The Los Angeles Lakers seem to be caught in one hell of a repeating loop right now. Over and over and over, the same things keep happening.

1. Lakers build up a double digit lead against an inferior opponent.
2. Lakers lose a double digit lead to an inferior opponent
3. Lakers need late game heroics from Kobe Bryant
4. Profit

The Lakers have now won 4 out of their last five games. All four came against inferior competition. In three of the four contests, Kobe has hit huge, difficult shots in the final 30 seconds (OK, against Golden State, it was the final 32 seconds, but it was his second ridiculous shot in a row). Just the Lakers being the Lakers, and Kobe being Kobe, all over again.

With Andrew Bynum out, Kobe needed help from his other stars, and boy did he get it. Pau Gasol provided 22 and 12 and once again seemed to show a different level of engagement without competition for post touches. Ramon Sessions provided yet another point guard double double with 19, 11 and six boards (and the obligatory 4 TOs) and the bench continues to be horrid. 18 points for the bench tonight, and that is INCLUDING Josh McRoberts, who technically started, though Matt Barnes does get credit for the hustle that led to him picking up 10 boards off the bench.

This style of winning is not sustainable, but it's damned entertaining.