Lakers are falling fast

The Lakers (33-32) are tied with the Denver Nuggets for No. 6 in the Western Conference playoff race. They are 3 1/2 games ahead of the Golden State Warriors and the Clippers and four games in front of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Superstar Kobe Bryant, who has scored 25 or more points in 14 straight games, leads the Lakers in scoring (29.1 ppg) and assists (5.6 apg), while forward Lamar Odom, who is second on the team in scoring (16.3 ppg), is averaging a team-best 9.4 rebounds per game.

The Lakers, who will host the Nuggets on April 3rd, are scheduled to host 10 of their final 17 games this season. They will play the Timberwolves and Warriors once and the Clippers two more times this season.

The struggling Lakers try to put the brakes on their seven-game losing streak when they welcome the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday to the Staples Center. This is the third and final meeting of the season between the clubs. Portland won the two previous contests. The Trail Blazers defeated the Lakers on November 8th at the Rose Garden and on February 21st at the Staples Center. Portland has won three of the last four contests in the series.

On Thursday, Linas Kleiza scored a career-high 29 points on 10-of-13 shooting as the Nuggets sent the Lakers to their seventh straight defeat, 113-86, at the Pepsi Center.

Bryant registered 25 points and nine assists in the loss for the Lakers, while Luke Walton and Odom returned to the lineup for the Lakers.

Head coach Phil Jackson was fined $50,000 on Thursday for his public criticisms of the NBA. Jackson claimed a "witch hunt" was going on against Bryant by the league. The superstar was the recent recipient of a pair of one- game suspensions for hitting players in the face with his hand and elbow.

With the loss to Denver, Jackson was dealt a seventh straight loss for the first time in his 16-year NBA coaching career.

The Lakers are 20-11 as the host this season. They will host Kevin Garnett and the Timberwolves on Sunday.