Butler leads Lakers over Kings 105-80
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-10-20 15:21

Caron Butler had 18 points and six rebounds, and Chris Mihm scored 17 points in the Los Angeles Lakers' 105-80 preseason victory over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night.

Kobe Bryant had 10 points, five assists and five rebounds while playing 33 minutes for the Lakers in front of a sellout crowd at Fresno's Save Mart Center.

Darius Songaila had 10 points for the Kings, back in action just two days after finishing a weeklong trip to China.

Sacramento's top seven players made little more than token appearances in deference to their jet lag. Chris Webber, Peja Stojakovic and Mike Bibby played the first quarter but didn't leave the bench again, while All-Star center Brad Miller played 14 minutes.

But Bryant was everywhere for the Lakers, directing the offense and talking trash after blocking a shot by Sacramento's Anwar Ferguson. Bryant has received an unusual amount of playing time in the preseason while building chemistry with a roster full of newcomers.

Bryant was in a playful mood, laughing with his teammates and trading jibes with the Kings' bench when coach Rick Adelman begged the referees to call the superstar for pushing off while driving to the hoop.

Lakers center Vlade Divac, perhaps the Kings' most popular player for the past six years before leaving as a free agent, didn't make the trip. He's out at least until the regular season begins with a herniated disc in his lower back.

Though the Lakers were the nominal home team roughly midway between the clubs' homes, the Kings might have been auditioning for love in the San Joaquin Valley, traditionally considered Lakers' turf. The Kings will be the most prominent feature of a new cable sports network in central California this fall.

But if the raucous crowd was any indication, the Lakers are still Fresno's favorites. The fans supported both teams, but Los Angeles' cheers were at least twice as loud — and though Bryant drew his share of boos, whenever he took it to the basket, dozens of cameras flashed in the crowd.

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