Kobe Bryant scored 33 points and Pau Gasol added 18 points and 10 rebounds as the reigning NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers remained undefeated by beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 99-94 on Tuesday.
Kobe Bryant scored 33 points and Pau Gasol added 18 points and 10 rebounds as the reigning NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers remained undefeated by beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 99-94 on Tuesday.
Lamar Odom added 15 points and Ron Artest scored 13 for the Lakers, who improved to 8-0 for only the third time in club history, while the Timberwolves suffered their seventh defeat in eight games.
The Lakers matched the second-best start to a season in club history with the 1987-1988 squad. Only the 1997-1998 Lakers had a longer win streak to open a season, going 11-0.
Kevin Love led Minnesota with 23 points and a career-high 24 rebounds while Michael Beasley added 17 points and Sebastian Telfair scored 13 points and a game-high nine assists for the T-Wolves, who dropped their sixth game in a row.
Minnesota pulled within two points in the final six minutes but lost to the Lakers for a 12th consecutive time, foiled by 27 turnovers and only hitting 38 percent from the field.
The Lakers led 89-87 after Corey Brewer's breakaway slam-dunk off an Odom turnover, but Odom put the Lakers ahead with a three-pointer on their next possession and hit a layup with 2:39 remaining.
A three-point play from Beasley with 36 seconds remaining pulled the Lakers within 98-94 but Minnesota missed two chances to pull within a basket and got no closer.
The Lakers own the NBA's best record and New Orleans, at 7-0, is the only other unbeaten team in the NBA. Next to challenge the Lakers will be Denver on Thursday.
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