MEMPHIS, TENN. — It took a while, well into the second half of the game, but the closed-door meeting the Lakers had a day earlier finally took effect.
Their commitment to re-emphasize defense and energy was eventually realized when they shut down the Memphis Grizzlies in the final minutes of a 105-96 victory Monday at FedExForum.
Kobe Bryant (36 points) unfurled consecutive 30-point efforts for the first time this season, and the Lakers avoided three losses in a row for the first time since acquiring Pau Gasol in February.
The effort came on the heels of an animated meeting involving players and coaches before Sunday's practice in Memphis.
The players openly questioned their commitment to defense and cleared the air with each other as coaches verbally jumped into the mix from time to time in an environment that was called "sparky" by a source who requested anonymity because team personnel were instructed not to talk about it publicly.
Still, the Lakers didn't look very committed to anything going into the locker room at halftime, down 57-49.
Then came a second half in which the Grizzlies were held to 39 points and were on the losing end of a 20-5 run by the Lakers in the final 3:45.
Sparky, indeed.
The Lakers (22-5) were due for a get-together after consecutive road losses in Florida and an overall lack of defense and intensity and emotion and consistency and . . .
So Coach Phil Jackson called the meeting Sunday on the practice court at FedExForum, as winds howled outside in below-freezing temperatures.
Fifteen minutes of it were spent on the Lakers' defense, which started out among the league leaders in virtually every category but had given up more than 100 points in eight of the last 11 games.
There was also time devoted to the offense.
Bryant told teammates not to worry about forcing the ball to him. He would get his shots regardless.
His message in a nutshell: If you have a shot, go with it. Don't stand around and wait for me.
Bryant did not seem happy at all in the first half against the Grizzlies, frowning on several occasions and slamming his hand on a chair on the Lakers' bench during a timeout.
But after Gasol scored down low early in the third quarter, Bryant chest-bumped him. Then he emphatically slapped Andrew Bynum's hand after the 7-footer blocked O.J. Mayo's runner to start a fastbreak the other way.
