MILWAUKEE (AP) — Drew Gooden scored 23 points and the undermanned Milwaukee Bucks made sure the Lakers’ road struggles continued, beating Los Angeles 100-89 on Saturday night.
Kobe Bryant scored 27 for the Lakers, who are 1-7 on the road this season.
Ersan Ilyasova and Mike Dunleavy added 15 points each for the Bucks, who managed to beat the Lakers without two of their best players.
Already scrambling to compensate for the long-term absence of injured center Andrew Bogut, the Bucks found themselves without guard/forward Stephen Jackson on Saturday because of an NBA suspension.
Bryant made six free throws to break Jerry West’s franchise record for free throws made. Coming into Saturday’s game, Bryant needed three makes to tie West’s mark of 7,160.
Bryant also came closer to becoming the Lakers’ career leader in field goals made. He was 10 of 21 from the floor Saturday, leaving him three short of the 13 field goals he needed to tie Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s franchise record of 9,935 field goals made.
Even without Bogut and Jackson, the Bucks were in control most of the way. Ilyasova hit a jumper at the horn to end the third quarter, and the Bucks took an 80-73 lead into the fourth.
The Bucks led 85-76 after an inside score from Ilyasova with just under eight minutes left, but Bryant scored five straight points to cut the lead to four.
ROCKETS 97, KNICKS 84
In Houston, the Houston Rockets thought their depth would be one of their strengths before the season began.
The reserves are now playing well enough to give the starters valuable rest during the lockout-compressed season.
Chase Budingr scored 19 points, Samuel Dalembert grabbed 14 rebounds and the Rockets beat the New York Knicks, 97-84, on Saturday night for their ninth win in 10 games.
Backup forward Jordan Hill had 14 points and 11 rebounds, reserve guard Courtney Lee scored 14 points in place of the injured Kevin Martin.
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