Lakers vs Suns

La Times update
Lakers 50, Suns 40, 5:58 remaining, second quarter

Lamar Odom continues to energize the Lakers and leads the team with 13 points. Jordan Farmar also has five points.

So far the Lakers bench has outscored the Suns, 18-13.

Sasha Vujacic entered the game at the 6:31 mark, his first appearance since getting hurt in the final regular season game. Robin Lopez, the Suns center, has also done well so far and has six points and two boards.

In his news conference before the game Phil Jackson talked about the report in The Times on Monday that Kobe Bryant recently needed to have his knee drained of fluids.

"It's a concern, we're dealing with it and think we have it under control," Jackson said. Bryant has had his knee drained one or two times before and Jackson said, but would not say when the latest procedure occurred, other than to say "a ways back."