Lakers vs. Clippers: In-game report

Lakers 126, Clippers 86 (final)

This time, the Lakers played with a purpose against the Clippers on Friday night at Staples Center in their home game.

This time, the Lakers played harder than the Clippers.

The 40-point victory was the largest margin of the season for the Lakers.

With four Lakers starters scoring in double figures and with the return of Pau Gasol, the Lakers took control of this game in the third quarter and got a measure of revenge after the Clippers had beaten them by 11 points last week when the teams last played each other.

Gasol, who had been out for six games with a strained left hamstring, had 20 points and six rebounds in 31 minutes. He was four-for-10 shooting from the field and 12 of 12 from the free-throw line.

Kobe Bryant, who played the last two games with back spasms, had 30 points on 10-for-20 shooting,.

Andrew Bynum had 20 points on eight-for-13 shooting.

Lakers 89, Clippers 67 (end of third quarter)

The Lakers began to overwhelm the Clippers tonight in the third quarter, leading to a frustrating moment for Baron Davis that included some words being exchanged and the officials stopping the game to sort things out.

The Lakers had built a 20-point lead by sharing the basketball and playing good team defense.

When Derek Fisher and Pau Gasol trapped Davis in the corner in front of the Lakers' bench late in the third, Davis started swinging his elbows.

Davis connected with an elbow on Gasol's shoulder, knocking him back. Fisher then got in Davis' face, as did Kobe Bryant.

In the end, Davis was called for a flagrant foul and Davis and Fisher were both issued technical fouls.

Gasol shot two free throws after the foul on Davis, giving the Lakers an 82-60 lead.

Lakers 53, Clippers 50 (halftime)

There was a point in the second quarter tonight when the Lakers were being outplayed and outhustled by the Clippers.

Before the game, Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said that was his team's downfall in the loss to the Clippers last week.

Now the Lakers were repeating those things.

They watched the Clippers open the second quarter with an 11-0 run.

Jackson saw enough and called a timeout with his team down by nine points.

The Lakers seemed to wake up after that. The Lakers began to play better defense, not leaving so many Clippers wide open.

Andrew Bynum went back to work inside, scoring on dunks and getting to the free-throw line. He also ran the court for an easy dunk. Bynum leads the Lakers with 16 points. He also has four rebounds and two assists. Bryant has 11 points on four-of-11 shooting, while Pau Gasol has eight points.

Eric Gordon leads the Clippers with 12 points on four-for-10 shooting, including two of three from three-point range. Baron Davis has 11 points and five assists, while Marcus Camby leads all rebounders with nine.

Lakers 28, Clippers 25 (first quarter)

The man of the hour tonight for the Lakers was center Andrew Bynum.

Bynum, who has been on a roll lately by collecting a double-double in four of his last five games, came out strong again.

Bynum had 10 points on four-for-six shooting in the first quarter against the Clippers.

Pau Gasol, who returned to the lineup after missing six games with a left hamstring injury, had eight points in the first.

For the Clippers, Baron Davis was a handful again, scoring nine points and handing out four assists.

Pregame

When the Lakers lost to the Clippers in their meeting last week, Coach Phil Jackson said he told his team the reason why.

Jackson said his team was outplayed and outhustled.

Jackson said he didn't want to see the same things happen Friday night when the Lakers hosted the Clippers at Staples Center.

The Lakers got some good news when Pau Gasol, who missed the last six games with a strained left hamstring, suited up for the game.

Kobe Bryant, who suffered from back spasms the last two games, looked much better before Friday night's game.

-- Broderick Turner

Photo: Clippers point guard Baron Davis tries to lose Lakers point guard Derek Fisher against a screen by DeAndre Jordan in the first half Friday night. Credit: Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times