SoCal NBA Capsule

LA LAKERS 121, TORONTO 101 --------------------------

TORONTO (Ticker) -- Kobe Bryant collected 46 points, seven rebounds and five assists as the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Toronto Raptors, 121-101, at the Air Canada Centre.

It was a busy day for the Lakers, who acquired former All-Star center Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies earlier Friday. Los Angeles sent center Kwame Brown, rookie guard Javaris Crittenton, guard Aaron McKie and first-round picks in 2008 and 2010 to Memphis for Gasol. The Grizzlies also received the draft rights to Marc Gasol, Pau's younger brother, while Los Angeles got back a second-round pick in 2010. Pau Gasol is on his way to Los Angeles where he must pass a team physical before he can join the team.

In Friday's contest, Bryant led the way for the Lakers, putting on an MVP-type performance. He set the tone early by scoring 10 points in the first quarter and adding 11 in the second as the Lakers led by five at the half while shooting 54 percent from the field. The Raptors were able to stay within three for most of the half thanks to Andrea Bargnani's 17 first-half points while Chris Bosh chipped in with 11. The Lakers were able to stretch the lead going into the break as Sasha Vujacic nailed a 3-pointer with 9.5 seconds to go on a pass by a driving Bryant.

Los Angeles continued to apply pressure as it opened the third quarter on a 7-2 run and pushed its lead to 63-53 on Bryant's 3-pointer at 10:57. The Lakers were able to push the lead to 11 on Derek Fisher's shot from the arc that made it 77-66 at 5:03. The Raptors answered with a 9-0 run to bring themselves within two points on free throws by Bosh to make it 77-75 with 2:41 left in the third. Bryant once again answered the call by hitting a clutch fadeaway 3-pointer from the right corner at the end of the shot clock with 11.4 seconds left in the third to help the Lakers enter the final quarter with 83-77 advantage.

Los Angeles was able to put the game away midway through the fourth as Bryant connected on the first of three successive Lakers' 3-pointers as part of an 11-2 run to stretch their lead to 104-89.