(Sports Network) – The Western Conference-leading San Antonio Spurs handed a Kobe Bryant-less Lakers team its worst loss of the season earlier this week.

Things don’t figure to be as easy this time around as the two teams clash in the Alamo City. Bryant, the NBA’s leading scorer who has sat out the last seven games with a sore left shin, is expected to return tonight.

LA actually snapped San Antonio’s eight-game home winning streak back on April 11 without Bryant but the Spurs responded in Staples Center on Tuesday, waxing the Lakers 112-91 behind Tony Parker’s 29 points and 13 assists.

A day later San Antonio kept things rolling by completing a three games in three nights sweep of California teams by routing Sacramento, 127-102. Tiago Splitter poured in 17 points and pulled down seven rebounds for the Spurs, who started the grueling stretch by topping Golden State on Monday.

Gary Neal finished with 17 points against the Kings, Parker had 15 points and eight assists, while Manu Ginobili, Stephen Jackson and Kawhi Leonard chipped in with 13 points apiece for the Spurs, who were able to rest Tim Duncan and still win their fifth straight game. Danny Green contributed 11 points in the victory for San Antonio.

“It’s good to win and it’s even better to win on the road,” Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said. “Guys showed a lot of energy, a lot of focus, and it’s good to see.”

San Antonio currently leads Oklahoma City by just one-half game for the top spot in the West with five games left to play. The Spurs also own the tiebreaker over the Thunder.

“We’re going to play for it, but at the same time I think the most important thing for (head coach Gregg Popovich) and for us is to be healthy and be fresh when the playoffs start,” Parker said about the No. 1 seed in the West.

The Lakers, meanwhile, bounced back from their loss to the Spurs earlier in the week by disposing of Golden State in Oakland on Wednesday, 99-87. Pau Gasol recorded his fifth career triple- double in that one with 22 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists, while Andrew Bynum added 31 points and pulled down nine rebounds.

Metta World Peace finished with 18 points and nine assists for the Lakers, who moved to 5-2 without Bryant as they dished out a season-high 34 assists on 37 made baskets.

“I’d be curious how many seven-footers have had a triple-double this way,” Lakers head coach Mike Brown said of Gasol’s triple-double. “…Usually with guys seven feet or 7-foot-1, it’s usually points, blocks and rebounds.”

The Lakers are a one game ahead of the Clippers for the Pacific Division lead as well as the third seed in the Western Conference. They will clinch home- court advantage in the first round with a win tonight or a loss by Memphis to Charlotte.

LA has won two straight in San Antonio, including the win on April 11 when Bynum grabbed an NBA season-high 30 rebounds.

The San Antonio Spurs have all but secured one of the top two seeds in the Western Conference, and they’re not overly concerned with which one they get.

The Spurs will try to aid their chances of finishing atop the conference by extending their dominance of the short-handed and struggling Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena on Monday night.

San Antonio (42-16) clinched its ninth division title in 12 seasons Saturday with a 105-91 victory over Phoenix. The Spurs jumped out to a 35-13 lead after one quarter and led by 24 at halftime, allowing coach Gregg Popovich to once again rest his starters.

Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan, the latter of whom had a team-best 19 points, didn’t play during the final period and for much of the second half. None of San Antonio‘s 13 active players logged more than 25 minutes.

The win kept the Spurs one game back of Oklahoma City in the West – they’re even in the loss column – but Duncan says his team is not obsessed with that race.

“We’re going to end up where we end up. There’s no reason to sit there and study it,” he said. “We’re going to play these games as best as we can.

“We’re in a great position right now. Hopefully we can end on top. If we don’t, hopefully we’re number two and we’re happy with that.”

San Antonio will try to help itself with a 14th consecutive victory over the Warriors (22-37). The Spurs have also prevailed in 46 of 53 matchups and five in a row in northern California.

This time, they’ll face a team that’s lost three key players and traded away another last month.

David Lee is the latest Golden State starter who’s likely out for the season. An MRI on Friday revealed the power forward has a strained groin and a stress reaction.

The Warriors are already missing Andrew Bogut (ankle), Stephen Curry (ankle) and former Spur Richard Jefferson (knee). Bogut was acquired in a deal that sent leading scorer Monta Ellis to Milwaukee on March 14, and Jefferson was shipped from San Antonio to Golden State the next day.

Ellis scored 38 points and Curry had 20 during a 101-95 loss in San Antonio on Jan. 4, their only meeting this season.

Golden State is 4-16 since trading away Ellis and suffered its fourth straight loss Saturday, 112-104 at the Los Angeles Clippers. The Warriors stayed competitive by hitting 15 3-pointers – one shy of their season high – but could never take command after being outscored 24-5 in the first six minutes.

Nate Robinson scored a season-high 28 points and was one of four Golden State players to top 20.

“We’re undermanned and undersized, but we fought. There’s no quit in us,” said swingman Klay Thompson, who had 24 points for the second straight game. “We’ve been short-handed all year, so it’s a learning experience, especially for us rookies.”

Manu Ginobili, who sat out the win in January with a broken left hand, has averaged 22.0 points on 52.9 percent shooting in his last five matchups. He scored a team-best 20 during the most recent visit to Oakland, a 113-102 win Jan. 24, 2011.

Former Warriors guard Stephen Jackson, acquired in the Jefferson deal after playing for Milwaukee, has scored at least 30 points in each of his last two games at Oracle Arena.

Spurs’ Ginobili doubtful for playoff opener

San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili is doubtful for Game 1 against the Memphis Grizzlies after spraining his right elbow in the regular-season finale.

The all-star had an MRI exam Thursday that confirmed the sprain. Ginobili hyperextended the elbow in the first quarter of Wednesday’s loss at Phoenix.

The Spurs said Ginobili will be listed as doubtful for the playoff opener Sunday. San Antonio locked up the No. 1 seed in the West last week and plays the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round.

Coach Gregg Popovich sat his stars Tuesday at the Los Angeles Lakers, but played them against the Suns with the goal of keeping them in a rhythm for the playoffs. The 33-year-old Ginobili averaged 17.4 points this season.

Source: NBA fines Lakers, Jackson $75,000

A person familiar with the decision has told the Associated Press that the Los Angeles Lakers and Phil Jackson each have been fined $75,000 for comments the coach made about collective bargaining. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity Thursday because the league will not announce the fines.

The two fines come a day after the league fined Lakers star Kobe Bryant $100,000 for using a derogatory gay term in frustration over a referee’s call.

Golden State GM gets new contract

New Golden State Warriors owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber gave general manager Larry Riley a vote of confidence Thursday.

Riley received a new multiyear contract to stay put as GM and executive vice president of basketball operations. Former sports agent Bob Myers was hired as the team’s new assistant GM and vice president of basketball operations to serve as Riley’s right-hand man and contract expert.

Golden State finished the season with a 110-86 home win Wednesday night against the playoff-bound Portland Trail Blazers – and did so without leading scorer Monta Ellis, who sat out his second straight game with a concussion.

- Inquirer wire services