INQUIRER Sports

SAN ANTONIO -- The Los Angeles Lakers handed the defending champion San Antonio Spurs their first home defeat of the playoffs Tuesday to take a stranglehold on their National Basketball Association semi-final series.

NBA Most Valuable Player Kobe Bryant scored 28 points with 10 rebounds as the Lakers held off the Spurs 93-91 to take a three-games-to-one lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference final series.

The Lakers will try to close out the series and book their berth in the NBA Finals when they host game five in Los Angeles on Thursday.

Lamar Odom scored 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds, and Pau Gasol added 10 and 10 for the Lakers, who shot 44 percent (38-of-85) from the field.

Tim Duncan scored 29 points with 17 rebounds and Tony Parker chipped in 23 points for the Spurs.