Lakers Set Up for Suns

The Lakers put the final imprint on their regular season as Kobe Bryant took his first scoring title, his team clinched seventh in the Western Conference, and a first-round date with the Phoenix Suns loomed on the very near horizon.

They ended the regular season on a roll, both Bryant and the Lakers, beating the New Orleans Hornets, 115-95, on Wednesday at Staples Center and winning for the 11th time in 14 games.

The Lakers finished 45-37, a game ahead of eighth-place Sacramento and 11 victories better than last season. Their best-of-seven series begins Sunday in Phoenix at 12:30 p.m.

Bryant scored 35 points, finished with a 35.4 average this season, and become only the third player in L.A. Laker history to win a scoring title, joining Jerry West (31.2 points per game in 1969-70) and Shaquille O’Neal (29.7 points in 1999-00).

He also became only the fourth player in league history to average more than 35 points in a season, following Wilt Chamberlain (five times), Rick Barry (once) and Michael Jordan (once).

“It was a good season for me individually,” Bryant said. “I’m more proud of what we accomplished as a team, getting into the postseason. I’m blessed, fortunate.”

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the league’s all-time leader with 38,387 points, hoped the concept wasn’t lost on the general public.

“I don’t think people appreciate it,” said Abdul-Jabbar, a Laker special assistant coach. “People take him for granted. It’s not something you’re going to see very often in your lifetime.”

The Lakers and Bryant had their reasons to play hard against New Orleans, all of them revolving around facing Phoenix instead of San Antonio in the first round.

The Lakers are 1-7 against both the Suns and Spurs the last two seasons, but San Antonio has that extra aura of a defending champion.

“I’d rather not have to see them in the first round,” Luke Walton said before the game. “They’re the team to beat in the West.”

The Lakers can also get home-court advantage in the second round if they somehow get past Phoenix and Denver eliminates the Clippers. The Lakers have a better record than Denver (44-38).

Coach Phil Jackson said such a concept was “getting ahead of ourselves” but acknowledged it was “one of the reasons why that bracket is attractive.”

So, it’s Phoenix they get for now, ready or not.

The Lakers had won or tied the four-game season series with the Suns nine consecutive times until being swept last season. After starting out 0-3 against the Suns this season, the Lakers finally beat them Sunday, 109-89, although the starting Sun backcourt, Steve Nash and Raja Bell, watched the game in street clothes.

“It’s not going to have any carry-over effect from a mental standpoint or anything like that,” Bryant said. “Everything’s thrown out the window. It’s a new season.”

Bryant has been at his best against the Suns, averaging 42.5 points in four games this season, but Jackson is already calling for a team effort.

“It’s not going to be about Kobe getting 45 points a night,” he said. “It’s going to be about how are we going to use all the talents to do what we have to do to take a team apart.”

Game 2 will be Wednesday in Phoenix. The series moves to Staples Center for Games 3 and 4, April 28 and 30.

The Hornets were looking at a playoff appearance until they went 7-19 to finish the season, posting another lopsided loss Wednesday after falling to Phoenix by 37 on Monday.

The Lakers toyed with them, taking a 65-38 halftime lead as Bryant scored 27 points on 11-for-18 shooting.

The Lakers took another, smaller victory, getting back center Chris Mihm, who sat out 17 games because of a severely sprained right ankle. He entered late in the first quarter and had two points on one-for-five shooting in 13 minutes.

The news wasn’t all good for the Lakers.

Walton was elbowed in the left side of the face by Hornet center Marc Jackson in the first quarter and went to Centinela Freeman Regional Medical Center for a CT scan. Results were negative. He might play Sunday against Phoenix.

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NBA PLAYOFFS | FIRST-ROUND MATCHUPS

WESTERN CONFERENCE

No. 1 San Antonio vs.

No. 8 Sacramento

* Spurs won the season series, 2-1

No. 2 Phoenix vs.

No. 7 Lakers

* Suns won the season series, 3-1

No. 3 Denver vs.

No. 6 Clippers

* Clippers won the season series, 3-1

No. 4 Dallas vs.

No. 5 Memphis

* Mavericks won the season series, 3-1

EASTERN CONFERENCE

No. 1 Detroit vs.

No. 8 Milwaukee

* Pistons won the season series, 3-1

No. 2 Miami vs.

No. 7 Chicago

* Heat won the season series, 2-1

No. 3 New Jersey vs.

No. 6 Indiana

* Pacers won the season series, 2-1

No. 4 Cleveland vs.

No. 5 Washington

* Wizards won the season series, 3-1

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At a glance

Lakers who have won NBA scoring titles and the best-of-seven series between the Lakers and Phoenix (* won NBA title; ** lost in NBA Finals):

*--* Lakers who have won the NBA scoring title: Player Season Points Record Kobe Bryant 2005-06 35.4 45-37 Shaquille O’Neal 1999-00 29.6 *67-15 Jerry West 1969-70 31.2 **46-36 George Mikan 1949-50 27.4 *51-17 George Mikan 1950-51 28.4 44-24

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LAKERS VS. PHOENIX

*--* Game 1 Sunday at Phoenix, 12:30 p.m. (Channel 7) Game 2 Wednesday at Phoenix, 7:30 p.m. (TNT) Game 3 April 28 at Lakers, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN) Game 4 April 30 at Lakers, 12:30 p.m. (Channel 7)

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* Times and TV schedules for Game 5 (May 2), Game 6 (May 4) and Game 7 (May 6) have not been determined