Originally published Saturday, March 29, 2008 at 12:00 AM

Bryant goes for 53 in loss

Kobe Bryant provided a ton of offense. The Los Angeles Lakers' defense was another story. Rudy Gay led five players...

The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — Kobe Bryant provided a ton of offense. The Los Angeles Lakers' defense was another story.

Rudy Gay led five players in double figures with 28 points and the Memphis Grizzlies won 114-111 despite 53 points by Bryant against the NBA's worst road team Friday night.

Bryant described his pile of points as "pretty much" of a waste.

"We didn't do a good job defensively at all," he said. "Staying in front of the ball has been a big problem for us. If we can't solve that problem, then we'll just have to continue to get penetrated on until we get the big guys back and then they can bail us out by blocking shots to the basket."

The Lakers lost their second in a row to another of the NBA's lesser teams, having been beaten by Charlotte on Wednesday night. The latest loss kept them from joining New Orleans and San Antonio in a three-way tie for the Western Conference lead. They are a game back in third.

"We lost to two teams that thankfully we won't be seeing in the playoffs," Bryant said. "I don't think it's dire straits by any stretch of the imagination, but still we got to buck up here."

Bryant scored 50 or more points for the 23rd time in the regular season and the second this month. He had 52 against Dallas on March 2. The Lakers fell to 16-7 when he goes for that many.

He was limited to six points in the fourth quarter, when the Lakers nearly erased all of a 10-point deficit. He had 10 rebounds and one assist while taking 37 of the Lakers' 94 shots.

"Road win, playoff team, Kobe going off," Gay said, ticking off reasons why it was a big win. "We played so well together. We just don't want to lose. We're not trying to give up on anything."

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