Bryant shrugs off injury as Lakers triumph

LOS ANGELES – Kobe Bryant shrugged of a sprained left ankle and the two-time defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers rolled to a 97-84 victory over Orlando on Monday.

Pau Gasol led the Lakers with 23 points and Bryant added 16 despite the injury he suffered in a victory over Dallas on Saturday.

The Lakers, playing the team they vanquished in the 2009 NBA finals, turned it on in the second half as they notched their 10th victory in 11 games.

Andrew Bynum had 10 points and matched his career high with 18 rebounds. He also blocked four shots as the Lakers opened a seven-game homestand with another solid win.

The Lakers improved to 48-20, closing the gap on the Mavericks (47-19) for second place in the Western Conference behind San Antonio.

Orlando’s Dwight Howard had 22 points and 15 rebounds, but his nine turnovers were four more than all of the Lakers.