first of a five-stop road trip for the Lakers.
Small Forward Kobe Bryant led in scoring with 18 points, he was one of six players that scored in the double digits. Guards Jordan Clarkson and D’Angelo Russell tie at 16 points for the second highest score. Forward Julius Randle and center Roy Hibbert would tie with seven rebounds.
For the Nets, Brook Lopez led in scoring with 23 points and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson led the boards with 11 rebounds. Jarrett Jack also earned 12 assists.
The Lakers started off of the game slowly, allowing Jack, Joe Johnson and Lopez to cultivate a 6-17 run. Later in the first quarter, points from Clarkson and guard Lou Williams would keep the Lakers in the game to end the first quarter in favor of the Nets 18 to 27.
Rookie forward Larry Nance Jr. made is NBA in-season debut in the second quarter and would ultimately earn six points and five rebounds Friday night. The Nets went scoreless for two minutes while making turnovers and sending Los Angeles to the free throw line. One of Clarkson’s free throws would tie the game at 32 points.
A screen created by Randle would send Jack to the ground and allow Russell to make a pull-up jump shot. The Lakers continued to respond to Brooklyn’s shots until Randle and Bryant created a five-point lead 52-47 by halftime.
The purple and gold kept a small and constant lead over Brooklyn throughout the third quarter. NBA champion Metta World Peace made his in-season debut and made a three-pointer shortly after, breaking a 66-point tie.
Hibbert made a slam-dunk, giving Clarkson his third assist Friday night. The Lakers went into the fourth quarter with a seven-point lead and the Nets could not regain control for the rest of the game.
The Lakers will reunite with former head coach Phil Jackson and former Lakers players Derek Fisher and Sasha Vujacic on Sunday when they play against the New York Knicks.
