CASPER
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LOS ANGELES – Pau Gasol had 20 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists while completing his fourth career triple-double by the third quarter, and the Los Angeles Lakers easily improved to 7-0 for the fifth time in franchise history with a 121-96 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night.
Lamar Odom had 21 points and 12 rebounds, Kobe Bryant scored 12 points and Ron Artest played stringent defense on Portland star Brandon Roy during a smooth night of work for the Lakers, who led by 24 points in the first half and 29 down the stretch while outrebounding the Blazers 49-25.
Andre Miller scored 20 points and Nicolas Batum added 17 for the Blazers, who lost for just the second time in their last six meetings with the Lakers.
Shannon Brown hit three 3-pointers while scoring 15 points for the Lakers, who also started 7-0 two years ago and in 2001-02, when they began their roll to their first threepeat under coach Phil Jackson. Los Angeles' only better starts were in 1987-88 (8-0) and 1997-98 (11-0).
Gasol clinched his first triple-double since Feb. 17, 2009, with an assist on Artest's basket with 3:10 left in the third quarter. With a dominant performance down low and on the perimeter, Gasol nearly hit the marks during Los Angeles' dominant first half alone, racking up 14 points, 11 rebounds — the same number as Portland's entire roster — and seven assists.
The Lakers are leaning heavily on the Spaniard while starting center Andrew Bynum is recovering from knee surgery, but a summer away from basketball left Gasol energized for the task.