LOS ANGELES—The Los Angeles Lakers have the San Antonio Spurs just where they want them. Or is it the other way around?

Kobe Bryant scored 22 points, Lamar Odom added 20 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks, and the Lakers took command late in the second quarter to rout the Spurs 101-71 Friday night for a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals over the defending champions.

Only 14 of the 222 teams to lose the first two games in a best-of-seven NBA playoff series have come back to win. But San Antonio did it just one round ago against New Orleans.

“These guys are the defending champions, and there isn’t any reason for us to think that their time is up and that they’ll step aside for us,” Lakers guard Derek Fisher said. “It’s going to take a lot of work to eliminate this basketball team, and we’ll have to be willing to raise our bar to make sure that happens.”

Games 3 and 4 will be played in San Antonio, where the Spurs are 6-0 in the postseason and have won 20 of their last 22 games. Lakers coach Phil Jackson said he expected the Spurs to be a much different team Sunday night in Game 3.

“Oh, without a doubt,” he said, perhaps mindful of the fact that the Spurs were blown out in the first two games at New Orleans before turning that series around. “The old adage is you just won the games on your home court, which is the important part, and extended the series to six games. We know that. Now, nothing happens until we win on their court. And someone wins on the other team’s court.”

Bryant also made it clear he’s taking nothing for granted.

“You have to take care of business,” he said. “Get to practice (Saturday) and work on things that we want to adjust or get better at and get ready to rock ’n roll on Sunday.”

The Lakers had to rally from a 20-point third-quarter deficit to win the opener 89-85 Wednesday night, and didn’t take their first lead in that game until the final 3 minutes. They never trailed in Game 2—the third time in their last four playoff games that happened.

After a basket by Tim Duncan enabled the Spurs to forge the only tie, the Lakers scored the final nine points of the second quarter for a 46-37 halftime lead. Bryant then scored seven points in the first 2 minutes of the third period and Odom added seven more during a 20-10 run that made it 66-48.

The Lakers led 74-57 entering the fourth quarter, and made it a blowout by outscoring the Spurs 14-3 to begin the final period for an 88-60 lead.

“I think they had an off-night,” Jackson said. “I think they had some tired legs and I think that’s what happens sometimes. You get to playing a lot of playoff games back to back, we’re every other day in this situation. Kind of crept up on them, perhaps.”

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich agreed, although he gave the opposition credit as well.

“I think being out of gas had somewhat of an effect, but not as much as the good play of the Lakers,” he said. “We definitely have to have more people playing better to get this done. We thought our last game was our best shot to get something here and just dig down and do it after the seven games (against the Hornets).”

Jordan Farmar scored a career playoff high 14 points, Fisher added 11 points, and Pau Gasol had 10 points and seven rebounds for the Lakers, who shot 54.9 percent to San Antonio’s 34.5 percent and outrebounded the Spurs 44-36.

Tony Parker led the Spurs with 13 points and four assists and Duncan had 12 points and 16 rebounds.

“We’re confident we’re a very good home team, but you hate to put yourself in a position where you’re down 0-2,” Duncan said. “One of two things is going to happen—either we’re going to turn it around and make this thing into a series or we’re not. We are going to go home and try and change the tide of it.”

Manu Ginobili was ineffective again, shooting 2-for-8 and scoring seven points. He shot 3-for-13 in the opener.

Ginobili, who had started San Antonio’s previous six postseason games, was used in a reserve role, as was the case most of the season when he won the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award. It didn’t make any difference.

“There was some thought of shutting him down for the game,” Popovich said.

Ginobili has been slowed by an injured finger and a sprained ankle.

“Today I actually felt better than two days ago, so I’m not taking it as the ankle is limiting me,” he said. “I’m just playing bad. I’ve got to step up, got to do things better. I know I played terrible. I didn’t make anything happen. So (it’s) something I’m going to work on and try to come strong in Game 3.”



LAKERS 101, SPURS 71

SAN ANTONIO (71)

Bowen 3-5 0-0 8, Duncan 6-14 0-4 12, Oberto 2-7 0-0 4, Parker 6-15 1-2 13, Finley 3-9 1-1 8, Ginobili 2-8 3-3 7, Horry 0-5 0-0 0, Vaughn 2-4 0-0 4, Thomas 2-3 0-0 4, Udoka 2-8 0-0 6, Barry 2-4 0-0 5, Stoudamire 0-5 0-0 0. Totals 30-87 5-10 71.

L.A. LAKERS (101)

Radmanovic 2-3 0-0 4, Odom 7-10 6-8 20, Gasol 4-9 2-2 10, Fisher 4-5 3-3 11, Bryant 10-17 1-1 22, Turiaf 0-1 2-2 2, Vujacic 3-9 0-0 7, Farmar 5-7 2-2 14, Walton 2-7 2-2 7, Mbenga 1-2 0-0 2, Ariza 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 39-71 18-20 101.

San Antonio 16 21 20 14 — 71

L.A. Lakers 21 25 28 27 — 101

3-Point Goals—San Antonio 6-23 (Bowen 2-2, Udoka 2-5, Barry 1-2, Finley 1-2, Vaughn 0-1, Parker 0-2, Horry 0-2, Stoudamire 0-3, Ginobili 0-4), L.A. Lakers 5-18 (Farmar 2-4, Walton 1-3, Bryant 1-5, Vujacic 1-5, Radmanovic 0-1). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—San Antonio 47 (Duncan 16), L.A. Lakers 49 (Odom 12). Assists—San Antonio 20 (Duncan, Parker 4), L.A. Lakers 20 (Bryant 5). Total Fouls—San Antonio 18, L.A. Lakers 15. Technicals—L.A. Lakers defensive three second 2. A—18,997 (18,997).