LAKERS REPORT / NOTES : Jones Continues Offensive Groove

One of the best offensive runs in Eddie Jones’ career of three-plus seasons continued Sunday night when he had 32 points on 12-of-15 shooting against the Toronto Raptors, with two of the misses coming on three-point attempts.

That puts Jones at 22.4 points and 57.1% the last 10 games. For the season, he leads all guards in shooting, at 56.8%, and is averaging 21.1 points overall.

“Don’t jinx me,” he said, superstitious as always of breaking any hot streak. “I’ll stay away from that question.”

The question was about his 10-game stretch. Not that he hadn’t already answered it on the court.

Maybe it was just an East Coast thing. Kobe Bryant hopes as much, trying to break a rare free-throw shooting slump. The Lakers already struggle in that department, and Bryant’s effectiveness is especially critical because his penetrating runs can mean frequent trips to the line.

Bryant shot 81.9% from the line last season, the best showing by a Laker rookie in 22 years, and had one stretch this season when he made 26 of 28 attempts. But then came visits to Miami, Boston and Philadelphia, and he went a combined six of 18.

“It’s mechanics,” said Bryant, in unusual territory at 73.8% going into Sunday’s game. “I’ll lean to the left, lean to the right. I’ve just got to shoot it straight to the hoop.

Sunday, he made both tries.

Corie Blount played 18 minutes and got nine points and eight rebounds on two bad legs, having sprained his right ankle about two weeks ago and then hurting the left one at some point during the three-game trip without telling anyone.

“He couldn’t walk yesterday,” Coach Del Harris said. “But he’s playing tonight. That’s a credit to him and to [trainer] Gary Vitti and our medical crew. He’s hurting, but he plays. He hasn’t been free of pain for a number of games.”