Kobe Leads Lakers Past Kings

Kobe Bryant scored 29 points, while Vladimir Radmanovic matched his season high with 21, as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Sacramento Kings  last night, 114-92. Radmanovic hit five 3-pointers and tied his career high with 14 rebounds. Pau Gasol added 20 points and nine rebounds for the Lakers, who won their fourth straight, snapping the Kings four-game win streak.

Although the Lakers still trail New Orleans by 1 1/2 games for the Western Conference lead, the win pushed Los Angeles—which has the same record as San Antonio—two games ahead of Phoenix in the Pacific standings with five games to play. The Lakers have 18 division titles, but none since 2004, Shaquille O'Neal's last season with the club. (More Vladimir Radmanovic stories.)