Lakers defeat FC Barcelona in exhibition game

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated Spain's Regal FC Barcelona 108-104 Saturday as part of a two-day exhibition tournament.

Lakers' Kobe Bryant scored 28 points in Staple Center in downtown Los Angeles, while Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol added 13 points each.

Regal FC Barcelona cut the Lakers' lead to 101-97 with 46.1 seconds left by scoring 10 points in a row, but were unable to come closer

The Lakers outscored Regal FC Barcelona 21-1 over an eight- minute span in the first and second quarters to build up a 40-19 lead 7:56 into the halftime.

Regal FC Barcelona responded with a 23-3 run to record 43-42 with 1:47 left in the first half. The Lakers scored the next eight points and led 53-44 at halftime.

Regal FC Barcelona was included in the four-team tournament, officially known as "The Shootout", after the Golden State Warriors dropped out to play in the NBA China Games at the request of the league, according to Jeanie Buss, the Lakers' executive vice president of business operations.

With the other NBA teams already having set their exhibition schedules, the Lakers had to look for an international opponent, Buss said.

The victory was the Lakers' fourth in four games against international teams. The Lakers defeated Israel's Maccabi Tel Aviv129-106 on Oct. 16, 1990 at the Forum in Inglewood, and won the 1991 McDonald's Championship in Paris, defeating France's CSP Limoges 132-101 in a semifinal, and Spain's Joventut Badalone 116-114 in the final.

NBA teams boast a 65-9 record against international teams.

The tournament will conclude on Sunday, with the Lakers meeting the Toronto Raptors for the championship and Regal FC Barcelona playing the Los Angeles Clippers in the third-place matchup.

Toronto defeated the Clippers, 93-89, in the opening game on Saturday's doubleheader.

Source: Xinhua