Picture Gallery (LAT)

Apr 20 - Staples Center, Los Angeles. The Lakers two top scorers, Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, combined for just 19 points, but based on a big defensive effort L.A. got an 87-78 win over the Hornets to tie the series 1-1.

This time things weren't so easy for Chris Paul who was chased everywhere by Kobe Bryant. New Orleans star ended with 20 points and 9 assists down from the 33 and 14 he got in game 1.

Using most of his energy on defending the Hornets most dangerous player, Kobe wasn't a big factor on the offensive end and attempted an unusually low 10 field goals to get his 11 points while Gasol had another night off with 8 points. But that wasn't a big problem because others carried the offensive load: Andrew Bynum was unstoppable on the paint with 17 points on 8-for-11 field goal attempts, Lamar Odom, the Lakers first ever 6th Man of The Year had 16 points off the bench and Ron Artest added 15, including a 3-pointer with 40 seconds to go to put the Lakers ahead 84-74.

The Lakers started to take control of the game in the second quarter when Bynum's physical game gave his team an emotional lift and sent Emeka Okafor to the bench with 3 fouls. The Lakers never trailed after that despite. Chris Paul closed the half with a buzzer beating 3-pointer and then did it again at the end of the third quarter, but although his team stayed close until the end it was never enough. Former Laker Trevor Ariza was their top scorer with 22 points

Odom was presented his Sixth Man trophy to a standing ovation before the game.