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Brook Lopez Shines, but Doesn't Get Enough Help Against Lakers

Amid the distractions of the rumored/pending Carmelo trade, the Nets played pretty well Friday night in L.A. But once again, they just couldn't hang with the Lakers for a full 48 minutes, falling to the champs, 100-88, at Staples Center.

It was the Lakers' seventh straight win and their seventh straight win over the Nets.

The Lakers took control with an 8-0 run late in the second quarter, but the Nets hung around all game. An 8-0 run of their own got them within two with 9 1/2 minutes left in the fourth, but the Lakers immediately answered with a 9-0 run from which the Nets couldn't recover.

Brook Lopez had arguably his best game of the season, leading all scorers with 35 points on 13-of-19 shooting and completely outplaying Andrew Bynum. The other four Nets starters scored just 12 points total on 5-for-23 from the field, but former Lakers Sasha Vujacic (17) and Jordan Farmar (12) combined for 29 points off the bench. Kris Humphries grabbed 15 rebounds, but made just three of his 12 shots. Devin Harris dished out eight assists, but also had seven turnovers and shot 2-for-8.

At one point, Avery Johnson played the five healthy players who would survive the trade: Lopez, Vujacic, Farmar, Humphries and Travis Outlaw.